Greensboro Daily Photo

Cascade Saloon

Renovation of the long neglected Cascade Saloon is well underway and great progress is being made. The inside has been gutted and will look fabulous when completed. After nearly fifty years of being boarded up and rotting, the building is filled with scaffolding inside and on the outside. Thanks to Preservation Greensboro and taxpayers' money, the building will be restored to its former glory on the outside while being completely modern on the inside.* Twenty dumpsters of trash was removed from inside the building. The saloon has so much history, including having been owned by an African American husband and wife team in the early 20th century. (Read Susan Ladd's article if you want to know more).

The building that dates to the late 1800's is being renovated by The Christman Construction Company. They will have offices in the building. Christman has been a company since the late 1800's- almost as old as the Cascade Saloon. The Christman Company got its start in Indiana and worked most of the 20th century there and in Michigan. In the early 2000's they expanded east, merged with Retenbach, and found their ties to Greensboro. When the building is completed, we hope Preservation Greensboro will oversee an open house. The people of Greensboro are anxious to get inside. It would be fun, and a great nod to the past, if they would have a little coffee house that was open to the public. See a couple more photos of the work in progress below (click on the photos to make them bigger).

 

*reference and more information, here.

Silent Meditation at Church of the Covenant

Every Tuesday at 12:00 noon, Church of the Covenant holds a twenty minute silent meditation. The meditation begins with a facilitator saying a few words and the ringing of Tingsha chimes. Meditation closes in the same way. Last Tuesday, Jim Carmichael (featured above) led the meditation. Jim is a Professor of Library and Information Studies at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. He is personable, comfortable speaking in front of a group, and masterful at helping people feel welcome. If you are looking for a way to bring a little calmness into your life, these meditation sessions are just what the doctor would order. Meditation will not be held this July 4th, but will resume on July 11th. Church of the Covenant is located on South Mendenhall Street, at the intersection of Walker Avenue.

These meditation opportunities are one of may ways that Church of the Covenant reaches out to the community. They also provide space for the "After Gateway" Program, a non-profit day health program for adults with multiple or severe developmental disabilities. Also, several Greensboro artists have studios in the church facility. To be sure, everyone associated with Church of the Covenant is doing great good things for Greensboro. If you are looking for ways to serve, volunteer, or donate to good causes, contact Church of the Covenant to learn how you can be involved. In the meantime, Jim, and the other people dedicated to attending Tuesday meditations, will welcome you with open arms- and no strings attached. Here is the book Jim read from this past Tuesday.

LimeBike Bicycles: In Motion!

Bicycles are taking UNCG's campus by storm and, yesterday, WXII NEWS was on campus to feature them. LimeBike, UNCG, and the City of Greensboro are working together to make the hi-tech bicycle venture work. There is no kiosk or docking station as the bikes work with a phone app. a 30 minute ride is 50 cents for university students and employees and $1.00 for the general public. The system is accessible and reasonably priced. To pick up or drop off a bike, you just have to know where to pick up and drop off bicycles. When you log on to the app, you can track the bike that is closest to you. Each bike has anti-theft locks and alarms. When you are finished riding, all you have to do is push down the rear wheel lever to lock the bike. The app will provide you with a trip summary and you are no longer responsible for the bike.*

LimeBike is a California startup and UNCG is their first campus. They selected UNCG because of Greensboro's weather and the fact that UNCG is a bike friendly community (reference). If you are interested, you really ought to try one out this summer while there is less traffic. The first ride is free and, even with UNCG's campus expanding, you can get from one end to the other in less than 30 minutes.

Currently, there are 150 bikes on campus and they plan to bring more in the fall. Below, you see two riders being filmed on Spring Garden Street and a closeup of a bike (click on the picture to make it larger). Reference and more information (here).    The July theme for the City Daily Photo community is motion. Rent a LimeBike and MOTION it will be, just like in the photo below.

Joymongers at North Eugene

Joy mongers is a small-batch brewery located at the corner of North Eugene and Smith Street. They are celebrating their one year anniversary and to great fanfare as North Eugene Street has finally reopened. They are owned and operated by people from Greensboro. Jim Jones, one of the owners, is part of the family that operated the North State Chevrolet dealership by the baseball stadium. Their six acres has been transformed over the last few years. It is nice that they are still involved in a business in the area.

Over the last several months, admittedly, navigating that area has been difficult and the businesses suffered as patrons and shoppers struggled to find a place to park. The above photo features the park-let that is in front of Joymongers and part of the construction that was making the area congested. The park is very nice and is a perfect area to sit and chat. This corner brewery has become quite a gathering spot and this park will enhance the area even more. Click on the photos below to enlarde them and see even more details of this new destination. Check out the live music schedule at Joymongers. They feature a lot of great local musicians. The area is clear of construction now; we promise. 

Latham Park Skate Park

Greensboro now has a skate park at Latham Park. It is accessible from Hill Street (the south of Wendover side). It has only opened recently, but is already quite popular with Greensboro's skateboarders. In the above photo, it looks like there is one lone skateboarder. Actually, the park was quite busy, but the guys skating very politely wait their turn, giving the skater a chance to try new tricks and not have the pressure of someone right behind him. The people waiting are also very encouraging, making positive comments when someone tries something new or has an especially good move. 

It is wonderful to see skateboarders have somewhere officially approved for skating. So often people are running skaters off or they are skating somewhere where they are at risk of getting in trouble. This is good, clean, wholesome- albeit dangerous- fun. We worry about skaters who fall or who get hurt. The way these guys look out for each other, we're sure they'd see that a hurt skater got medical attention, if needed. Below, you see some of the guys waiting their turn to skate. Best of all, this is a City of Greensboro park and it is free and open to the public.

Greensboro's Community Swim Association

There isn't much that is more wholesome than community summer swimming. The above photo was taken at the pool of the Greensboro Country Club at Carlson Dairy Road where the GCC Dolphins hosted a meet. The Community Swim Association dual meets are held every Tuesday in early summer, culminating with the three-day City Meet, to be held this year on July 6-8. Community swim teams emphasize fun and good sportsmanship and every single team member gets to compete . While some swimmers, usually those who compete year-round, are more accomplished, every member is valued. The above photo features a freestyle relay in process. Often, the children who have been on the team for several years become assistant coaches in their teen years. 

Currently, teams are wrapping up their fundraisers for Swim-for-Cancer, a very worthy cause. The GCC Dolphins were raffling very lovely gift baskets. The results of the fundraiser are announced at City Meet, and are always a point of great pride for top fundraising individuals and teams. If you get a chance donate to the cause. Also, stop by the Greensboro Aquatic Center between July 6th and 8th and you will be impressed at how much Greensboro supports swimming.

Provincetown Court at New Irving Park

Provincetown is a neighborhood in New Irving Park, just north of Cone Boulevard and east of North Elm Street. It is one of those communities built in the 1990's. The houses average from 4,000 to 6,000 sq. feet. Both the houses and yards in this neighborhood are well maintained. The above photo features a flower display located at the entrance to the neighborhood. In the sun, these plants simply glow. A lovely entrance,  such as this one, helps maintain property values. After all, you only get one chance to make a first impression and this impression is impressive!

Below, you will see a few more examples of the entrance. Greensboro is lucky that so many residents adore plants. If the entrance to your neighborhood could using sprucing up, consider taking the initiative to drum up volunteers to make it look like you want. Happy Tuesday!

Morehead Foundry Complex

The Fresh. Local. Good. food group has expanded from the Iron Hen Cafe in Latham Park to the Morehead Foundry on Spring Garden Street. The refurbished and resdesigned facility is located at the Greenway, between downtown and College Hill. Several eating establishments share this space that has a modern, industrial look to it. From burgers to chicken dishes to coffee and dessert, there is something for every palate at the foundry. The food is homemade and as local as feasible. 

The above photo was taken a while back, on a Sunday afternoon, when many of the brunch parties were breaking up. It is always nice to see people out enjoying each other and to have places they enjoy going. Four Flocks and Larder, The Burger Revolution and the other establishments at this multiplex are gaining in popularity as people realize that parking is easy and the food is good. Sundays are especially fun, because in Greensboro and elsewhere in the south, Sundays are a day when people tend to dress a little nicer and stay a little longer. We hope you had a nice weekend and that your week if off to a nice start.

Mt. Pisgah United Methodist Church

You can hardly tell that the above photo is of Mt. Pisgah United Methodist Church. It was taken on Battleground Avenue with a zoom lens that compressed the church into the building and vehicles on Battleground Avenue. Mt. Pisgah is located on Pisgah Church Road where it intersects with Battleground. 

Mt. Pisgah dates back to 1845, The first building was a one room building just west of the above location. The church in the current location dates to the late 1800's and the current building was actually constructed in 1968. Mt. Pisgah UMC has grown and changed along with its surrounding neighborhood. As for the congregation, they work hard to remain relevant to society's needs today, while honoring the traditional beliefs and values of the United Methodist Church. Next time you are at Lowe's on Battleground, look up, and you will see Mt. Pisgah. In the fall, will notice an impressive pumpkin patch. 

Lake Higgins

Lake Higgins, one of Greensboro's reservoir lakes, is beautiful from the bridge on Carlson Dairy. It is calm and empty in the above photo, just as it would be if you drove by today. The lake is closed on Mondays. Perhaps the wildlife needs a day of rest.  However, on other days, if you paddle board or kayak, fish, picnic, and so much more. Lake Higgins is a fine place to visit on Tuesday through Sunday. You can even rent a lost of equipment there.

We've heard that Lake Higgins may even gain a rowing program. The sport has really gained momentum in the Greensboro/High Point area. We hope rowing remains strong in Greensboro. And, the more the merrier. If Greensboro gains another rowing team, Lake Higgins would be a great place to have it. Happy Monday. Today is one of the longest days of the year. It would be nice if you could get out and enjoy the extra hours of daylight.

Walk the Dog

Greensboro has lots of greenway and walking trails and there are plenty of places to walk dogs. Research shows that people with dogs walk more and walking is good for your health. With all of the rain we've had lately, as you can see, it is quite green and lush in Greensboro.

The above man seems to be enjoying his walk along the edge of the golf course at Carlson Dairy Road. This course is the farm course of the Greensboro Country Club and it is also the location where they host swim meets. If you do have a chance to walk with your canine companion, please take a doggie bag to clean up after they use the bathroom. If you look closely, the above leash actually has a case for little bags attached to the handle. 

 

Gas Prices

Gas prices have been pretty low this year. The above photo shows the gas prices at the Exxon on East Market Street, just east of downtown. At the time of the photo (a few weeks ago), the price for regular was $2.35. If you are heading to the beach or the mountains this weekend, notice the gas prices. It is fun, if you have children in the car, to have them record the gas prices and work out some math problems based on the MPG of your vehicle and the amount of gas you will need for your trip. Also, have them notice that gas prices in Virginia are lower. South Carolina just passed new gas taxes so the discount might not be so great if you head south. Gas taxes are supposed to be used for roads and highways. When you get stuck in a construction site this summer, just remind yourself that your gas taxes are hard at work.

Of course you notice Greensboro's iconic JP Building (Jefferson Standard, Jefferson Pilot, Lincoln Financial) in the background. All roads lead to this building and when you see it, you know you are home! Happy Friday. May your weekend adventures be many.

Carnicería El Mercadito

The above photo was taken at the bakery section of "El Mercadito" Mexican grocery store, butcher shop, bakery, and grill at the corner of West Market Street at 103 Muir's Chapel Road in Greensboro. Nothing says summer like a big slice of watermelon and those watermelon cookies are adorable. Recently, when we were shopping these, the watermelon cookies were available. While "El Mercadito caters to Greensboro's latino and hispanic communities, they welcome with open arms and big smiles people of all ethnicities. It is a good place to get fresh meat, cut like you like it, pastries, foods and spices not always available in traditional grocery stores.

Summer is such a great time to explore new businesses and places in your own backyard. It is open from 7 am to 9pm. To start, consider getting something from the grill and just sit and look at how happy and gentle a shopping experience can be. Everyone seems to be in a good mood, and polite. Nobody seems to be in a rush (even if they are). It is a fun space to explore the diversity of Greensboro. Get yourself a pack of banana chips (one sweet, one salty) a "jarritos" mango soda, a watermelon cookie and celebrate the impending arrival of summer!

W is for Workers

If you follow Greensboro Daily Photo, you know how much construction is taking place in Greensboro these days. Literally, the city is being reinvented before our eyes. Some construction is major, like the Battleground Stamey's BBQ being completely rebuilt. Some construction is more cosmetic. For example, the above photo features the SAPPORO and Jersey Mike's on Battleground in the Earthfare plaza, near the completely new Starbuck's. This sign appears to be a facade attached to the front of the building featuring the above two businesses. 

If you'll notice, there is a man at the top of the building. None of this construction can take place without workers; and, they are everywhere and working very hard. Working today was a bit challenging, if you were still working when the WET WEATHER hit Greensboro. We had a deluge.

Today is ABC Wednesday and, for Round 20, "W" is for "workers. If you see a worker, consider treating him/her a cup of coffee and, at the very least, if they are working hard, thank them. We love the way this cloud hovered behind this worker and actually made his neon shirt stand out.

School Is Out for the Summer!

There was a time when all schools in a district began and ended on the same day. Now, with early and middle colleges, year-round schools, schools on a traditional calendar, charter schools, and other configurations, there are many calendars. However, by today, most schools should be finished for the summer. The busses are parked and the buildings are quiet, other than employees writing year-end reports and getting rooms cleaned and packed up. You should notice a difference in traffic.

If you are home with children for the summer, ideas for hings to do are only a google search away. Good search logic should find exactly what you are looking for, from how to purchase a fishing license to what activities libraries are offering to finding restaurants where children eat free on a given day of the week. Even if you are working over the summer, the increased hours of daylight give you more time to do things before and after work. Somehow, those busses, parked at Grimsley High School, look a little forlorn without any children and drivers.

What is the first thing you are going to read this summer? We'd love to hear from you!

Tree Gone

Many tree services were hard at work in Greensboro, this past Memorial Day. The above photo shows an old oak tree on Battleground Avenue being cut down on Memorial Day. As you can see, it towered over Fidelity Bank (near Cookout and Omega Sports). We sure hope that it was diseased or at risk of falling. Although Greensboro was actually named for General Greene, and not because the city is so full of greenery, we do pride ourselves in having such a green city.

Greensboro has many certified arborists. Please consult one before removing a mature tree; maybe it can be saved. So many animals depend on trees for their habitat and, in some cases, for their food. It can take up to 30 years for an oak tree to start producing acorns. Two mature trees can produce enough oxygen for a family of four. On the other hand, if a tree is not healthy, and it cannot be brought back to health, you need to remove it. If memory serves us, the company removing the above tree was Adams Tree Service of Jamestown. They were very professional and hardworking. The tree was removed without incident.  

Wall of Kindness

The Wall of Kindness is located on Bain Street at the 600 block of South Elm Street, downtown Greensboro. The purpose is to have clothing and other items available free for those in need. The Wall of Kindness is one of many  acts of charity popping up around Greensboro. There is a small homeless encampment not too far from here and the 16 cents ministry meets under a bridge, not too far from here. It is a perfect opportunity for someone to stop by and get a pair of shoes for a job interview, a clean t-shirt, or a coat when the weather is cold. Many religious institutions have begun extending their missions beyond their brick and mortar buildings. The idea of helping those in need in a way that it is convenient is a sound one. 

Little places like The Wall of Kindness mean a lot to those who use them. The day we were there, we saw a man stop by and write an inspirational message and leave it in the shoe pouch. On this glorious Sunday, let us all stop and give thanks for what we have and consider how we can help those in need. Somewhere in an old e-mail, we think we have a note from one of the people involved in this initiative. If you know who is maintaining this wall, please let us know. If we find out, we will share.

Happy Sunday!

New Old Mill at Bicentennial Garden

The Tanger Family Bicentennial Garden on Hobbs Road, the 7 1/2 acre park, established in 1976, keeps getting better every year. This year, it has added an old mill and pond. The mill shows visitors how meal is ground from grain by the energy generated from water flowing over a wheel. Inside, there is a vintage millstone (see below). What starts out as whole kernels of a grain like corn, gets ground down for use in foods like cornbread.

During the Parisian Promenade, an older gentleman was on site explaining how the mill stone was procured from Wilmington ten years ago and how they found the matching hardware up north. Hopefully, he will document everything he knows about the mill and share it on the park's website. He knows the history and we don't want to lose it. If you are out this weekend, consider stopping to see this lovely facility.  If elementary schools still have fourth grade social studies themed around North Carolina, this would be a fabulous field trip. Actually, everyone in Greensboro should see it. The old mill is located on the North Holden Road side of the park. 

Live Music on a Warm June Evening

Greensboro is fortunate to have so much good, live music. The above photo was taken yesterday at the Ham's Restaurant on New Garden Road. We're not sure who the musician was, as Ham's has their Friday live music schedule published on their website, but this was a Thursday event. The musician was very good and the weather was fabulous. To be sure, deciding to dine outside was not a hard decision.

Live music can be heard at many of Greensboro's local restaurants and breweries (Lucky 32, Blue Denim, Joymongers, Gibbs Hundred, to name a few). And then we have the theatres and city parks that offer live music. MUSEP concerts have started back up on Sunday afternoons. So much of this music free, or complimentary when one is dining.

Perhaps Greensboro has so many talented musicians because our local colleges and universities have very strong music programs, as do many of our religious organizations. If anybody knows the name of the above musician, please let us know. We'd love to hear him again. Ham's started in Greensboro in 1935. That's over eighty years of good food, good times, and now, good music. Tonight, Jukebox Revolver is playing at Ham's. They bill themselves as an energized, versatile, four-piece party band that plays music from the 1950's to today. It is Friday! You owe it to yourself to hear some live music. Whatever you decide to do, have a great weekend!

Name That Caterpillar

Summer is a great time for yard work, enjoying nature, and spending time outside. In Greensboro, there are many opportunities to play outdoors.*  The more time you spend outside the more likely you are to uncover interesting things in nature. Today, when moving the base of a birdbath, we happened first upon a nest of ant eggs and then the above caterpillar. The caterpillar was very static and lethargic. Perhaps it was getting ready to change into a moth. Do you have any idea what it is? If our internet search proves true, it is a "Schizura leptinoides"  and it will morph in to an equally unattractive moth! Such is the potential for summer adventures. You start the day never anticipating you will uncover a caterpillar that you have never seen before. Before we went back inside, we saw a tiny praying mantis. Hopefully the praying mantis will stick around long enough for us to get a good photo.

Even if you aren't going on vacation this summer, with these extended hours of daylight, you can have a fabulous stay-cation right here in Greensboro. Let us know if you uncover something interesting. The caterpillar looks like something that would appear in a Pixar animated film.

Happy Thursday!

*Learn more about opportunities for summer fun, (here) at the City of Greensboro's website.

V is for VF Corporation

VF Corporation is an global apparel and footwear company headquartered in Greensboro. The original company was founded in 1899. VF has over thirty brands. Lee, Wrangler, The North Face, Timberland,  and Vans are some of the brands owned by VF. According to their website, they have a global workforce of more than 60,000 employees. Recently, VF published statement that they disagree with the response of the White House regarding climate change and VF expressed a commitment to limiting emissions and helping mitigate the impacts of climate change.*

Greensboro, with its robust textile industry in the 20th century, was known as the denim capital of the world. Many Greensboro residents associate VF with jeans. We are, after all,  a "jeans" town- even in our public artwork. Some communities have fiberglass pigs, bulls, horses, etc. Greensboro has fiberglass jeans, artfully painted, downtown.

If you are interested, here is a very thorough timeline of the history of VF, where you will learn facts like the fact that VF actually stands for Vanity Fair. Originally located in Pennsylvania, VF relocated to Greensboro in the late 1990's. Above is a photo of their corporate headquarters off of North Elm Street. Below is the sign at the entrance. Today is ABC Wednesday and "V" is for "VF." See our A-U Round 20 lineup, here.

* See the VF website for reference and more information (here). 

Parlez-vous français?

Sunday's Parisian Promenade had something for everybody. On Sunday afternoon, Jennifer Kerns held a session at the garden gazebo, giving the audience French lessons. At the time of the photo, she was engaging the audience in a call and response dialog (How are you? Fine Thank you, and you?), which explains the pointing and the animated expression on her face.

Having Mademoiselle Kerns teaching French on Sunday was a wonderful addition to Greensboro's Parisian Promenade. After presenting to the audience gathered at the gazebo, she facilitated learning sessions in one of the upper garden spaces at the Tanger Family Bicentennial Garden. Monday through Friday, Mademoiselle teaches French at Grimsley High School. For North Carolina world language teachers and their students, one of the expectations is to use the language in the community. Mademoiselle's lessons on Sunday were a great example of using French beyond the classroom. To the Tanger Family, Greensboro Beautiful, Mademoiselle Kerns and all involved in the Parisian Promenade: Merci beaucoup d'avoir offert de petits cours de français/Thank you for offering the mini-French lessons.

Patika Starr: One of the Stars of the Parisian Promenade

Patika Starr was one of the many performers at the Parisian Promenade yesterday; seen above, promenading through Tanger Family Bicentennial Garden, high above the crowd on stilts. Patika makes walking on stilts, and standing still on stilts, look as easy as resting on a park bench. Everyone wanted a photo with her and she was more than happy to accommodate. Patika and the other performers (the man walking through the park playing the organ, the mime, the aerial dancers, and the MC at the Poodle Parade to name a few) keep attendees coming back to the Promenade every year. These public performers definitely work hard.

You may recognize Patika from her fire dancing routine at the Summer Solstice or from the annual Mardi Gras event at Castle McCulloch in High Point, or perhaps from her participation in Greensboro's First Friday events. Then again, you may not recognize her, because she rarely looks the same twice. Her costume closet must be the size of a house. If you are looking for a performing artist, who is sure to be a crowd pleaser, look up Patika on social media. We will feature some of the other entertainers from Promenade throughout the week.

The Parisian Promenade is one of Greensboro's free public events that signals the start of summer. It comes at a perfect time as most schools are still in session (but winding down) and so people are still in town. The event is sponsored by Greensboro Beautiful, Inc., a local non-profit that does so much to help maintain garden spaces in Greensboro. Thank you, Patika, for your great performance!

First Christian Church of Greensboro

Yesterday, First Christian Church of Greensboro  celebrated turning 100 this year. Their Centennial Celebration Fun Day was held in the parking lot of the church at 1900 West Market Street. The event was a bit hit. It was open not only to the church community, but also the community at large. The above photo was taken at the end of the festival when many people had already left. The church has been working hard to raise $100,000 as part of their Legacy Fund, which is an endowment fund. The money raised is used for educational outreach and ministry above and beyond the annual budgeted amount. They should announce today if the money was raised.

As an example of special ministry events, today, Vy Nguyen is guest speaker for the Centennial Celebration worship service. He is the director of Week of Compassion, the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) disaster relief effort. He travels the world as part of his ministry, but calls Linh Bui, California home. His participation in the 100th anniversary celebration should be really special. Let's hope they continue for another 100 years and beyond!

620 South Elm Street

Yesterday's post featured the Kotis property, 3 acres at the northwest corner of Eugene and Gate City Boulevard. Today's post takes you one block over to the 1.6 acre property on the northwest corner of South Elm Street at Gate City Boulevard. The building is part of the Old Greensborough office complex space that forms an L at the corner. Built in 1920, the building initially was the home of Blue Bell Overall Company. 620 Corp. has owned it since the 1980's. Developer Andy Zimmerman now has the property.*

As seen in the photo below, the Elm Street part of the building has been gutted and is being renovated. To our knowledge, it isn't yet being disclosed what will go in the building. One possibility discussed is office space, but it has also been suggested that it may house a grocery store, possibly a Trader Joe's. A grocery store would help greatly as the southern part of town is somewhat of a food desert. With over 53,000 square footage of space, there is plenty of room. According to Wikipedia, most Trader Joe's average between 10,000 and 15,000 square feet and have the highest sales per square foot of any grocer in the United States.

*Reference and more information, here. (Click on the photo below to enlarge it).

Gate City Changes

Gate City Boulevard at Eugene Street is undergoing many changes. Todays photos are street views of what was formerly Brooks Lumber Company behind  Steve's Automotive. The 3-acre property has been purchased by Marty Kotis and is about to be transformed from a lumberyard into retail space of some kind. They have found artists to paint murals and brighten up the corrugated tin. The million dollar investment could be quite a gold mine with UNCG's Spartan Village and other new construction at South Elm Street.

There have many ideas about the use of the space, from a brewery to restaurants, to micro shops, to a farmers market. It will be interesting to monitor its evolution. For now, enjoy the view of the murals from the parking lot of the Salvation Army Thrift Shop. The artwork is a perfect tie-in with the 50's anniversary of the Beatles Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album. The artwork evokes the era of pop culture and a time of feeling groovy. There was a time when you could hardly find a mural in Greensboro. Not so anymore. They are abundant. Happy Friday!

Magnolia Blossom

The June 1st theme for the City Daily Photo sites is "nature" and we've uploaded one of Greensboro's mighty magnolia blossoms for the world to see. At the moment, they are blooming all around town and the scent is heavenly. This ornamental, evergreen tree is especially popular in the American southeast and widely cultivated in warmer climates around the world. They can grow to 90 feet tall and the blossoms can grow to the size of a dinner plate. If you have a magnolia in your yard, you may notice an increase in the beetle population. Beetles pollinate this flower that has been around since before bees existed. That's pretty old.

The blossoms only last a day, but, if you are having an event in your home, if you pick them just before the event, their fragrance will fill your house with a lovely scent. They are fun to photograph and to draw. We're glad we took this photo yesterday because last night's pelting rain was pretty hard on them. Happy June 1st; go here to see some great nature shots around the world in the CDP Nature Theme Day..

U is for Used (Books)

Greensboro has three bookstores that offer used books: Scuppernong on Elm Street; Pages Past on Spring Garden Street; and, Edward McKay on Battleground Avenue (featured above). Like many other brick and mortar businesses, used bookstores have had to either find a niche market or diversify. Scuppernong hosts a lot of community events; Pages Past focuses on rare books; and Edward McKay has DVD's, albums, and buys used textbooks. As people have access to just about anything they want to read via computers and phones and can have Amazon ship items with the click of a button, bookstores need to be destinations and gathering places. Finding a balance between being conducive to hanging out, yet enticing customers to make purchases can be tricky.

Hopefully, these bookstores will remain in Greensboro for a very long time and will depend on the reading habits of this younger generation of digital natives. For those who are committed to reducing waste in the environment, "used" is the new "new", new to the new owner, that is. And, with that trend, books just may be with us for a while longer. If you like to read books on paper, consider stopping by one of our great used bookstores. Today is ABC Wednesday and for Round 20, "U" is for "used."

In the Window of the Apple Store

Imagine our surprise when visiting the Apple Store at Friendly Center this past weekend and seeing these giant blue machines. They seemed rather anachronistic in the same room with all of those high-tech iPads, Mac Book Pros, and iPhones. The air conditioning had malfunctioned and those blue boxes were air conditioning units. We chuckled, realizing the Apple employees usually spend their days solving problems for customers, but, once in a while, they have to solve in-house problems. As we turned to leave, we happened to see this young woman walking with her chihuahua. The scene reminded us of Alfred Hitchcock's 1954 movie, Rear Window, only, this time, it would be called Front Window.

We take so much for granted these days. It is hard to believe that in 1954, apartments didn't have air conditioning, not even these giant units. Rear Window takes place during a powerful heat wave and Jimmy Stewart finds himself people watching when tenants in the other apartments have the windows and blinds open in the hopes of getting the air to circulate. By the way, Rear Window will be playing at the Carolina Theatre in downtown Greensboro on July 24th, on the big screen. As you plan your summer fun, you can put the Apple Store on your list for a current state-of-the-art, high-tech experience. You can put the classic movies at the Carolina Theatre on your list for a little low-tech enjoyment. Even though you can watch Rear Window on the computer in the comforts of your own home, nothing beats sitting in an air-conditioned theatre watching the classics on the big screen with friends. We are lucky to still have that opportunity. Hope to see you there.

Congregational United Church of Christ

Today, we're sharing two images of the Congregational United Church of Christ, a church located on Radiance Drive, just off of Friendly Center ( just across Benjamin Parkway from Grimsley High School). The above is a print and below is a photo taken yesterday from about the same angle. The photographer's challenge is to capture a photo without all of the distracting street signs at eye level and the phone cables, which are tastefully omitted from the painting, done by W. Simpson in 1993.

The building featured today dates back to June 22, 1952; however, the congregation formed in Greensboro in 1900. Initially, the group met in the Quaker Meeting Space at 115 East Lee Street. The got their own building in 1903, located at the corner of Eugene and Walker Avenue. The sanctuary of the current building was remodeled in 1993, about the time of Simpson's painting. For a reference and to learn more about the church, see here. People who attend the church really like it and seem very satisfied with their minister, the Rev. Julie Peeples.

Urban Walks

There should be a term in English for when it has been cold, rainy, and gloomy for days and then the sun comes out. That warm, joyful feeling that envelops you when the sun reappears is precisely what we felt yesterday. We love talking long walks, whether in the woods or along urban roads. Yesterday's walk was along Spring Garden Street, from Adelaide's Vintage Home and Garden to Spring Garden Bakery. That little section of Spring Garden has some nice shops now. Even nicer was that warm feeling from a good dose of sunshine.

If you'll notice the black stripe cutting through the sidewalk, mimicking the white line on the road, it is the shadow cast by the above bundle of cable stretched between the phone lines. It was as if the line were leading the way, encouraging us to keep walking. We hope you get out and walk some this weekend, whether you are home or vacationing on Memorial Day Weekend. Greensboro is pretty quiet. Maybe everyone (but us) is at the beach. It's a North Carolina tradition.

Please help us coin a new term! Re-joy-sun? At any rate, urban walks give one plenty of time to savor life's little joys.

From Amphibians to Friendly Frogs to Other Critters

Well, it has been raining cats and dogs in Greensboro this week. When you can't get outside to enjoy nature, it is nice to have nature come to you. During these rains, a little frog came to visit us on our back door. He was glued to the glass, waiting for bugs to hop by. The frogs are loving this rain.

Thinking of frogs reminds us that Greensboro has a great community pool with a summer swim team, the Friendly Frogs. If you are looking for some good, clean, summer fun for the whole family, consider joining one of Greensboro's many swim and tennis clubs. The Friendly Frogs are located at 2215 Mimosa Drive, right beside Friendly Center and Cone Health-Wesley Long Hospital. Swim practice has already started for the Friendly Frogs, but it wouldn't be too late to join. If you become a Friendly Frog, you will forever associate summer swimming with the tiny green amphibians. If their pool isn't convenient, you can become a Dolphin, Gator, Hornet, Marlin, Lizard, Elk, Tigershark, Piranha, Bear, Hammerhead, or more! All of the CSA teams provide great exercise and team building activities.

We love watching all of the teams; however, we're hoping one of those other CSA mascots doesn't attach itself to our door! (Well, maybe a lizard would be OK).

 

Hillside, the Julian Price Home

This past weekend, Preservation Greensboro held a fundraising tour of homes in the Fisher Park neighborhood. The above photographed house, aptly named Hillside, was originally built as the private residence for the Julian Price family.* Mr. Price was Chairman of the Board of Jefferson Standard Life Insurance Company. Price hired architect Charles Hartmann to built the corporate tower of the Jefferson Standard building. downtown. Hartman also designed Hillside. The English Tudor/Period Revival home was constructed in 1928-1929. The expansive home has many interesting architectural details: Herringbone brick, chimneys, Tudor timbered accents, gables, dormers, and landscape walls, to name a few.

Eric and Michael Fuko-Rizzo have recently purchased the property, cleared the house of its filled-to-the-brim load, and have begun renovating it. It was featured on the tour this past weekend and looked quite different than it did on the Arts and Entertainment Hoarders show.  Much work remains to be done and not many rooms were open for the tour. However, there will be a designer showcase in 2018 that will feature the house in its renovated splendor. The most surprising feature of the home is that is is long, but thin. It is only one room wide, which means that there are windows on both sides of the room. It can feel like walking an entire city block getting from the northern-most to southern-most room. If you ever get a chance to tour this historic home, please do so.

Happy Thursday, dear readers!

 

* reference & read more about Price, here.

T is for Taco Tuesday

Taco Tuesday is a fun excuse to go out to dinner and eat affordably. The above photo was taken at El Azteca Mexican Restaurant at Quaker Village, across from Greensboro College. On Mondays, they have a fish taco special and on Tuesdays and Thursdays, their tacos are $1.50 each. So, if you missed Taco Tuesday yesterday, mark your calendar for Taco Thursday, tomorrow!

The waiters here will entertain you by bringing to your table four or more trays balanced on one arm. El Azteca also has a food truck you can rent out for special events. Mexican restaurants always seem to have a happy, upbeat atmosphere. As an example, the lights and papel picado banners on the ceiling above add to the ambiance.  If El Azteca is not convenient to your neighborhood, not to worry, Greensboro has no shortage of wonderful Mexican Restaurants. Do you have a favorite?

Today is ABC Wednesday, and "T" is for (imagine the ultra staccato sound of the trumpets announcing) "TTTTTT...Taco Tuesday." See the A-R Round 20 entries, here.

Raven's Roost

The Raven's Roost is a pop up market at the Yanceyville Curb Market. It is held once a month from 12:00 noon- 5:00 p.m. Part arts and crafts/DIY market and part antique/flea market, there is something for everybody. From hand crafted soaps to jewelry to up-cycled art to tie-dye and more, the market is a fun place to visit on a Sunday afternoon. The downtown location is very convenient. The live music and food are conducive to lingering. This week's musician was Eugene Chadbourne and friends. 

It would be nice to combine Raven's Roost with food trucks and to have it held every week. As the market grows, hopefully, it will expand to the other side of the farmer's market building. It would also be nice to have a pop-up dressing room. We're even wondering if it would be possible to use the inside, covered area. Regardless of how Raven's Roost evolves, people love an excuse to get out and interact in public spaces; especially when there is the chance of a great find. 

The next Raven's Roost will be held on June 18th. Mark your calendar and give it a visit.

 

Fisher Park Tour of Homes

This weekend was Preservation Greensboro's 7th Annual Tour of Homes and Fisher Park was the featured neighborhood. Fisher Park was a streetcar neighborhood dating to the beginning of the 20th century. It was planned around a park, Fisher Park, where the Genesis Marker is located. The marker represents the geographic center of Guilford County. Magnolia Street radiates from the park; actually, the park divides the street into two sections. Families on both sides of Magnolia, and throughout Fisher Park, enjoy spending time there. 

The above photo features people en route to view the Sweeney-Penn residence on Magnolia Street during Sunday's hours when the skies were cloudy. Saturday's weather was in the high 80's with the sun shining brightly, almost too brightly. Sunday's overcast skies made walking from house to house and waiting in line much more manageable. Crowds were large, but sociable, this year. One Preservation Greensboro member said ticket sales were brisk.

Eight residences were available to tour. The houses ranged from large and stately to small with character and "under construction."  Several homes on the tour, including the one on Magnolia Street, were built and restored in the Craftsman style. The home getting considerable interest was the Price house on Fisher Park Circle as it had been featured on a recent episode of A&E's show "Hoarders." We're betting neighbors will be happy to see traffic back to normal in their cozy neighborhood just north of town.

 

Morehead UMC Food Truck

Morehead United Methodist Church is a growing congregation, located on Horse Pen Creek Road. They have many extra activities that give the community members an opportunity to interact with people at the church to get an idea if they would like to join. On Monday nights, from 5:30- 8:00, Morehead has been bringing in a food truck, where people can purchase food and sit around enjoying fellowship and live music over a good meal.

The above photo features the food truck from this past Monday, which featured Haitian food. Tomorrow night, there will also be a food truck. If you are nearby, consider stopping by and enjoying the event. If you can't make the Monday event, and are interested, Morehead UMC also has Wednesday and Sunday events.

The Sierra Club

The Sierra Club of Greensboro is working diligently to clean up the stream that flows by the Yanceyville Curb Market. In the above photo, you can see a member who was removing garbage last Saturday. Greensboro is part of the Piedmont Plateau Group (PPG)  of the Sierra Club. The PPG Group was founded in 2013, but the organization dates back to 1892 when it was founded by John Muir. They have several events coming up in June and, if you are interested, see here. 

If you are looking for a great way to spend time outside and to make a difference, the Sierra Club is a great place to start. The Sierra Club advocates for exploring, enjoying, and protecting the planet together. It is an organization multiple levels of commitment. You can do something specific like help clean a stream, on an ongoing basis; or, you can find something almost every day to do to help the group impact the environment positively. It is so rewarding to chart the progress of the stream in front of the curb market. It now has more native plantings around it; a path is in process; and they will likely to get a bench to sit and appreciate the improvements of this little stream that is said to originate downtown, from a spring located under the International Civil Rights Museum.

If you see Vance at the Yanceyville Curb Market (photographed below)  ask him about how you can become involved in this very worthy organization.  

Westerwood Alley

Today's photo was taken at an alley on the western edge of Westerwood, near the cut-through from Friendly Avenue to to North Aycock Street. The Westover Terrace/Northfield Street area doesn't get a lot of notice, but the families in their neighborhoods take care of their lawns and add a lot of personal touches to their homes. After a hectic day, it can be therapeutic to explore these nooks and crannies around Greensboro.

As you can see from the photo, this telephone pole is still hard at work, helping keep people connected and in communication with each other. Before you know it, these old-school telephone poles will go the way of the phone booths. We hope you have a great weekend and you get out and explore your neighborhood. While you are at it, try to meet a new neighbor. Finally, if they aren't sold out yet, you might want to consider touring the homes of Fisher Park.

Kirkwood Place

On the western edge of the Kirkwood neighborhood is Kirkwood Place; due to open September 2017. It will have 17,000 square ft. of ground floor retail and 57 residential units above.  Likely, adding this many units will change the face of the neighborhood. Kirkwood Place is located right across the street from Lawndale Crossing, where Target is located (the vantage point of this photo). It is built on the piece of land formerly housing the Beaman Building. Razing the Beaman Building erases the classic 60's architecture on Lawndale.

It will be interesting to monitor the progress of one of Greensboro's newest construction projects. See below the old Beaman Building, a photo we took for Greensboro Daily Photo eight years ago. When we started this website, the intent wasn't to document the the changes and the buildings that have been replaced; however, indeed we are finding that many of the places are now gone- the price of progress. To be sure, our bank of then & now photos is growing.