Greensboro Daily Photo

Children's Museum: Inside

The Greensboro Children's Museum has undergone so many changes over the last few years and it continues to serve the community well. A couple of weeks ago, we featured the new outdoor playground and talked about the Schoolhouse Garden. Today, we're sharing the entrance. As you can see, the ticket counter is located on the right. To the right, you also see families about to enjoy this engaging museum.

Straight ahead, is a display of some iconic items for children: Monopoly money, a box of animal crackers, a Pokemon card, a comic book, a tootsie pop wrapper, and more. If you are looking for something to do with children today, or over the Thanksgiving holiday, It will be open every day but Thanksgiving. They not only have activities for little children, the offer events for teens. For example, the day after Thanksgiving, they will feature a cooking class for teens. Check out their schedule, here; or, better yet, stop by and see for yourself.

Happy Friday!

Friday is upon us. The above photo features a little outbuilding in northwest Greensboro. It is surrounded by kudzu, briars, an overgrown garden, and hardwood trees.  Fall is a time when the scruffy look of fallen leaves and plants that have gone to seed add to the character of the season. The warm colors of the leaves make the little white building stand out and invite exploration.

We hope you have a great weekend and find a little time to get out and enjoy the outdoors. Greensboro's trails are lovely and inviting this time of year. If you like to shop, there will be plenty of opportunities to do so in Greensboro this weekend. Merchants have filled the stores with inventory and are working their hardest to encourage us to shop locally.

However, if you do indulge in retail therapy, please try to find a little time to steal a little solitude, a spot of your own...

 

Denim Blues

Finding a pair of jeans made in America just got harder. Learning that the 112 year old Cone Denim White Oak plant is closing in Greensboro has us scrambling to find signs of denim in Greensboro. Just as out city's new nickname "Jeansboro" is gaining momentum, the city will lose the plant. This news is so monumental, it made the New York Times (here).

Today's photos show a string of lights at the Greensboro Cultural Center. If you look closely, you will notice that they are wrapped in custom-made denim covers. From mid-August through October, the Cultural Center featured an exhibit entitled the "50 Shades of Blue Denim Project." It showed how artists could take denim discards and breathe new life into them by creating artwork out of denim. Perhaps we could round up some artists who could breathe new life into our city's remaining denim factory, before it is lights out... 

 

Moonbird Pottery

Greensboro has many great potters, several of whom hold semiannual shows on their property. Moonbird Pottery's owner opens up her Lindley Park back yard to a few other vendors twice a year. The above photo features people delighting in Christina Brown's latest pottery on the porch of her studio. If you missed this house sale, you will also have an opportunity to shop this Friday evening at Moonbird Pottery on Spring Garden Street, beside Spring Garden Bakery.

Even if you don't need any pottery (who doesn't need original, local pottery?), you owe it to yourself to attend this event. Christina just returned from Morocco and the theme of the store's event is Marrakesh. With all of the Moroccan items and inspiration, it will feel like an authentic "souk."  If you are really inspired, before Moonbird's event, you could go out to one of Greensboro many Middle Eastern restaurants and feel like you have left the country without leaving town. We hope you love Greensboro's great diversity and talented artists as much as we do.

My Bagels and More

My Bagels and More has opened recently in Cardinal Crossing, beside McDonald's, in the building that formerly housed Taco Bell. The fresh made in-house bagels and the wide variety of cream cheese options make it a place that pleases a variety of taste buds; from the savory or strong, like the everything bagel, to the sweet, choice abounds. They also have more hearty options like bacon, egg, and cheese bagels. Frequent customers report that these bagels, indeed, remind them of New York bagels. They are managed by 4th generation bagel makers from New York. In the front of the store, there is a lounge area and a variety of baked goods in their BADA BING Cafe. 

Newer businesses with local connections, like Burke Street Pizza, CRU, and now My Bagels, seem to be attracting more people to the Fleming/Inman Road area. If they can build loyal follows from the Cardinal neighborhood and attract customers en route to the airport, they should be around for a long time. 

Boomerang Bookshop: Nomad

The Boomerang Bookshop Nomad is on site for at Corner Farmer's Market in Lindley Park on Saturdays. The mobile bookmobile is also in Glenwood on Thursdays.  YES! Weekly referred to it as the "food truck of books." Diarra Crkt Leggett and his wife Elizabeth own and operate the mobile bookshop. Leggett is not new to books. He has sold books locally for nearly 16 years and worked as a library assistant in Kernersville. He comes by his passion for books honestly as his mother was a librarian in Winston-Salem for thirty years. In the YES! Weekly article about Leggett and his mobile bookshop, Leggett speaks of how happy it makes him when a customer finds the exact book they were looking for.*

In this era when social media is making anything longer than 140 characters something we mark as tl;dr ('too long; didn't read'), it is nice to learn of a mobile book store, offering new and used books, and opportunities to buy, sell, and trade, right there alongside the produce stand at the farmer's market. Even if you don't think you want a book, go meet Leggett and start talking literature. Likely, after searching his well culled inventory, you will find something you just have to read. Leggett is living the 21st century American dream. He has his own business, he is not tied down to brick and mortar, and when he goes to work, he is doing something he loves. It doesn't get better than that.                                    

*for reference and for more information, read Ian Mcdowell's article, here.

And the Navy Chaplain Led Us in Prayer...

Friendly Center was beautiful yesterday, with maple trees displaying their autumn color and new flags prominently displayed at the Friendly Avenue entrance. At the Veterans Day Flag Raising, veterans bowed their heads in prayer, while the Navy Chaplain led us in prayer, inviting everyone to pray according to what they believed. Several veterans and American Legion members were in attendance and participating at the Marine Corps League flag raising ceremony. Southeast Guilford High Schoos's Navy Junior ROTC students served as color guards.

The crowd was small, but those who were in attendance, were appreciative and reverent. The service was memorable and touching. Some of the veterans walked with great difficulty, but, all walked with pride. We were glad to be there to show our appreciation and to honor the veterans in our own family. Mark your calendars for Veterans Day next year. The service is a great patriotic moment.

 

Weatherspoon Exhibit: Isichapuitu

If you like Mexican and South American art, this exhibit at the Weatherspoon Art Museum on UNCG's campus will be perfect for you. The ceramic figures are the work of Kukuli Velarde who has been selected as part of the Falk Visiting Artist Program. Velardi, while Peruvian, designed the exhibit based on a photo of a piece of Mexican art. The centuries-old vessel that inspired the above art was pottery from the indigenous Huastec people. The title of the exhibit, Isichapuitu, represents the female vessel of death, known to evoke spirits of the past. Each is a different iteration of the same vessel.

If you visit the exhibit, be sure to read the card that explains the meaning behind every figure. The represent emotions, fears, desires, and stories related to the artist's life, as well as her effort to make peace with her memores. Velarde will speak about her art next week, 2:30- 3:30 on November 15th and at 6pm on November 16th. The Weatherspoon Museum is a local treasure; six galleries of art, free and open to the public.

Daas Mural

The public art scene has blossomed in Greensboro over the last two years, especially the addition of murals. The above mural was painted on the Bellemeade Street Parking Deck on North Elm Street on August 17, 2017. The 80-foot mural is one of two on the parking deck. The mural and the block party held to watch Daas paint this past summer is brought to us courtesy of City Arts and the Greensboro Participatory Budgeting Program.*

The bright strip of color with part of a face looking at northbound drivers reminds us to drive carefully. When the photo is compressed with a zoom lens and the foliage of trees is cut out, the resulting geometric shapes give Greensboro a big-city, urban feel. Do you like the look of all the murals? Do you have a favorite?

* reference and more information, here.

Second Annual Triad VegFest

This past Sunday, the Second Annual Triad VegFest was held at the Yanceyville Curb Market in East Greensboro. In the above photo, people were lined up for a taste of Loma Linda's plant-based food. The parent company, Atlantic Natural Foods, is based out of Nashville, North Carolina. Their 53,000 square foot facility manufactures and distributes sustainable vegetarian foods and beverages.

The festival was much larger this year than last and it is anticipated that it will continue to grow and gain in popularity as we become more mindful of sustainable living and eating. At the festival, food trucks, a space to eat, and entertainment was outside and indoors, there was a nice balance of vegan foods and products. If you want to know more about veganism or find a community of like-minded folks, contact someone at Vegans of the Triad or the Triad Vegan Society.  When we talked to a representative of the Triad Vegan Society, they assured us that they are friendly anyone committed to making an effort to eat more sustainable (i.e., fewer animal-based foods and products), and they do NOT shame people who still eat meat! Have you ever tried a vegetarian day?

Greensboro Childrens Museum

If you haven't been to the Greensboro Children's Museum lately, you owe it to yourself to find some special children in your life and take them there. The space has had quite a facelift. The museum first opened on May 15, 1999, over 18 years ago. The space has evolved beautifully to keep up with the times. While it has always had educational, interactive, and hands-on exhibits indoors, the have greatly expanded their outdoor offerings. They now have a half-acre learning garden, teaching children about growing vegetables and sustainability through the Edible Schoolyard. The museum has incorporated interactive STEM activities, and now has an outdoor playground- partially visible on the right. If you notice, the climbing structure is almost as tall as the building. Children navigate around flexible rope and most don't hesitate to climb to the top. The view must be amazing.

The 37,000 square foot facility is an award-winning museum, recognized for providing children with opportunities for creative exploration of the natural and material world. With the time change and the gray evenings of winter approaching, we especially cherish days like last Friday, when the sky was bright, warm, and glorious. To appreciate the change in aesthetic, here is the GCM post we wrote in 2009. 

Cat Cafe of Greensboro

Everyone is talking about the fact that Greensboro got a cat cafe. It opened this weekend with very heavy bookings. You need to have an appointment to attend and the were almost completely booked this weekend. The cost is $10 an hour, which helps cover the care of the cats. The Cat Cafe is located in the 600 block of South Elm Street, near Elsewhere Museum and across the street from Mellow Mushroom. 

To enter, you must sanitize your hands and go through the entrance door and then a 3' gate. The current batch of cats is a range of adolescent kittens and adult cats; all but the house cat are available for adoption. The cats are very friendly and playful. Coffee and snacks are available for purchase in the back of the store-  in a separate section. 

The Cat Cafe fills the need of giving people a chance to interact with kitties, especially if the are too busy to have one at home. It also brings like-minded people together and, who knows, you just might make some new friends while admiring a grey tabby or a bi-color, short-haired orange-marmalade colored American house cat, like the one who was flirting with us in the window Or, was it sticking its tongue out at us because we didn't adopt him?

(above). 

Former Methodist Cemetery

The sign for the former Methodist cemetery is located on South Elm Street just down from Scuppernong Bookstore and across the street from Cheesecakes by Alex. The sign is pretty self explanatory. You have to love these old-school historic markers. In the digital age where we have QR codes and information at our fingertips, all we still erect metal, raised-letter signs? They have so much character. Today's sign has even more character. As you can see from the close-up below, somebody put a googley-eyed umlaut on the "o" in the word "original". Perhaps, the were trying to be original. 

Have a great Sunday! We hope you get out for a walk. Perhaps you can attend the Second Annual Triad Veg Fest at the Greensboro Farmers Market (see, here). You can also attend Moonbird Pottery's Art in the Yard event in Lindley Park from 11-5pm today at 2629 Beechwood Street. Perhaps you can walk along Elm Street to see if the googley eyes are still in place!

 

Casa Azul

Casa Azul of Greensboro promotes Latino art and culture in the local community. The above photo features the sign in desk at Casa Azul's sixth annual Day of the Dead event held at the Central Library last night. The Nussbaum Room at the library was filled with ofrendas, altars filled with offerings and remembrances of deceased loved ones. Before the event began, one room was filled with people putting face paint on the people who would be performing at LeBauer center a little later.

If you ever want to know how to be more involved with Greensboro's Spanish speaking community, Casa Azul is a great place to begin. While the two figures in the above photo may look a bit menacing, they were really quite nice and very agreeable for taking photos and answering questions. Casa Azul was established in 2010 and, over the last seven years, the not-for-profit organization has grown into a group with over 150 volunteers. They are based out of the Greensboro Cultural Arts Center, centrally located to all of the venues on the north side of downtown. 

In addition to the event in the library and LeBauer Park last night, Greensboro had many exciting activities held in conjunction with First Friday. The Art Alliance held a pottery sale in the Cultural Arts Center on Davie Street that will continue this morning (in the room beside Art Quest). Galleries were open, food and beverage establishments were busy, and retail establishments had their merchandise all fluffed up so that shoppers could enjoy their time downtown. The 80 degree weather made it quite enjoyable to stroll along Elm Street. Make sure to mark your calendars for Friday, December 1st. December's First Friday is always the one that kicks off the December holiday season. The above characters remind us, while there are 363 days until Day of the Dead, there are only 51 days until Christmas!

First Friday in November

It is the weekend; specifically, the first Friday in November. That means time for gallery hopping downtown. A new art gallery has opened at the corner of West Washington Street and South Elm in the building that formerly housed "Glitters." Featured above, it is called Hilary Clement and Friends Pop-up Gallery. Hilary, who has a studio at 205 Collaborative on Lyndon Street, opened this gallery featuring her own paintings and the artwork of many great local artists. If the November/December pop-up is well received, the gallery may elect to stay in this location. Since it is First Friday, you will have an opportunity to stop in and enjoy the artwork. All was quiet when we photographed late last night. It should be busy today. Rumor has it that since the carpet was removed, it no longer smells like patchouli incense.

Another downtown event, a few blocks northeast, from 6:00- 9:00 pm, you can see the "Day of the Dead" altar exhibit in the Central Library and performances in nearby LeBauer Park. Casa Azul works hard to prepare the "Día de Muertos" event. The weather should perfect for walking, shopping, enjoying art, admiring Day of the Dead altars, and making new friends.  Here's to enjoying a night out on the town, our town!

Tam's Slammin' Salsa

Ashley Harwell, the salsa lady,  dressed out for the Keep It Local event.  Ashley and her mom, Tammy, started making salsa together as a hobby and then realized they could turn it into a business. They've been working on getting the necessary credentials to sell at local farmers' markets and maybe even get their product placed with restaurants and stores. They really enjoy making salsa and meeting and interacting with customers. We had the good fortune to meet Ashley and sample her product at last weekend's event. We wish her the best of luck. She has a great product and personality plus!

Ashley donned her best Day of the Dead outfit,  "La Catrina" make up, and decorated her booth with papel picado, for the Halloween theme of Saturday's show. Ashley's photo reminds us that today is Día de los Muertos. This holiday that is increasingly celebrated in Greensboro given the increase in the local Hispanic population, especially immigrants from Mexico, over the last two decades.

If you are near an international grocery store, try some pan de muertos. If you are looking for homemade salsa, contact Ashley at [email protected] . Finally, if you are looking for some great "Día de Muertos" music, listen to some Tish Hinojosa music here. We're betting Ashley/La Catrina would approve- especially if you combined listening with some chips and salsa.

Rock and Roll

Rock and Roll is the November 1st theme day for the City Daily community. If you click, here, you will see people rock and rolling around the world. To represent Greensboro, we are sharing this photo of a Greensboro group called The Reloads. They played at the Leanne Pizio's Keep It Local art event this past weekend. The weather was perfect and their music added a very nice touch to this great event. The Reloads don't have a website, but if you want to book them, their contact person is  Jerry Joplin. If you are interested, let us know and we can get you his contact information.

Greensboro has a very strong live music scene across a diverse array of genres. We have many events and venues as well. Summers are filled with MUSEP and the Eastern Music Festival. Tuesdays you can find live music at Lucky 32 and Thursdays there is live jazz at the O. Henry Hotel. Many of the breweries and restaurants in town feature live music. Common Grounds coffee shop has an open mike night, theaters like the Carolina Theatre and Triad Stage host musical events. These are some of the many events in Greensboro. Today, our love goes out to 1) the Reloads who have a nice sound; 2) all of Greensboro's musicians; 3) the City Daily Photo Community- that convinced us to commit to a photo a day over eight years ago; and last but not least, 4) you, dear readers.

Happy November. Bring on Thanksgiving, dark nights, and a reason to move the music inside!

Happy Halloween, Greensboro!

Happy Halloween! Every community has their "spirit" houses, with people who are known for holiday decorating. And, in the world of holiday decorating, most of us have a holiday that just stands out in our hearts. This weekend, we had the good fortune to meet up with a dear friend, and talented artist Beth Sykes Shaffer. She absolutely loves Halloween and part of that passion stems from her childhood memories of family vacations to the Beech Mountain Land of Oz Theme Park in North Carolina. Beth follows the yellow brick road and clicks those ruby slippers to any place she knows is selling Halloween decorations. 

Beth loves the Wizard of Oz so much, she has named her business Emerald City Chimes and Jewelry. We'll feature Beth and her art in the very near future. For now, we're going to don our best Wicked Witch of the West costume and head out for a little Trick-or-Treat fun this evening. We hope the weather is agreeable and that Dorothy and her entourage find plenty of nice people like the Shaffers to greet them with candy and joy tonight. May we all enjoy Halloween, a holiday that marks the end of the harvest season and the start of the darker half of the year in the northern hemisphere.

The photo below features Beth, all smiles, because she knows we love Halloween (almost) as much as she does!

Meet Polly Compos Anton

Polly Compos Anton, dressed as the Queen of Hearts, had a make-and-take bracelet table at her "Polly Originals" booth at Saturday's Keep It Local event. Usually, Polly is busy selling her own one-of-a-kind necklaces, bracelets, and earrings. This year, she brought her vast collection of beads, memory wire, and tools, and helped people design their own bracelets. Polly has been making jewelry since the early 1990's, when she was a graduate student at UNC Chapel Hill. Serendipity brought her to bead making when she visited a friend working at a Chapel Hill bead store and fell instantly in love with making jewelry. Polly has always been creative and even studied painting; however, the immediacy of assembling jewelry and seeing clients wearing her pieces fueled her love of designing jewelry.

Polly recalls fondly the years she held jewelry parties in the basement of Anton's restaurant. Now, she mostly sells at local arts and crafts fairs, like the Yanceyville Curb Market and Leanne Pizio's Keep it Local Show. Polly will be showing at the 21st annual  Whimsical Women Art Festival in Winston Salem in two weeks.* Last time we were at the Irving Park Frame Shop, her jewelry was available there. Polly specializes in crystal and metal pieces with an antique flair. She also has a line with calm beach colors. The colorful bracelet and earrings below were created specially for celebrating Halloween. We hope you have a chance to meet this fun, kind, talented local artist. 

*see flyer for Whimsical Women, here.

Jewish Fesitval at Temple Emanuel

Temple Emanuel, located at 1129 Jefferson Road, is hosting their Jewish Festival today from 11:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m. The SHALOM Y'ALL sign along Jefferson lets everyone feel welcome attending. The above photo is of the temple through the "O" on the SHALOM sign. You don't need to be Jewish to enjoy the events and food featured today. Jewish and Israeli food, like pastrami on rye sandwiches, chicken noodle and matzo ball soup, bagels, kosher hot dogs, and fabulous desserts will be available. Additionally, there will be sanctuary tours, Bible characters walking around to meet and greet you. Artisans will be selling jewelry, pottery, and more. Continuous entertainment and educational activities are featured all day long.

Temple Emanuel is a Reform Jewish congregation. The congregation is very open, inviting and embraces diversity. As stated on their website, the services are joyous, informative, and filled with great music. Who knows, you may stop by for a sandwich, but leave having found a spiritual home. Greensboro is lucky to have a dynamic congregation like Temple Emanuel. Here is a photo of the temple with the above-mentioned SHALOM Y'ALL sign.

 

 

Lumbee Mural on Battleground

The above mid-town mural is painted on Battleground Avenue, beside Burger Warfare, on the wall of Midtown Financial Advisors. It  features Tecumseh Jones, a 19-year-old Lumbee and Tuscarora Indian. The mural was commissioned by Marty Kotis, who is making a concerted effort to boost the art scene in Greensboro. The mural was painted by Australian muralist Matt Adnate, who is known internationally for painting murals of Australian Aborigines and Tibetan refugees.

Jones made the 100-mile trip from the Pembroke area and wore full American Indian regalia to pose for the mural.* Adnate is known for painting quickly, which helps not overthink or second-guess his work. He paints mainly with acrylics and spray paint. The insert below gives you an idea of the expressiveness of Jones' eyes. Adnate is masterful at painting little details on a grand scale. Kotis is also working on having culturally-authentic music transmit in cars as they drive by. Work on your interculturality and seek out this mural soon! 

*Go Triad reference, here.

Weekend of Visual and Performing Art

This weekend is a big weekend for art in Greensboro. One event is the Fall 2017 Keep it Local Art and Pottery Show at 2409 Oak Ridge Road, just off of Highway 150 and just east of Oak Ridge Military Academy. It will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. There will be over twenty vendors, all work is original. At 11:00 and 2:00, where will be an Art Hunt. With six cans of food or $5.00, you can participate in this fundraiser for the One Step Further Food Bank. Many animals are usually on hand to entertain the young and young-at-art art enthusiasts. There should be a llama, donkeys, chickens, and dogs to liven the event. The above photo features three animals made by the very talented Leanne Pizio. Her most creative pieces usually sell very early in the day, but she will have great pottery available in her on-site studio all day. Finally, Keep it Local will feature live music.

Another event is at Steinberger Artist Center at 712 Summit Avenue from 2-5pm on Saturday. The event, called 17 senses is hosted by the art event known as 17 Days Greensboro. Denise Landi, Sally White, Lee Zacharias, Krystal Hart, and Gina Franco will be sharing their great art with visitors. As for as performing arts, there will be a blues music concert on Saturday night at the Van Dyke Performance Space in Greensboro at 8:00 p.m. Tickets for the concert are $15 and the visual art events are free.

Sunday is a big, day, too as the Biennial Jewish Festival will be held at Temple Emanuel at 1129 Jefferson Road from 11:00am - 5:00 pm. Music, artisans, sanctuary tours, food, and many other activities will be in full swing at the festival. You will even see Biblical figures will be on hand for photo opportunities, too. 

We hope you have an opportunity to get out and enjoy some or all of these great events.

 

Late Afternoon Light

Yesterday afternoon, if you happened to be outside around 5:00 p.m., you might have noticed those glorious skies in Greensboro. The above photo does not feature any noteworthy landmarks and you can't necessarily tell it was taken in Greensboro. However, the purple to blue to white sky as a backdrop to the orange and gold leaves was spectacular. As we walked along Mill Street, towards Kick Back Jacks and Starbucks, even without the best vantage point, it was as if the sky were glowing. Times like this, we pause, click, and appreciate the beauty around us.

When the drab, dark, gray days of winter are upon us, we are especially thankful to have enjoyed glorious days like yesterday. Living in a city with four distinct seasons, especially in one where the winters aren't too brutal, makes us ever grateful. North Carolina has about 655 species of trees, shrubs, and woody vines that contribute to a glorious leaf show in autumn.* But this time of year, it is hard to beat the colors of the majestic maple trees.

*reference

Fall Activities

October and November are great months for fall activities. Churches, schools, and other organizations hold fall festivals and bazars, sell Brunswick stew, have homecomings, and other events to bring people together. The above photo, taken last month at the Liberty Antiques Festival, reminds us of fall. The orange and rust colors in the cornucopia of fruit and the woman clutching a sweater evoke thoughts of the autumn season. 

The woman in the background is drinking a large sweet tea from Bojangles, situating this photo in the south. Seeing the beautiful lighting, cast by the sun, makes us want to spend as much time as possible outside. Before you know it, winter will be here and finding these little slices of brightness can be hard to come by. Additionally, daylight saving time will end on November 5th, so, we have less than two weeks until, not only will the days be getting shorter, sunset will come an hour earlier. Let's all get out, sip a little tea, and walk Greensboro's sidewalks and trails.

Eugene Street Office Building: Guilford County Schools

Preservation Greensboro's walking tours of downtown Greensboro have us seeking out "Brutalist" architecture. The cement buildings at Governmental Plaza are Brutalist; so is Parking Garage #2, on the corner of West Washington and Green Streets. According to Preservation Greensboro's website, the term Brutalism comes from French, "béton brut" which means "raw concrete." The style was popular in the 1960's, especially with governmental and institutional clients, and the emphasis was on the mass and weight of a structure. It is a play on gravity and on suspending heavy forms, often above voids. Greensboro happened to be growing when Brutalism was a popular style and several prominent architects are associated locally with the movement.* 

Today's photo features the back side of the 712 North Eugene Street office of the Guilford County Schools. Driving around Florence Street today, in Fisher Park, we noticed the back of the Central Office building, the visual weight of the concrete stairs, the cement strips along the building, and we concluded it is of the Brutalist genre. Also, the above complex dates from 1960-1969. Thanks to Preservation Greensboro, we look at massive amounts of cement in a whole new way! 

*reference and read more from Preservation Greensboro, here (it is an interesting link).

Pilot Mountain

October weekends are great for traveling in North Carolina. Pilot Mountain is only about 45 minutes from Greensboro. This iconic landmark just off U.S. 52 between Winston Salem and Mt. Airy is a fun day trip from Greensboro. It is located in Surry County and is part of the Sauratown Mountains. The elevation is 2,421 feet at its highest point. The Saura Indians called The Knob (above)  "Jomeokee" or Great Guide.*

As you can see, the leaves haven't really turned yet, so the next few weekends should still be good for exploring the counties north and west of Guilford County. Pilot Mountain is a great place to hike and picnic, if you are looking for outdoor recreation. The Andy Griffith show called the destination Mt. Pilot. If you head to Mt. Pilot, you might want to make a day of it, head on over to "Mayberry" as Mt. Airy is truly a town steeped in nostalgia. Happy Monday!

*reference.

Sanctuary at Mt. Pisgah UMC

Last week, when we had a chance to visit the pumpkin patch at Ms. Pisgah Methodist Church, we also had a chance to step inside the sanctuary. The above photo shows the beauty and simplicity of the pews and altar. This church is so dynamic and makes such an effort to impact, positively, the lives of the members. If you are looking for a church and live near the intersection of Battleground and Pisgah Church Road, you may want to consider Ms. Pisgah.

Mt. Pisgah dates back to the mid 1800's and the current church was built in 1968. It is a a dynamic church with a such an interesting history. Next Sunday, they will offer a trunk or treat. If you want to see a dynamic church in action, head over to trunk or treat and meet some of the great members at this event. Happy Sunday, dear readers!

Downtown Stokesdale

Stokesdale is a town in northwest Guilford County, approximately 20 miles north of Greensboro. The population was listed as just over 5,000 in the 2010 census, which was almost doubled from the 2000 census and it has probably grown significantly in the last seven years. The above photo features the main street in town, Highway 158. Going through Stokesdale is a convenient way to Belews Lake.

While the town never seems to be busy when we pass through, the main street has several small mom-and-pop businesses. The surrounding area is largely a rural, farming community. It was only recently incorporated in 1989, but those brick buildings look like they date to the early 20th century. It sure would be a fabulous place to film old-time movies. If you have a chance this weekend, head on up to explore this corner of the county. The weather should be lovely.

Cheerful Book Exchange

Does your neighborhood have a book exchange? The above home, located at the corner of Camden Road and West Greenway has one! They have hollowed out a grandfather clock case and filled it with books. The elaborate container, on a raised slab and with tin roof is one of the most elaborate you will see in Greensboro. Those books are protected in all seasons. It would be fun to monitor what books come and go. This container is likely stocked with some very interesting books. Sunset Hills has a very active neighborhood association and residents are generous when it comes to initiatives that help build community. For example, around Thanksgiving, the streets here will fill with light-balls that are hurled high into the mature trees. At night, they fill the sky with colorful light. People come from miles around to see the display.

This in a neighborhood where people know each other by name. It would be in character for residents to leave books in the box that they know their neighbors would enjoy reading. The display of perennials and landscaping help the book box stand out. Do you ever take advantage of one of these little community initiatives? If you stop by this box, consider leaving dropping off a book you know others will enjoy. Today is Friday, a perfect day to start a new book!

Great Art, Poetry, and Tea

Last night, Liz McKinnon (left), Vida Pour Tea's resident artist, showed a series of her original watercolors inspired by the poetry of Michelle Rosquillo (right). The event was held at Vida Pour Tea, 412 State Street. The exhibit is entitled Transitions and Passages. The watercolors take on a fairytale-like character of vixens, echoes, people surrounded by swirls, and animals with people painted into their bodies. The poems are on display with the corresponding painting in the front room of the tea shop. You can have Sarah mix up a cup of tea while you walk around reading poems and admiring artwork.

While the opening night event is over, the will be up for several weeks. The artwork is available for purchase and you can ask Sarah when Liz and/or Michelle will be at the tea shop next, if you want to learn more about their great work.It is so wonderful seeing these young people of Greensboro living their dreams and being entrepreneurial with their creative genius. Happy Thursday!

Lake Higgins

This past Sunday, we had a chance to be at Lake Higgins when it opened. By about 7:45, 5 vehicles had lined up at Hamburg Mill Road, waiting for the gate to be unlocked. When the gate opened, precisely at 8:00 am, cars rushed to secure a boat to be able to get started fishing. As you can see from the above photo, the fog was dense. That didn't stop the fishermen who wanted to get out and scour the lake so that they will be ready for this Saturday's annual Fall Bass Tournament. They had their boats filled and motors attached and were well underway, just as the fog was trying to life.

Lake Higgins received a grand of just under $38,000 dollars from the Duke Energy Water Resources Fund to provide an accessible boat launch and to repair sidewalks. Parks and Recreation in Greensboro is working hard to be as adaptive and inclusive as possible in their facilities.

As for the bass tournament, same-day registration (October 21st) will begin promptly at 6:00 am, the tournament starts at 7:00 am and weigh-in is at 3:00 pm. Some of the anglers know this 226-acre municipal reservoir by heart and have their special spot picked out for fishing already. Three participants will leave with trophies and cash prizes. As always with fishing, the best combination of skill, luck, and cooperation by fish will affect the outcome of the tournament Fun will be had by all. We hope to see you there.

On Burnt Poplar Road

How well do you know all of Greensboro's nooks and crannies? Near I-40 out by the airport is a service road known as Burnt Poplar. The Antique Marketplace, visible on I-40, is on that road. Also there are are a several clusters of gas tanks and it is not uncommon to see trucks filling with gas to take to service stations. In the above photo, you see the round gas tanks from Marathon Petroleum Company. This is also where Kinder-Morgan is located. In the foreground, you see equipment from United Rentals and Neff Rentals.

These industrial areas are not usually considered attractive, but on a sunny fall day, when the air is crisp and the sky is blue, even rental equipment and gas tanks take on an element of beauty. Happy Tuesday. We hope you are enjoying these fall days as much as we are.

The Great Pumpkin Patch

Pumpkin patches are in full swing in Greensboro. The above stand is the checkout counter at Mt. Pisgah Methodist Church. If Mt. Pisgah was not Greensboro's first pumpkin patch, it was one of the first. The church is known as "the pumpkin church." On a sunny day, those pumpkins glow on the corner of Pisgah Church Road and Battleground Avenue. You can spend all afternoon in the patch taking family photos and selecting the perfect pumpkins, while helping the church raise money for the church. The canopy, great advertising,  is on loan from the George Brothers Funeral Home.

As seen in the above photo, the pumpkins range from $8 to $25. They also have mini-pumpkins for 50¢. However, some of the real beauties on the grounds are the gourds which are only $3 each (see below). It was so fun hanging out in the pumpkin patch in the warmth of a glorious, fall day yesterday. And, seeing children with families making all of these special memories and photos, was priceless. 

Our Lady of Grace

When you count all of the buildings, parking, and play area, Our Lady of Grace (OLG) Catholic Church takes up a whole block on West Market Street. The church was built with funds donated by Julian Price and his children in memory of  Ethel Price, Julian's wife, a lifelong Catholic, who died in 1943. The church was constructed in 1952. Mr. Price, an executive with Jefferson Standard Life Insurance Company,  died in a car accident in 1946, before the church was constructed in 1952. The tudor style house above, on the east end of the property, looks like it predates the church. This is a side view of the house where they have the built a flower garden with a statue of the Virgin Mary. Mary diligently keeps her eye on St. Andrew's Episcopal Church across the street.

We're not sure what the house is used for, but is well maintained, and its yard is always trimmed. Every time we drive by OLG we notice something different. It wasn't until we attended an event at St. Andrew's that we noticed this statue.

Happy Sunday dear readers! If you have time today, drive around town and see what you can uncover- even if you are in a town other than Greensboro.

Sepember 11th Sculpture

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The above photo was taken at the corner of Dr. Martin Luther King Drive and South Elm Street. It is of the September 11th sculpture created by Jim Gallucci. He not only created the twenty-two foot sculpture, he went to the scrapyard in New Jersey and purchase 16 tons of steel that came from the Twin Towers. The sculpture, and the steel beams, remind us of the terrorists' attacks on 9/11/2001. The two-story structure will be especially noticeable at night once lights are installed. In a recent News and Record Article (9/10/17), Gallucci recalls the fact that he was the last person to receive a permit to remove materials from the scrap yard. Notice the Lincoln Financial Group (JP) building in the background.

Gallucci's statue was installed in September on the spot that once housed Dr. King's bust. The King bust is getting a facelift and will be installed in a different location downtown. Here is a post of the MLK bust from the first month we began publishing Greensboro Daily Photo in 2009.

 

AMF All Star Lanes

AMF All Star Bowling has been a Holden Road institution for decades. If you are looking for something to do this weekend, consider calling some friends and heading to the bowling alley. On Fridays, they are open from 3pm to 2am. Some people make an evening of bowling; others only want to bowl a few games. AMF lanes recently got an exterior paint job. The bold red and white color combination really stands out as you drive by. You can't miss it.

The blue and gold bus in the parking lot belongs to North Carolina A&T University. Our best guess is that the NCA&T Aggie bowling team was practicing yesterday afternoon. They are gearing up for bowling season, which starts at the end of the month. The Aggie team, in spite of having lost their very talented seniors, is very good. They won the national championship in 2015 and are southern division favorites again this year. That blue and gold bus really stands out against the red building. If you ever see the team practicing there, please cheer them on. They are good. Watch them and you may add a few points to your score!

 

Kettle Korn

Papa's Old-Fashioned Kettle Korn was a big hit at the Liberty Antiques Festival this year. The nice weather brought people out to shop: the warm afternoons made preparing kettle korn a little warmer, too. The distinctive aroma of kettle korn wafted along the rows of antiques all day long. The above photo was taken in the morning, when long sleeves were still needed. Seeing this kettle korn photo reminds us that the 150th North State Fair opens today and is well under way in Raleigh.

Since 1867, shortly after the Civil War, the state fair has been showcasing North Carolina's number 1 industry- agriculture. Prices to enter range from free to $10.* It starts today with a poultry show at 9:00 am and ends on Sunday, October 22nd, with many events including a folk festival. In addition to rides, games, exhibits, and competitions, the state fair is 11 days of three stages and 118 concerts that are free with admission. Recreate, for your family and friends, a scene right out of the Andy Griffith Show. Head on over to Raleigh and make some memores... and, while you are there, treat yourself to a big bag of kettle korn! If papa is there, tell him we said hello!

*see schedule, fees, competitions, and other information, here.

Abandoned

Driving back from the Liberty Antiques Festival a couple of weeks ago, we ran across this abandoned gas station on Martin Luther King Drive at I-40 and Highway 421. In spite of being closed, with no signs of being converted to anything, the building has a beauty to it. The blue and white lines, the geometric shapes, beg to be converted into a mid-century modern house or retail space. With all of those windows, hand-blown glass would come alive in that building. Unfortunately, having been a gas station, the property probably comes with extensive environmental hazards to address.

The building is located on the easternmost edge of Gillespie Park, a part of town with its own school, golf course, curb market, and more. Surely, someone can come along and repurpose this space. It is just a couple of miles from Southside and downtown Greensboro. Seems like prime retail space- just look at the greenery behind it.

Color Outside the Lines

New York City is famous for its retail window displays, especially around holidays. The window sets the stage for letting the potential customer know what to expect inside. In addition to the well-known chains, like Apple and Anthropologie, Greensboro has some local businesses that set the bar high when it comes to window decorations. Thousands O' Prints and Oscar Oglethorpe on South Elm Street have some creative displays, with Thousands O' Prints changing their windows daily- and always with a theme. Design Archives actually rents out the window area as booth space. The owner of Just Be used to work at Anthropologie, so she follows design trends closely.  

The above photo is of Shelf Life, the art supply store located at 2178 Lawndale Drive. If you look at the reflection, you can see Outback Steak House and IHOP across the street on Battleground (at Cornwallis). Shelf life sells new and used art supplies and also frames art. Currently, their window reads "Color Outside the Lines."  That quote encourages us not to think and act in a way that confirms to set rules. However, it doesn't have to be perceived as anti status-quo, but as encouragement to think creatively and to innovate. Conforming and not conforming both have good and bad points. On the continuum of coloring within the lines and outside the lines, where are you most comfortable? 

Men in Blue Waiting for the Presidential Motorcade

Today, we want to share one more photo of the corner of Cleburne Street and Cornwallis Drive on Saturday evening. It shows the level of police protection along the route President Trump was taking from the airport to the fundraiser at the DeJoy's home on Country Club Drive. Policeman work really hard every day, but they were especially working hard on Saturday. It was interesting to stand and talk to them.

In the time we were waiting, we learned that they were wearing cameras. We learned that the elaborate lighting system on their bicycles was designed by the policeman in the foreground. People were encouraging him to market it. After working to protect the President, the policemen had to head downtown to work since it was NC A&T's homecoming. Before President Trump even arrived, everyone was soaked- including the policemen.They worked really hard to keep order, yet establish rapport at the same time.