Greensboro Daily Photo

New Chancellor at the University of North Carolina Greensboro

Yesterday, Franklin D. Gilliam, Jr. became UNCG's eleventh chancellor. He comes to Greensboro from UCLA where served as the dean of the School of Public Affairs. Originally from Minnesota, Chancellor Gilliam also taught at Grinnell College and the University of Wisconsin- Madison. He earned his Ph.D. in political science at the University of Iowa.  Chancellor Gilliam brings to UNCG considerable experience in community engagement, diversity and ethnic politics, public policy, and is well-regarded in his field and as an administrator. According to UNC system President Tom Ross (via the Raleigh News & Observer), Chancellor Gilliam "promotes openness and collaboration, strategic thinking and creative problem solving." 

The above photo was taken yesterday afternoon when the campus was putting finishing touches on the chancellor's reception in the Alumni House.  People dressed in UNCG's blue and gold, were walking to the Alumni House for the reception, exuding optimism and excitement. We welcome Chancellor Gilliam to Greensboro and hope that he has a long and productive tenure at UNCG. 

 

(Not So) Tiny Bubbles

 Today we have one more photo from City Market; specifically, Bubble Sports. This giant bubble adventure is brought to us by The Club, Oak Branch•Green Valley. If you haven't seen these before, people get inside and jump into each other. It is a contact sport with no contact. We didn't get to bubble up, but will try to do so when they are at Bryan Park at the Dynamo Soccer game tonight at 7:00 pm.

In the above photo, you can see Bubble Sport's prime spot in South End with the JP Building in plain view. We're predicting that these bubbles will trend as yard toys. Can't you just imagine some of those active neighborhood associations sponsoring bubble events. The corner of Walker and Elam may never be the same. Just think, this could bring new meaning to Sunset Hills' "Running of the Balls" event!

Titus Gant Quartet

The Titus Gant Quartet was the entertainment at City Market at South End last night. They had a great jazz sound and provided a great backdrop as people walked around the market. The members are: Titus Gant, saxophone; Drorester Alexander,  piano;  Lawrence Peoples,  bass;  Charles Pinckney drums. However, we overheard someone say the bass player was not Lawrence People tonight. If you know the sax player's name, let us know and we'll update this post.

City Market takes place the third Thursday of the month. June's will be on the 18th. Mark your calendars now. The event is free and open to the public and there is always a nice array of vendors and community service groups, like volunteers sharing information about the Greenway. The hours are 5-9 pm. Well, now it is Friday. Many Greensboro residents will be heading to the beach for the weekend. However, for those of us who stay, we hope you have a way to have a mini-vacation right here in our own back yard!

Lab Rescue

The Lab Rescue was quite a popular station at last weekend's "Bark and Wine" event at the Railyard. The Railyard is located in  the space in the parking lot off of Barnhardt Street, between the Spice Cantina and Gibb's Hundred. The Lab Rescue NC, photographed above, is a non-profit organization that rescues and finds home for Labrador retrievers in need. They try to save as many labs as possible. Last time we checked, they had five fabulous dogs in need of a forever home. 

This was the fifth year of the "Bark and Wine" event. They had vendors, a silent auction, music, beer, wine, and so much more. It was an event for people of all ages and, all breeds of canines were invited to attend. It was a very pet-friendly event. In all, 23 rescue groups were in attendance. There were plenty of options for helping pets in need.

If you can't adopt, fostering may be a great thing to do this summer. If you can't foster, perhaps you can donate to one of the rescue organizations. It is infinitively rewarding to be involved with these community organizations.

Saigon Nails and Skincare School

Today's ABC Wednesday photo takes us to the Saigon Nails and Skincare School. The school is located in the DP Business Center on High Point Road. It is tucked in the back of the business center on property near the putt putt golf courses of yesteryear. Greensboro's Vietnamese community has grown by leaps and bounds over the last decade and the nail school is one of many options for our city's Vietnamese-Americans to learn a trade. 

We don't know a lot about the Saigon Nail and Skincare School and they don't appear to have a website. However, we did want to take this opportunity to write a blog entry featuring High Point Road, which has tremendous ethnic diversity. That part of town is a great place for commerce and for celebrating the ethnic diversity of Greensboro. In the photo below, you see the inside entrance to the salon. We're planning to return when they're open to see if they offer services to the public!

Today is ABC Wednesday and for our A-Z Local Series, S is for Saigon Nails and Skincare Store.

McGee Street Event

Longshank's Billiards was enveloped by tiny bubbles this weekend at the 10th Year Anniversary of Just Be. McGee Street was blocked off between Elm and Greene Streets for a street festival to celebrate the success of Just Be. This family-friendly event featured music by "The Ends and Carri Smithey." There was a food truck, art activities and give-aways all day long. Ever the great hosts, the staff at Just Be mingled and made sure that a good time was had by all and that the bubble machines were full.

How wonderful it was to see the whole block, as well as a community of artists, come together to celebrate the success of a local business. All Saturday afternoon, on this little corner of town, you could feel what it means to build community. What a great idea to give back to a community in appreciation of its support. What a sunny, joyful afternoon, reminding us that summer is right around the corner! Happy Tuesday!

New Mural in Town

The North State Milling Company, at the corner of Elm and Lee Streets, has the iconic "DAILY BREAD FLOUR" lettering that we have all come to associate with this corner of town. In the above photo, you can see the new addition to the façade. This is the first change we've noticed since featuring it on GDP in 2009. (See the pre-mural façade, here). The brick building with metal silos was constructed in 1912 and remains an excellent example of early 20th-century industrial architecture.

According to Preservation Greensboro, we have learned that the mural was painted in 2015 by an artist named "Chase." It faces the downtown section of the Greenway, adding visual interest for those who walk or bike by. According to this News & Record article from 2014, clothing retailer Gerbing will move its headquarters into this building, bringing their Duck Head brand along with them.

We're sharing this post through the meme, Mural Monday, which will bring people from all over the world to Greensboro for a virtual peek at this work of art. Unbeknown to them, this Greensboro mural will be peeking back!

Osteria Restaurant

Located on Westover Terrace near Lucky 32, Saffron, and Taste of Thai restaurants, Osteria is an Italian restaurant that serves quality food in a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Their cuisine is based on the flavors of Bologna, Italy with fresh pasta and fresh, local (as feasible) vegetables. Chef Koco Tamburi, photographed above with his wife, works hard to make your dining experience memorable. Those personal touches, like having the chef come out to greet you personally, make dining out all the more special. If you get by Osteria in the near future, we hope you get a chance to meet Chef Koco and his wife, who is an accomplished career professional Monday-Friday and a great addition to Osteria in her spare time. We're so glad they decided to make Greensboro their home. Thanks to them, our city has an Osteria! Don't you love the way Chef Koco embraces his wife with a pepper mill in one hand and a bowl of soup in the other! They really are nice people!

Regardless of what you do this weekend, we hope you seek out some of the local goodness of Greensboro. We have a great city with so many local venues and entrepreneurs trying hard to help you connect with our community. It is well worth your while to seek out these great people and places. 

Spoons

The "Spoons" sculpture is located on the grounds of the Carolina Theatre. It is one of seven coffee cup sculptures in downtown Greensboro. If you follow the link to the walking tour, the above sculpture is #5. They were commissioned by the United Arts Council and donated to the city. They represent the Civil Rights Movement and the efforts that led to all people being able to sit at the same lunch counter to be served a cup of coffee. The above plaque reads, "It is in the American tradition to stand up for one's rights- even if the new way to stand up for one's rights is to sit down." John Fitzgerald Kennedy. The artist was Leo Morrissey. Yes, those words are food for thought. If you get a chance, visit these statues this weekend. 

If you are downtown, tomorrow, Just Be turns 10 and starting at noon, they will block off their section of McGee Street and hold a birthday party. You are invited! If you make it to the party, you will be within easy walking distance of these sculptures. 

1960 MG, a Fun Ride!

This past weekend was the 3rd Saturday car show in the Fresh Market parking lot on Jefferson Road. We're betting that this cute 1960 MG from the April show was there again. The fun-loving owners love to share the stories of their car that they meticulously restored. If you see them driving this Carolina-blue car with ducks attached to the back, ask them about the car's provenance.

If you like car meet-ups, tonight, you can head to Herbie's Place and see an array of VW vehicles. We're dedicating today's post to faithful GDP reader, Katja, and we suspect this is the car she mentioned in a private message to us! If this it, Katja? Greensboro has many vintage car aficionados and many of our readers love cars. Remember to head out to Herbie's this evening if you want to talk cars!

 

R is for Replacements

Replacements, Ltd. and founder Bob Page, are featured in an exhibit at the Greensboro Historical Museum in the "Voices of a City" exhibit. Replacements was founded by Mr. Page in 1981 when he left his job as an auditor for the State of North Carolina to follow his passion- finding china and stemware patterns. In the early years, he kept a recipe box of index cards with his friends' requests to help them find pieces. He would keep an eye out for their requests when at flea markets and yard sales. 

The company has grown from that little recipe box to over 500 employees from over 30 countries. Replacements has a reputation for being a great place work two of many reasons are their embracing diversity and their allowing employees to bring their dogs to work. Replacements is truly a local startup with clients from all over the world. If you are local, it is well worth a visit to their showroom on Knox Road in the eastern end of the county, visible from I-40/85. If you get a chance, head to the historical museum and see the "Voices of a City" exhibit. Congratulations to Mr. Page for earning a spot on Greensboro's wall of fame!

Today is ABC Wednesday and R is for Replacements. See our A-Q local series, here.

Grand Finale

Greensboro's institutions of higher education are quickly bringing closure to the school year. Commencement for UNCG, NCA&T, and Greensboro College have already taken place. Guilford College, holds the last commencement service locally, this Saturday. The above photo captures a great unifying moment for UNCG, just before exams started. 

In the above photo, the campus group GIRL TALK is leading many members of the student body in the "Let's Move, Gimme 5 Dance."  The event, tied in with First Lady Michelle Obama's efforts to get the youth of our nation to make better life choices; specifically, to get enough exercise and to make better food choices. As part of the fifth anniversary of Let's Move! the First Lady is encouraging people to identify five ways to lead a healthier life.*  This effort is nothing short of a grand finale for the UNCG students who saw this inclusive event through from concept to completion. Let's all give a virtual high five for their efforts; indeed, a grand finale.

* reference, here.

Lorillard Tobacco, Headquarters on Green Valley

The above building is the Lorillard, Inc. at 714 Green Valley Road.  In 2014, Lorillard was acquired by Reynolds American Inc. Lorillard, founded in 1760, is the oldest continuously operating tobacco company in the United States. Their brands include Newport, Kent, True, Maverick, and Old Gold. They maintain their headquarters and produce all of their cigarette products in Greensboro, NC.

Lorillard represents the globalization of businesses these days. They are now owned by Reynolds American, but Imperial Tobacco, a British company, has taken control of Lorillard's manufacturing, headquarters, and research facilities in Greensboro (read article, here). So, it seems Lorillard, Reynolds, and Imperial Tobacco are all rolled in to one. True to most globalization, the arrangement is complicated. For now, Greensboro is breathing a sign of relief that Lorillard has not simply been absorbed by Reynolds.

Today's photo is of the corporate headquarters. The building is made of exposed aggregate precast concrete with glass and metal panels. The architect was Integrated Design, PA in Raleigh.** While we can't find a date on the building, it fits the architectural style of 1970's corporate. So, we're guessing about 1974. (Someone, please let us know for sure). Five years ago- the 250th anniversary year, GDP featured a photo of Lorillard's plant, built in 1956 on West Market Street. A lot has changed in the past five years!

* Reference.

** see more photos of the architecture, here.

Spirit Led Performing Arts Ministry

Nothing says Mother's Day, like a group of happy children and today, we see a group of young dancers performing their hearts out. They were at Chic-fil-A in Friendly Center this week, performing as part of the Spirit Led Performing Arts Ministry (SLPA). According to their website, SLPA offers liturgical dance, theatre, and mime for ages 3 to adult. SLPA, located in Greensboro,  has been teaching people to dance since 1992. SPLA is having an event at NCA&T's Harrison Auditorium on June 20th at 6pm. If you like spiritual dancing, you will love this event, which is free and open to the public.

Happy Mother's Day, and for many in North Carolina, happy graduation from college. In the meantime, can we have a virtual round of applause for the fabulous dancers above and a virtual hug for all of the mothers on this, their special day!

Going Here, There, and Elsewhere

Weekends on Elm Street can get pretty interesting. In the above photo two people from Elsewhere, a living museum inside a thrift store, were riding the bikes back to the museum. The museum members are known for their attention-grabbing modes of transportation and they bring great energy to the 600 block of South Elm Street. In the above photo, it looks like they're taking helmets to a whole new level.

This weekend will be no exception downtown, as Preyer Brewing Company opened in the former Steele & Vaughn Building, taking the Battleground, Smith, Eugene Street area near Deep Roots Co-op to a whole new level. We hope you have a chance to get out and explore the Gate City! Check out the new and patronize the old! 

We're sharing this with Weekend Reflections. (Reflections in the car are there... subtle, but there).

Urban Loop

Greensboro's Urban Loop is making great progress in the northwest part of the city. Here we see a section of being constructed at Alcorn Road, very near Northwest High School and not too far from the airport. The NC Department of Transportation was just cutting through the first layer of soil this past weekend. The crow, off to the right, can't seem to figure out what is happening, but he likes the insects and grubs being stirred to life by this construction. Only 15 miles remain to be built of the 44-mile long loop around the city.*

We laugh and say that Greensboro is a 20-minute town, that you can usually get from Point A to Point B in about 20 minutes. However, with a 44-mile loop around the city, it must take the better part of an hour to traverse the perimeter. As for the progress of the road construction, we'll be sure to keep you in the loop! Check back often!

 

* If you are interested, here and here are some project highlights and history.

 

Fincastles Diner Downtown

Much of May's First Friday fun took place in front of Fincastles Diner, featured above. Fincastles has been under new ownership since last fall, but it remains a family-friendly eatery at 215 South Elm Street. Robert Johnston, an operating partner in Smith Street Diner has taken over the restaurant.* We hope that means they'll start serving breakfast. The cooked-to-order breakfast market in Greensboro is far from saturated. Their Facebook page indicates that Fincastles will still serve burgers and sandwiches, but with upgrades, like artisan breads. Milkshakes and banana splits play into their all-new, retro diner theme.

As seen in the above photo, Fincastles has a very distinctive look on the exterior. If you forget the address, you can always look for the bright yellow façade and the red-striped awning. Here is a photo taken four years ago when we ordered a green drink and butter steak sandwich with Boar & Castle sauce, a culinary carry-over from the Boar & Castle Drive-in on West Market Street. We're wondering if those retro items from Greensboro's history will make the cut on the new menu.

*reference.

Q is for Quaker Village

If you have been out to West Friendly Avenue lately, you've likely noticed some big changes at Quaker Village. A major addition is the Wal-Mart neighborhood store is now open, bringing a grocery store back to the plaza. There hasn't been one since Fresh Market left in 2007. While initially met with resistance, the mini Wal-Mart seems to be gaining in popularity with the locals. The general consensus  is that the mini Wal-Mart is easier to navigate than a big one.

Quaker Village is a nice combination of chain stores and independent ones. The owner, Aston Properties of Charlotte, is making a concerted effort to help the stores feel connected as one big, accessible unit. Quaker Village was built over 50 years ago, in 1964.* In 2010, it was sold in a bankruptcy auction and, now, it appears to be gaining momentum as a shopping destination. How nice to see new energy brought to the historic Guilford College area. Today is ABC Wednesday and Q is for Quaker Village. See A-P in our ABC Local series, here.

 

*reference.

Aerial View and Lofty Thoughts

The above photo shows an aerial view of Greensboro. From the air, the city looks so tiny and the county looks so green. Making an approach, flying in from Atlanta, this view was on the lefthand side of the airplane. In this era of drones and businesses that take aerial photographs, seeing an aerial view is not such a big deal. Call us "old-school" but we still love recognizing landmarks from the air. Seeing Greensboro on the horizon, surrounded by greenery, felt like a great big welcome mat.

Today is Cinco de Mayo and many Mexicans in the United States will celebrate Mexico's win over the French at the Battle of Puebla on this day in 1862. We hope the Mexican families living in Greensboro take this opportunity to celebrate their heritage and that they don't have to spend the day telling people Cinco de Mayo is not Mexico's Independence Day. Finally, regardless of ethnicity and hometown, may everyone living in Greensboro look at this photo and love calling Greensboro home. Consider this a virtual welcome mat.

First Friday in May

First Friday this past Friday was designed for pedestrians as everal blocks of Elm Street were closed to cars. Pedestrians, bicyclists, and skateboarders were in paradise- board, tire, and sneaker paradise, that is! As seen above, much of the fun was taking place on South Elm Street just north of Washington Street. This past Friday, from shop owners to art galleries to restaurants, food trucks, and indie artists, everyone went out of their way to make people feel welcome.

A few minutes after we took this photo, the sky opened up and rain started pouring. Last year's First Fridays had their share of rain. We're hoping this season Greensboro get some dry First Friday's,  as they are such a great time to get out and explore our city. The iconic Kress and JP buildings look lovely in this photo.

Lawndale Baptist Church

 Today, we're sharing a photo of Lawndale Baptist Church. It is located on Lawndale Avenue, just south of Pisgah Church Road and not too far from Joyner Elementary School. Unfortunately, they don't have a history of the church published online. However, they do provide links to the many programs and special services that they offer. This is a dynamic church with an active congregation, offering services for people at all stages of life. They also have a very dynamic basketball program that is well respected in the Greensboro community. 

Within the last decade, the church has grown tremendously and expanded the physical facility to accommodate the growing congregation. If anyone has information about the history of the congregation, please share it with us here. Happy Sunday!

Tweeting One Out!

On April 20th, we shared information about a car show in the Fresh Market parking lot. Today, we feature a vehicle in Costco's parking lot on West Wendover Avenue. This is the O-Tweety Cooper Mini. They say yellow is about the most visible color on the road and it is definitely a stand-out in this parking lot. If you drive around town in a bright yellow car, you definitely have to have a bright and bubbly personality. To be sure, you will not be flying under the radar. Indeed, this car looks like an animated yellow canary.*

We wanted to stick around to watch the O-Tweety family leaving Costco to see how they fit all those bulk items from the store into that tiny car. A case of salsa, 36 rolls of toilet paper, a case of bottled water, family members... just how did they do it? We hope you are out having fun in Greensboro this weekend, and remember, no tweet-ing while driving. Happy Saturday, all.

*interesting history on Tweety, here (even a little linguistics).

 

Revolution

Today is theme day for the City Daily Photo Community (CDP) and for May 1st, they have chosen "Revolution."  CDP bloggers have a lot of leeway as to how to interpret the theme. We've decided to address it literally. Our contribution was taken at the March reenactment of the Revolutionary War; specifically, the Battle of Guilford Courthouse. This event happened on March 15, 1781, twenty-seven years before Greensboro became a city. General Greene's troops did so well in the battleship, under his leadership, that they decided to name our city after him. We lost the battle but won the war. Above, we see a photo of the cavalry approaching the field.

As we all charge, full steam ahead, into the weekend, we are thankful to live in a peaceful city and hope that "revolution" remains a thing in our past and "charge" is a shopping term, as opposed to a call to engage in warfare!

Wisteria Along the Road Less Traveled

Abandoned outbuildings and creeping wisteria are a couple of things you will see on the backroads of Greensboro. Wisteria is a tough, flowering plant in the pea family, originally from Asia. It looks so delicate and adds great texture to our local landscape. Rural buildings, from the last century, add nostalgia to the country scenery.

If you get a chance this weekend, head out in search of some of these beautiful scenes. The above photo was taken off of Highway 150. Another great public place to enjoy the out of doors is Bur-Mil Park. From Strawberry Road to Summerfield and back into Greensboro on the greenway is another great place to walk and bike. For those who are more city-oriented, tomorrow is First Friday and a large part of Elm Street will be blocked off for pedestrians.

P is for Pirtek and Phil

Pirtek began in Sydney Australia in 1980. The Greensboro franchise, Pirtek Piedmont Triad, opened at the corner of Meadowood and West Market Street on April 23, 2007. Pirtek provides fluid transfer solutions with an on-site hydraulic hose replacement service . If a hose malfunctions on a piece of equipment, Pirtek goes to the job site and makes a new one on the spot. One company needed a very high pressure hose and was losing $1,000 an hour by not having that hose. Pirtek was able to meet their needs.

Of course, with every small business, there are people filling those work orders and providing good and services for their clients. The evening we stopped by, Phil was manning the front counter and his ever faithful dog, Shadow, was waiting patiently for him close up for the day. Today is ABC Wednesday and P is for Pirtek and Phil. By the way, Pirtek had a birthday a few days ago. 

Check here for the A-O entries of our A-Z Local Series.

Construction on Greene Street

Yesterday's photo of General Greene inspired us to share this photo of construction at the corner of Greene Street and Battleground Avenue-- just east of the baseball stadium. This is the framework for the headquarters of the executive search firm Charles Aris. When completed, the three-story building will be 24,000 square feet. At present, Charles Aris, Inc. is located nearby in 7,500 square feet downtown. They are more than tripling their space. The executive search firm business must be booming. According to the Triad Business Journal, this $4 million project is the first new office space built in downtown Greensboro since 2010. 

The shape of the building seems to make good use of the lot. It is so fun to see these buildings in process, at the stage where they almost look like playground equipment. For sure, we will share a photo when the building is finished.  Literally, the landscape of downtown is changing before our eyes.

Click here for more information and to see the architect's rendering of the facility when completed.

Curious Bicentennial Art

This miniature (approximately 2 1/2 x 3 1/2) painting of  the statue of General Greene is painted on a Russian lacquer art box.* In the Soviet Union, the icon painters switched from painting icons for the church and for individuals to painting fairy tales on lacquer, papier mâché boxes. Their work is so detailed that sometimes only one hair is used to apply paint. Gold leaf highlighting is used on the highest quality boxes.

We were shocked to see this painting of a Greensboro monument in an antique mall in the region. How touching that someone felt our city's bicentennial was a worthy replacement for the previous painting on their lacquer box. Wonder what is beneath that green paint. Would love to know the backstory!

Hard to believe that 2008 was seven years ago. (For the record Mr. GDP, we are not the new owners of this box. It is still "at large").

*Here is a link to one.

St Francis Episcopal Church

Today's Sacred Sunday photo features the view of St. Francis Episcopal Church from Lawndale Drive. The grounds of the church are so beautiful, especially now, because they really capture the essence of Greensboro in the springtime. According to their website, the church was established as a mission of Holy Trinity in 1954 and became an independent parish in 1956. They held their first service in Irving Park Elementary School. The church holds as core values: Simplicity, compassion, and hope. The simplicity is evident in the rock wall, and to find the compassion and hope, one need only step inside and talk to the nice people who attend St. Francis.

We're betting that the church members are breathing a collective sigh of relief now that the book sale has ended. Hopefully, the book sale was a success as the church supports so many worthy causes in the community. Happy Sunday!

 

Governmental Plaza

If you've ever served jury duty, or had a need to be around the municipal buildings, you probably recognize Governmental Plaza in downtown Greensboro. The spacious place has nice plantings and interesting artwork like the Millennium Gate. The above gate has 106 icons, created by Jim Gallucci and 17 other artisans. You can see it at 220 South Greene Street and parking is fairly easy on the weekends when the municipal buildings are closed. The gate has quite a bit of detail and is very photogenic.

Born and educated in New York, sculptor Jim Gallucci has been in Greensboro since the 1970's and has quite a resume of sculptures in public spaces in North Carolina. Here is a photo of Jim from 2012. If the weather permits, this weekend, we hope you can get out and enjoy some of the art and art events happening in Greensboro.

Liberty Antiques Festival

Liberty Antiques Festival is going strong today and tomorrow, just south of Greensboro in Liberty. With hundreds of dealers and no crafts, reproductions, or nearly-new items allowed, this festival is billed as one of the best on the east coast. If you've never been, it is worth the drive- for the antique lovers, that is. Take 421 South and follow the signs. They will be there, rain or shine. If you get a chance, take time to explore all of the great things to see and do in the town of Liberty. It is experiencing a renaissance. Plus, on Saturday, they will have a great antique car show as well as bargains on antiques by the dealers who don't get a spot at the main show.

We're guessing the woman in the above photo is trying to remember in which row she saw that one-of-a-kind treasure. There is a lot to see on this 100-acre farm. A couple of years ago, the festival even got a little write up in Country Living Magazine. Don't forget your walking shoes, sun hat, a bottle of water, your $7.00 entrance fee, and a giant bag for your treasures.

57th Annual Book Sale at St. Francis Episcopal Church

Today is Day 1 of the Annual Book Sale at St. Francis Episcopal Church at 3506 Lawndale Avenue. According to their website, they have over 50,000 volumes ranging from "rare/old" to "choice" and everything in between. The entire Parish Hall is filled with books. Proceeds will help several very-worthy causes in the area. This is the main fundraiser of the year for the church. The 200+ volunteers have been setting up for a week now; and, people have been donating all year. The sale starts promptly at 9:00 am today and will be open until 8:00 tonight. Friday's hours are the same. Saturday's sale will be from 9:00- 1:00 and the bargains will be impressive.

For those of us who still love print and paper books, this is a fabulous event. They do not accept books in poor condition; none that have been water-damaged, no smoke, mildew, missing pages, etc. If you want to learn more, here is the website. Hope to see you there! Today!

O for Open Space Café Theatre

Now in their 8th season, the Open Space Cafe Theatre has left their West Market Street location and is in residence at the Crown Stage at the Carolina Theatre. Open Space provides quality, live theatre with themes ranging from family-friendly to more-adult humor. Currently, until April 26th, they are performing Nunsense- A Men. In this production, the ever-talented director, Stephen A. Hale also has a leading role in the play.  The motto for Open Space is "Engage/Enlighten/Entertain," and that they do!

As seen in the above photo, all is quiet in Open Space. Open Space has had vacate their space for a few days because the Carolina Theatre is about to host one of their biggest events ever. Paula Poundstone is performing tomorrow night. The space, featured above, will be transformed into a venue for a pre-show dinner. However, by Friday night, Open Space will be back for yet another great performance of Nunsense. If you like church humor and a good play on words, Nunsense will be perfect. It has been well received and the actors are getting great reviews. Please consider supporting the Carolina Theatre, downstairs, and/or the Open Theatre, upstairs. Buy tickets or simply donate financially. You can do so right on their websites!

Today is ABC Wednesday (where you can see many O-themed posts from around the world) and look HERE for GDP's A-N posts for our A-Z local theme. O is for Open Space; and, O those tables look like upper case O's!

Norman Rockwell Moment

Some photos speak for themselves, and we found this one to be something of a Norman Rockwell moment.  In the above photo, while dad and his friend are discussing beautiful vintage cars, a young boy rests for a moment trying to enjoy a cookie in solitude. The ever-obedient dog, in the "sit" command, could not take his eyes off the cookie. 

The Cars & Coffee (and cookies)  car show at the Fresh Market in Jefferson Village this past weekend was, indeed, a family event. It was pet friendly, too. There were about 1,000 people at the event and everyone seemed to be having a good time, except, perhaps the terrier who didn't get the cookie. If you missed April's show this past Saturday, the next one will be held May 16th, beginning at 8am. Get there early if you want to find a parking space. Get there anytime to see Norman Rockwell moments! 

If you missed yesterday's GDP post, go here to see the Dodge Dart we featured.

 

1962 Dodge Dart at Cars and Coffee

Cars and Coffee*  takes place the third Saturday of every month. For the past four years, the event has been held in the parking lot of Jefferson Village, in front of Fresh Market. The event is free and open to the public and Fresh Market provides pastries and coffee free. What an incredible gesture for building community- a free event and a free light breakfast! According to the group's Facebook page, this past Saturday was the one of the best turnouts yet for Cars and Coffee: 800- 1,000 cars and over 1,000 people. 

There was an interesting array of vehicles from all decades. The 1962 Dodge Dart, shared here today, was getting a lot of attention. From engine to interior to exterior, everything about this vehicle was a shiny, cherry red. People loved the offset carburetor. They loved the red interior. They commented that it looked like it had never been driven. We're sure the owner is an expert in all things Mopar.

The next event is May 16th at 8am. Mark your calendar and be sure to arrive early! The secret is out, Greensboro LOVES vintage cars!

See Cars & Coffee's Facebook page, here.

St Pius X

The Sunday, early evening service at St. Pius X Catholic Church is extremely popular with young families. Through the outdoor intercom system, latecomers can hear the call to worship and the choir singing. With its location between Old and New Irving Park, as well as its K-8 school, St. Pius has always been an attractive option for Greensboro's Catholic families. The church and school are located on 14 acres at the northeast corner of North Elm Street and East Cornwallis Drive. Even with 1,100 seats and multiple services, St. Pius always draws quite a crowd.

According to their website, St. Pius has achieved over a million dollars in endowments. Over the years, they have been able to grow and rebuild to meet the needs of their congregation. The current facility was completed in 2010 and indeed, it is not only beautiful, but welcoming. In the above photo, we love the movement of the pious, contrasting with the still, anchored pillars.

 

Twilight on Wendover

Wendover Avenue, Greensboro’s central east/west boulevard, is a wavy road with lots of street lights, stretching from NC-68 in High Point in the west to McLeansville in the eastern end of Guilford County. Known as “the bump,” the busiest part is the corridor is the shopping area at Bridford Parkway running past Wal-Mart, Costco and all of the car lots. Wendover Avenue even has a Wikipedia entry. It is hard to believe that Wendover Avenue has been around since the 1960's.

The above photo was taken on the eastern end, looking west. The sky is a deep sapphire blue. The white stripe on the horizon shows that night not has not completely rolled in. While East Wendover is not nearly as busy as West Wendover, with the urban loop, the east side will change drastically over the next five years. Already, there is no isolated stretch of road between East Greensboro and West Burlington. If you get a chance, drive Wendover’s entire length and think about all of the places you could go. Time your trip just right and you, too, just may see a sapphire sky. They are pretty common in Greensboro. Happy Saturday!

Old-Time Jam at Gibb's Hundred

Last night was the Piedmont Old-Time Music Jam at Gibb's Hundred. About 11 people were playing acoustic instruments off to one corner of the pub. People sat around for some eve before Friday fun. Two well-behaved canine friends were in attendance. One onlooker was doing needlework, another was crocheting; all to tunes that have been passed down, played by ear, from generation to generation.

The genre, old-time music, has always served as a great form of entertainment in North Carolina, since the 1700's; however, recently, is gaining in popularity in Greensboro. UNCG offers a course, MUS 377 Old-Time Music Ensemble through its ethnomusicology program. If you want to learn more about old-time music, David Lynch's website is a great place to start. Alternatively, you can attend the open jam sessions every other Thursday at Gibb's. It was a great group of people and a great way to celebrate the almost-weekend. 

Here is a Piedmont Old Time Music jam. Musicians are playing Julianne Johnson, several years before Gibbs Hundred became a reality. But it gives you an idea of what you will hear if you attend a jam session. Bring an instrument be part of the entertainment.

Got, Allergies?

Pollen is blowing around Greensboro fast and furiously these days. If you get to your car and it is covered with yellow haze, you have fallen victim to Greensboro's pollen. In the above photo, you see the making of pollen on a pine tree. Yesterday's rain has given us a bit of a reprieve; however, expect more blooming and when plants bloom, pollen circulates. If you want to keep up with pollen levels in Greensboro and throughout the United States, you can actually go to pollen.com for allergy forecasts! Here is the specific map for Greensboro. We will be in red, high alert Friday, peak on Saturday, and on Sunday, the levels will fall again. Somehow, if you have allergies, we're betting your nose is a pretty good gauge of the amount of pollen in the air. According to pollentec.com, Greensboro is #3 on the top ten cities for allergies in the US. The upside of being in such a green city is the beauty, the downside is the pollen! 

 

 

N is for Natural Dog

The Natural Dog is a pet food market located on Lawndale Drive. It opened in December, 2013. If the façade looks familiar, it is because the store is located in what used to be the old Fresh Market Grocery Store. Believe it or not, the space is filled to the brim with pet food and supplies. The Natural Dog is committed to serving only nutritious pet food and offers holistic and organic foods. They also sell cat and wild bird supplies and groom dogs. At least once a month, they sponsor pet adoptions.

Natural Dog is a local company with sister stores in Burlington and Winston-Salem. Unfortunately, the company's website hasn't published anything about the owners or the company's history. Fortunately, the store monitors what they sell to ensure that the pet food is good for your critters. On sunny days, it is not uncommon to see people with their pets hanging out in at the tables in front of the store. Today is ABC Wednesday and for our A-Z local series, N is for Natural Dog!

804 North Eugene Street

If we were to pick a Greensboro house of the week, determined by curb appeal, this week's pick just might be 804 North Elm Street. This 985 square foot house, built back in 1924, is a prime example of what a great paint job and good landscaping can do to enhance a property. The pink trim matches the pink dogwoods perfectly. From this angle, you can't see it, but a 3' handmade (of vine) bird's-nest planter sits to the right of the entranceway, just waiting for a giant arrangement of pink and white impatiens. Below, you will see 3 close-ups of plantings and architectural details. The vine trailing along the roof of the porch has a string of lights that must be lovely at dusk.

If you are fretting getting your taxes finished by tomorrow, and need a quick pick-me-up, head to this house, just down the street from Deep Roots Co-op, in Fisher Park; step back, breathe in the beauty, breathe out the stress, and realize that tax season, too, shall pass! By the way, it's not too late to get some plants in the ground and bring beauty into your own life. If you don't have any more room for plants in your own yard, consider treating a young couple in your life to a tree. Happy Tuesday!