Greensboro Daily Photo

Youth For Christ

As local universities and public schools are gearing up for fall semester, so is Youth For Christ. YFC is a Christian movement that works with young people around the world. The main purpose of the organization is evangelizing with young people and to do missionary work. The YFC program was inspired by the work of Jack Wyrtzen in New York City in the 1940s. North Carolina's own Billy Graham was the first full-time evangelist for Youth For Christ International. Rev. Graham's involvement with the organization helped launch his career.*

The YFC organization, including the branch in Greensboro, works hard to provide activities for youth, reasons to gather, for spiritual reasons, above and beyond attending a traditional, Sunday service. The above house at 917 North Elm Street has been transformed into home base for the YFC organization in Greensboro. From the wasp-deterring, haint-blue porch ceiling to the Boston ferns flanking the stone stairs, and those comfy white rockers, the facility is comfortable and inviting.

*reference and more information, here.

Chef Chris Scalici at the Greensboro Farmers Market

Earlier this summer, Chef Chris Scalici was doing some demonstration cooking at the Greensboro Farmers Market on Yanceyville Street. Chris is a personal chef, affiliated with Artistic Cuisine Culinary Creations, Custom Catering Service. Chris does great demonstrations and cooks up great food when he is at the farmers market. The events are a win/win. Chris gets more visibility for his catering service and shoppers get to learn about eating local and the concept of market to table food.

While the farmers market is open today beginning at 7am, from 9:00 - noon, the BLT Challenge and Tomato Celebration Day will be held. If you are looking for something to do this morning and like the idea of shopping local, grab some produce bags for shopping and head out to the farmers market. While Chef Chris might not be there, you will not regret spending time with all of the great people, vendors and shoppers alike. If you have been in Greensboro for a will, you will just probably see people you know. Happy Saturday, hope to see you there!

Musician on Elm

Weekends downtown are always fun. Often, there are opportunities to hear live music. In the above photo, an unidentified musician is sitting near Design Archives, in front of the mural painted my Kim Kennedy. Kim, who is both a visual and performing artist, put together a Kickstarter campaign and $4,061 was pledged, helping Kim paint this mural.

We didn't get a chance to ask the young musician her name, but we sure hope she perseveres and all her performing arts dreams come true. She had a nice sound. It is almost time for the traditional schools to start back up in North Carolina. We hope you make the most of this weekend, whether performing or in search of something great to do.

Horse Pen Creek Road Widening

Horse Pen Creek Road has been featured a lot on Greensboro Daily Photo; however, it is fascinating to watch a road get widened before your eyes. Now, they are making way for two more lanes, a bike path, a landscaped median, a sidewalk, and curbs. All of this work requires cutting down trees and grading the land. In the above photo, the tree company was exiting the formerly, wooded area with logs and tree debris. It is hard to believe that this once sleepy country road will become a limited access four-lane. You can see part of the word SCHOOL on the road as Caldwell Academy is nearby. The 30 million dollar project should help ease some of the traffic congestion in this part of town, and even make travel safer. 

Plans for the nearby urban loop, that now passes under Horse Pen Creek, have been in the making since 1948. It would be interesting to see what kind of plans the City of Greensboro has for the area seventy years from now; 2088 seems like a lifetime, or two away! Wonder if asphalt roads will be obsolete. Wonder if road surfaces will be made out of pervious materials to let the water soak through. Indeed, it is hard to make plans for and dream about a city seven decades out.

 

Twilight at Hamburger Square

Today's feature for Greensboro is twilight at Hamburger Square. While the corner of Market and Elm is where north, south, east, and west Greensboro get divided, Hamburger Square has been a great hub of activity for decades. It is located at the corner of South Elm and McGee streets- and featured above. This photo is of the northeast corner. The building in the background is Natty Greene's Brewpub. In the front, is a string of Limebikes, just waiting for riders.

The artwork in the middle features a pair of fiberglass blue jeans, part of Greensboro's "Jeans on Parade" visual art series. The 4' tall jeans sculptures, complete with rivets and pockets, were painted by local artists. Employees of Wrangler and Cone Mills selected the winning designs. There are several of these sculptures throughout Greensboro and remind us that our nickname is "Jeansboro."  At the end of the day, literally twilight, we are reminded of the beauty of is Hamburger Square. The square earned the name because there were hamburger/hot dog joints on every corner and it was a quick place to grab a bite to eat. How wonderful that much of the original architecture and lore of the area remains.

Carolina Mantis 2018

This is the time of year that gardens really start to get buggy. The above mature Carolina mantis was having a field day eating bugs in a local Greensboro garden. The Carolina mantis (Stagmomantis carolina) is native to North Carolina; however it is common throughout the USA, Mexico, and even South America. We're pretty sure this brown mantis is a female as she has short wings and widens out towards the bottom. Also, the females don't fly and this one only scooted around during the photo shoot and never flew away. (No mantis was harmed in the preparation of this blog post).

The praying mantis catches and eats other insects with their forelegs. A mantis doesn't have to eat daily, but can eat from 2-7 flies a day. They live approximately nine months, consuming as many as 1,000 bugs in their lifetime.* This should make the owners of the above garden very happy as pest reduction by mantis is very organic and good for the garden. We try to publish one mantis photo a summer. Have you seen a mantis in your Greensboro neighborhood yet?

*reference and more mantis fun facts, here.

Porch Talk with Emily Wright, MSW

Part of the fun of Greensboro Daily Photo is getting to interview the wonderful people of Greensboro. Today's photo features me interviewing local social worker Emily Wright (left). We sat on her front porch glider early Saturday talking about the joys and challenges of being in a social services profession, while sipping got coffee and listening to her goats encouraging us to feed them.

Emily earned her MSW in social work from UNC Chapel Hill and has been a social worker for 29 years, fifteen in Guilford County. This past year, Emily has logged many hours assisting the Congolese family whose five children died in a fire last spring. Since the tragedy, and during her summer break, Emily has been working with immigrant families, especially helping them learn to advocate for themselves and to get the resources needed to ensure their living safe and productive lives in the Greensboro community. Many of the immigrant families now stay informed through the Summit-Cone families Facebook page, where Emily contributes from time to time.

In spite of her involvement with advocacy and volunteerism for much of the summer, Emily is looking forward to returning to work for Guilford County Schools at the end of the month. Social work is a lifestyle, not just a job. Thank you, Emily, for all you do for the students of Guilford County Schools and the Greensboro families in need. 

We started to publish a photo of just Emily, but she looks so much happier in the photo with me. After all, social work is only social when there is more than one! Thank you for your hospitality.

 

Double Rainbow over Greensboro

On Sundays, we usually post something spiritual, often a photo of a church. Every religion and mythology attributes something spiritual to the rainbow. In Greco-Roman mythology is was a path made by the messenger Iris between heaven and earth. In Judaism, the rainbow symbolizes divine anger and patience. In the Bible, God's promise not to flood the world again was shown in the form of a rainbow.*

As much as it has been raining in Greensboro this past week, it is hard to believe that the earth will not flood and that an ark will not be necessary. The rains kept many people from venturing downtown on First Friday. However, the above view of Spring Garden Street, on the southwest side of downtown, shows a double rainbow, reminding all of us that, often, we have to venture through trying situations to see great beauty. May you have a glorious Sunday, with or without a visible rainbow.

The Wikipedia entry rainbows in culture has many interesting cultural facts, here.

Center for Visual Artists

The Greensboro Cultural Center held their open house last night. The above photo was taken at the Center for Visual Artists (CVA), a gallery inside the cultural center. For the month of August, artists of Greensboro were able to submit two pieces of work to show, and offer for sale.

Last night, the rain drove away many people from strolling Elm Street during First Friday. The biggest reward for those who ventured out was the double rainbow. As seen in the above photo, the CVA had a great turn out. People cycled throughout the gallery throughout the night. If you did not make it to the exhibit yesterday, you have all month to see some art by local artists. There are over 300 pieces of art available in many genres and something at a wide range of price points.

Alley at 200 Block of South Elm Street

Today is First Friday and there will be so much going on downtown, if the weather cooperates. The above photo features the little alley in the 200 block of South Elm Street- always filled with energy during First Friday. To the right is the bakery, the Table. To the left is Chakras Spa. Unfortunately, Chakras closed unexpectedly on Monday after being a downtown spa and salon for around twenty years. It would be nice to see a new spa open there as  the building is already set up for providing spa and salon services. 

Even without a Chakras event, there will be plenty to do downtown tonight. One event will be the opening exhibit at the Center for Visual Artists on Davie Street at the Cutural Arts Center. Tonight is the reception for community artists who will be displaying their artwork through August. Many Greensboro artists will have art on display, some for the first time. Stop by and get yourself a piece of original art. 

A Rainy Night on Battleground Avenue

Greensboro has been a very rainy place lately. It is predicted to rain today, too. The above photo features Battleground Avenue at Cone Boulevard, an area that has shown great change over the past few months. Rice Toyota rearranged the traffic pattern around their dealership and has done quite a bit of reorganizing. The McDonald's in the photo is also undergoing extensive renovation, part of a national effort on the part of McDonald's to make their restaurant as appealing as possible to millennials and the upcoming generations. 

At twilight, when you are in safe, in the car with someone who is skilled at driving at in the rain, the wet streets of Greensboro take on a magical glow. By day, on this stretch of Battleground, you need to add a little extra driving time. However, on rainy evenings, after rush hour, the area looks mysteriously vacant and travel is smooth. There is a saying to stop and smell the roses. It is also advisable to stop and smell the rain.

Happy First Thursday of August. We hope you are planning to head downtown tomorrow for First Friday. 

Tanger Center for the Performing Arts

If you like to watch Greensboro change and grow, today's photo should interest you. It features the Stephen Tanger Center for the Performing Arts in the early stages of construction. Before you know it, there will be a 3,000 seat facility on North Elm Street downtown, to replace the War Memorial Stadium that was torn down almost four years ago in October 2014. Barnhill Contracting Company of Raleigh is doing the work. If you look beyond the structure in the foreground, you can see the X of two cranes and evidence that work is in progress; an indication the structure will be changing daily. In the background on the right you can see the Greensboro Historical Museum.

In its current state of nothing but steel beams in place, the structure is reminiscent of artwork in the modern, abstract, Brutalist style. It would be fun to see an artist paint this scene. We'll share it with the international group, the City Daily Photo community and see if someone will take up our challenge to paint it. Today's theme for the CDP community is music (see photos, here). If you get really quiet and listen, you can almost hear the Greensboro Symphony performing here. We have Stephen Tanger, CEO of Tanger Factory Outlet Centers, Inc. and the City of Greensboro to thank for this much-needed performing arts center.

Ghassan's Food Stand at LeBauer Park

Today, we're featuring another photo from the dance event at LeBauer Park on Sunday night. as it was getting dark and beginning to rain, people were still in line determined to get some of Ghassan's great mediterranean food before heading home. About five minutes after this photo was taken, the big white umbrellas were folded up, and the rains came. 

For the downtown parks, food options are many. Of course there is Cafe Europa, the restaurant that has been an anchor in the area before the parks were built. Another option is to bring food and have a picnic. Also, there are two food stands in the park itself, Ghassan's and Porterhouse. Although only one is featured today, both stands are identical in architecture, with a crisp, sleek, modern look. At that magical time when day turns to night, the LeBauer Park area is especially beautiful.

Happy last day of July!

Dance GSO

Last night, Greensboro Downtown Parks hosted National Dance Day at LeBauer Park. To celebrate the diversity of Greensboro, a variety of dances were showcased, from swing to folkdance to bachata to hip hop and more. In many cases, the audience was invited up to participate. People danced on the central stage, under the flags of nations, just a block northeast from the Lincoln Financial Group building.

Greensboro Downtown Parks, Inc. does a tremendous job of keeping Center City and LeBauer Parks scheduled with activities that bring people from all walks of life into the heart of our great city. In the above photo, members of the Ballet Folklorico and the community at large watch the couple in the wedding dance celebrate their having successfully tied this bow with their feet. One event like this Dance Greensboro event remind us of the diversity of our city.

 

Awaken Church

Awaken is a church that bills itself as one that is "based on relationships not religion." It meets at Northwest High School on Sunday mornings. The above storefront houses "The Hub", a youth gathering place for the members. Whether delivering a sermon or simply spending time with members of his congregation, Lead Pastor Jim Scott combines his two passions, sports and ministry. A former football player himself, Pastor Scott loves the people he meets through Awaken. Awaken was founded by Scott in 2013.*

The Hub, located at 3405 Lewiston Road, houses the church office, is the place where the business aspect of the church transpires. According to the church website, all aspect of ministry and ministry outreach are planned at the Hub. This summer, on Tuesdays from 6:30- 8:00, at the Hub, there is a series, entitled, Ruth: One Woman's Journey from Loss To Legacy." If you want to attend a church service, head to Northwest Guilford High School by 10:30 am today. If you want to learn more about the church, what it offers, the program about Ruth, or other special programs, head on over to the Hub.

*read Pastor Scott's bio, here.

Gate City Pharmacy

The photo is a little blurry, but it captures the spirit of a visit to Greensboro's locally-owned, hometown pharmacy. They facility may be smaller than the large, chain pharmacies; however, all aisles lead to the best service and advice around. This is Gate City Pharmacy, located in Friendly Shopping Center. Here, you can get not only pills, but also compounded medications, advice about natural supplements and products, and plenty of educational support. Gate City opened in Friendly Center in 1967, and for 51 years, they've been building a loyal customer base. The staff will call and remind you it is time to refill your prescription, call to wish you a happy birthday, and work hard to ensure that you get the best price possible.

Even if you don't need medicine, you just might need something they have on the counter, from light compression socks for traveling, or a pack of good-old-fashioned candy. In this digital era when it can be hard to get personalized service, it is nice to support a local business that takes customer service seriously. 

Lindley Elementary Garden

Lindley Elementary School, in the heart of Lindley Park has a garden. Parents and community members help this neighborhood school grow vegetables, a life-skill that the students are likely to remember and carry into the next generation. The parents of Lindley Elementary have a stand at the Corner Market-  at the the corner of Walker and Elam. If your school wants to know more about this homegrown initiative, stop by the Lindley Elementary table on Saturday mornings to get some good ideas and great produce.

Greensboro is getting more and more "keep it local" pop ups. Often they are art related, but as in the case above, they include other purposes, like procuring locally sourced food. Often, the pop ups become well-established and regularly scheduled. To enjoy the Greensboro community this weekend, visit one of our farmers' markets. Even the local, side-of-the-road produce stands are usually staffed by people who love to talk, especially if you like to hear stores about how their gardens are growing! Here's to good eating and building community.

Dogs of Greensboro

Humans of Greensboro love their dogs. The above photo features a great dane who was the hit of the Corner Market (corner of Elam & Waker) in Lindley Park last Saturday morning. The owners, and canine as well, were very accommodating as people right and left approached to pet the dog. Pet, pet, question, question. and so went show and tell with this lovely dog. 

Great Danes are a German bread of dog. They are also known as the German mastiff. They are calm and friendly. If you like dogs, but don't have one, visit any public space in Greensboro on the weekends and you will easily get an opportunity to pet a canine. Pet adoptions are also an opportunity to get to know some dogs that need love even more than the ones with owners. Remember to ask permission first. Not all dogs are as stranger friendly as the above gentle giant.

Jake's Diner on North Battleground

There is a new Jake's Diner on North Battleground Avenue, down the road from Wellspring and Kernodle Middle School. It is located in what was formerly the Kentucky Fried Chicken. It is getting harder and harder to find a good home-cooked breakfast and Jake's fits the bill on North Battleground, since the Waffle House, turned Jen's Diner, reincarnated as TESSA closed.

Jake's Diner North has just opened and already Saturday morning breakfasts are packed. They serve the same food at the West Wendover and South Holden locations, but, if you live in the northern part of the city, this location is very convenient. The decor and the staff alike are cheerful. If you like good-old diner food, like steak and eggs for breakfast, and you like a little diner banter between customer and wait staff, you will find Jake's a fun place for breakfast. If you eat alone, sit at the bar and you will get a lot of personal attention, and, since this is the south, you will be able to strike up a good conversation with the people sitting around you.

And Then There Were Frogs...

It wouldn't seem like summer in Greensboro with a rainy spell to bring out the frogs. This green tree frog (hyla cinera) is more common in the Costal Plain region of North Carolina, but is expanding into the Piedmont (Greensboro's region). The green tree frog likes wetlands, swamps, and moist, shady areas.* The above frog was spotted on a metal fence post in the middle of a butter bean patch. While green tree frogs are known for being easily frightened, this one seemed determined to hang out in this same spot, even though the humans around him were busy picking butter beans. What a reward for working hard in a garden, getting to see nature's creatures, also enjoying the garden. 

Of the 28 frogs and toads found in North Carolina, the green tree frog is one of the brightest in color. It is the state amphibian of Georgia and Louisiana. Do you know the state amphibian for North Carolina? Read below the reference.

 * reference and a chance to listen to how this guy sounds.

 

North Carolina has two state amphibians. The pine barrens tree frog is our state frog and it looks a lot like the above frog, except the stripe in brown. North Carolina also has a state salamander, the marbled salamander.

Bicycling Downtown

Cycling as a sport is becoming more popular in Greensboro and the city has worked hard to provide places to ride, from greenways and trails to bike lanes on city streets. Weekends in the summer bring out lots of cyclists. At least twenty people were riding as a group down Elm Street on Saturday. They rode together, looking out for each other. They followed the rules of the road and even used hand signals. One slight indulgence was circling around the Nathanael Green statue on McGee street... more than once.

Remember, cyclists have as much right to be on the road as cars, and drivers need to be extra careful and patient. After Sunday evening's pelting rain, it is hard to believe that Saturday morning was this bright and sunny and conducive to being on a bicycle. Finally, please have a look at just how green Greensboro is this time of year. The main street downtown is lined with trees and dotted with hanging baskets.

Happy Monday, dear readers. It is a new week!

Spirituality of Nature

Today's photo features a male American redstart, who was flitting around in the leaves in the Bog Garden off Hobbs Road. Since November 2017, volunteers have planted 1,427 native plants in the Bog Garden. The funding for the new plants has been provided by Greensboro Beautiful and also the Piedmont Bird Club. These native plants attract birds and other wildlife. The American redstart is a warbler that likes open wooded habitat with deciduous trees. They are active birds that seem to never stand still.

In Psalms XI, the soul is compared to a bird. "Flee as a bird to your mountain." This week, Greensboro lost Phil Segal III, who was the founder and owner of Havana Phil's Cigar Company. We featured his business yesterday, not knowing that he passed away on Wednesday. On Friday, David Tyler, a young college student who grew up is Greensboro, was buried. So, today's moment of spirituality is in memory of Phil and David. Life is short, precious, and, before we know it, we flee as a bird to our mountain. The Greensboro community is grateful for our time with Phil and David. Both men left this earth too soon. We are thankful for public places like the Bog Garden that give us a chance to sit and reflect on life and the beauty all around us, especially in times of loss.

Havana Phil's

The building at 1628 Battleground Avenue, that was formerly Cellar Anton's, has housed Havana Phil's Cigar Company for the last two years. The business was started in 2010 by Phil Segal.  Prior to this location, Havana Phil's was housed in a smaller building near Lowe's on Battleground. The spaciousness of the above building, the location near Old Irving Park, and the opportunity to step outside on the lawn, has made the current location tremendously successful with cigar aficionados.

According to Cigar Aficionado, in 2017, 330 million cigars were imported into the United States and the market is at a twenty year high. Yesterday afternoon, people were taking advantage of the nice weather and socializing on the lawn. Perhaps it was a special event, or perhaps it was a happy hour. With or without cigars, they seemed to be enjoying each other's company. At the end of the day, nothing beats a little fellowship with friends and love ones.

The Ongoing Widening of Horse Pen Creek Road

Horse Pen Creek is being widened as you read this. The above photo was taken at the end of the road near New Garden and St. Paul's Catholic Church. They are widening it all the way to Battleground Avenue. According to the city's website, it will be widened from two to four lanes with curbs, gutters, bicycle lanes, sidewalks, and a raised, landscaped median. Construction should be completed by summer 2019. How wonderful that there will be sidewalks and bike lanes. Cyclists use this road a lot and many people walk along Horse Pen Creek Road.

In the meantime, allow extra time to travel in this area. And, if you had some nostalgia for things and places on Horse Pen Creek, you might want to see them now, before they are gone. What was a sleepy little road that seemed far from town, is now a major road that is just a hop, skip, and a jump from Bryan Boulevard and you a few minutes from downtown. Notice the red clay. It looks lovely when dry, but can be fiercely slippery and inclined to stain when wet. Here is a link to the City of Greensboro's website where you can check on the many road projects throughout the city.

Lake Higgins Boat Launch

Greensboro  Department of Parks and Recreation received a 37,000+ grant from the Duke Energy Water Resources Fund to create a boat entry that accommodates people in wheel chairs who want to boat or kayak. The above photo explains the five-step process. How wonderful for people in wheelchairs, who are driving and living independently to be able to participate in water sports. 

July is Parks and Recreation month and the construction of this new launch is one of many examples of how Greensboro's Parks and Recreation division makes ever effort to be inclusive. Head out to Lake Higgins and see this launch for yourself. Better yet, find someone who would benefit from using the EZ Launch and take them out to try it out!

Cows of Greensboro

It has been a while since an animal has been featured on Greensboro Daily Photo. And so, this weekend, we drove around the countryside on a quest to find an animal to feature. Just north of Greensboro, beyond the Highway 220 and 68 split, we found a pasture full of the above breed of cows. The cows were seen together in a pasture grazing happily. The one in the photo was particularly interesting, with that off-center blaze on her face. Perhaps it is the smaller ears, the large head, the color, or the muscular nature of this cow, but, she looks like she could be a cousin to a hippopotamus. 

A google search indicates that these might be Maine Anjou cows. If so, they were bred in the 19th century in France and known as a dual purpose breed, as they are good for both beef and milk. At any rate, they looked very happy and healthy and if, indeed, the herd was Maine Anjou, that would be pretty exciting to have them here in the area, as approximately 2/3 of the population of 60,000 is in France.

Within the first couple months of Greensboro Daily Photo, back in 2009, we uncovered a fold of Scottish Kyloes living in Greensboro. It is interesting to ponder how people get interested in a certain breed of cattle, and how they decide to raise them locally.

Double Oaks Bed and Breakfast

Double Oaks is a house, built in the early 1900s, is located at the corner of Mendenhall Street and Friendly Avenue. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and has a well-documented history (here). It was the former residence of Harden Thomas Martin, G. Will Armfield, Charles R. Forrester, and Win and Ann Milam. Since 2016, it has been owned by James and Amanda Keith. While Double Oaks attracts out-of-town guests, it is a great venue for locals to rent out for special occasions. The above photo features the old Chevrolet that can get you to and from the the venue and the events. The branches at the edge of the photo are part of the two, 200 year old oaks flanking the home and the source of the name, Double Oaks.

Also, the Keiths have been hosting music events. Tomorrow night, at 6pm, they will host their Wine Wednesday with not only wine and beer, but also live jazz music. This Sunday, they will host Sarah Potenza, part of Peg Parham's "Boro Sessions" music series.

Picnic in the Garden

This past Saturday in the Tanger Family Bicentennial Garden, a Picnic in the Garden event was held. Mostly, it was an opportunity for people to come purchase food from food trucks and sit in the gardens to eat. It was really hot on Saturday; however, there were plenty of shady places to sit to picnic. The placement of food trucks in the parking lot of the garden brings food to a place where there is none close. Therefore, the food trucks fill a need without directly competing with brick and mortar restaurants.

This casual event is another example of Greensboro's effort to encourage people to get out and take advantage of our lovely public spaces. Greensboro Beautiful has done a tremendous job of planting beautiful flowers in the 7.5 acre garden that opened in 1976 as a way to honor the 200th anniversary of the United States. The more events that are held in the garden, the more people will think of it as a destination and it is a lovely one. BaconEssence and Ghassan's were the two food trucks this weekend. The next picnics in this garden will be held on August 11th and September 8th. 

College Park Baptist

College Park Baptist Church, located at the corner of Aycock Street and Walker Avenue, has scaffolding around the steeple. It looks like it is getting painted. This dynamic church, located on the western edge of UNCG, is as liberal of a Baptist congregation as you will find. They are an inclusive faith community, explaining that they are "Progressive, Diverse, Ecumenical." College Park Baptist has many activities and offer something for people of all age groups.

Going strong since 1906, this church has a very close connection to UNCG and its campus ministry. College Park Baptist invites students to consider this their spiritual place while away from home. For students who attend, the congregation is quick to offer meals, care packages, and extra nurturing and prayers- especially during exam time. It looks like College Park will be sparkling and ready when the students return next month.

Happy Sunday, everyone!

Summer Fun

 

Remember those days of summer fun, spending hours and hours outside playing without watches, cell phones and other devices. Seeing the junior cyclists, off the beaten path on this quiet Greensboro road,  is an example of what summer should be like. Nothing beats riding a bike with friends and pedaling away the day- even if your friend is a lot farther ahead of you. Simply playing outside, not worrying about play dates or scheduled, organized activities is said to be good for a child's health.

According to a University of Michigan study, since the 1970's, there has been a 25% drop in play and a 50% drop in unstructured outdoor activities.* Greensboro has many parks and lots of great places to play. Even if the play can't be outside in your neighborhood, there are many community centers, school playgrounds, and public spaces just waiting for some creative, spontaneous summer fun. Have a great weekend!

*Reference and more information about the importance of play, here.

Water Flight 2018

The above sculpture, Water Flight, also known as Steward of Wishes, has been in the news this summer. In June, the blue panels, weighing about 200 pounds each, were turned over as a result of two people trying to slide down it. This vandalism, intentional or unintentional, prevented the 300 gallons of water to recycle properly. The water feature, located at 219South Elm Street, was created eighteen years ago by Eric Beerbower to fill a small alleway between two buildings owned by Kern. When it was broken, Eric was called on to make repairs.

The upside of this situation is that the sculpture got a facelift. The pieces were cleaned, repainted, and the small pool of water was cleaned out.* Here is a Greensboro Daily Photo of the sculpture from 2010. As you can see, it looks basically the same, except for changes in paint color.

It would be nice if Kern would install some kind of plaque naming the artist and providing basic information about the sculpture. It would also be nice if people would stop throwing garbage in the water feature. Water Flight is a great solution to making use of a quirky pie-shaped space in the heart of the city. Since it is the weekend, perhaps you can go downtown and see it for yourself. 

* reference and more information,in Carl Wilson's Go Triad article, here.

Taco Mama

Greensboro has a new restaurant, a cantina, Taco Mama. It is located in Irving Park, at the end of the plaza close to Cornwallis. It is located in what was formerly the army-navy store, 3,800 sq. ft. space. Since the space is open, it seems to extend forever. And, with the nice weather, the front windows only have screens in them, bring the outside in. The restaurant has been well received by the public and it really adds to the food options in the area.

Will Haver, the Alabama entrepreneur who opened Taco Mama, is said to pay attention to detail. He uses fresh ingredients and hires people when he finds the right person for the job- even if they aren't looking for someone at the moment. To be sure, he has a recipe that is taking the east coast by storm and Greensboro is the first city in North Carolina to have one. That's right, not Charlotte, not Raleigh; Greensboro, a fact that is, perhaps, indicative of how quickly our community is changing.

Bale of Cotton

At one time, Greensboro was known for its cotton products, especially denim and flannel. Our cotton mills flourished in the first part of the 20th century and they played an important part in Greensboro's history. The above photo features a bale of cotton, on display in the easternmost corner of Revolution Mill.

According to the National Cotton Council, a bale of cotton weight 500 pounds, is 54-55 inches long. Based on quality, a pound of cotton costs anywhere from 60 cents to $1.60 a pound. It gets transformed from the bales to raw fibre to rolls of fabric to clothing. The process is fascinating and many of the tools, machines, and products can be seen throughout the halls of Revolution Mill.

Apples at Gateway Gardens

These apples at Gateway Gardens are a big hit with children and adults alike. Children love to run around them and hide inside them. Openings on the sides allow for children to play inside, while those slits keep water from accumulating and make it possible for parents to see inside. Children feel like they are hidden to the world, yet they are in plain sight.

Greensboro's free city parks and gardens contribute so much to the opportunities for children to explore outdoors and interact with nature. As Greensboro Beautiful points out on their website, this LEED-certified silver project is an eleven acres interactive garden and horticultural oasis. It is their biggest project in their 50-year history. And, as Greensboro saw on Sunday afternoon, it is the perfect venue for a concert. While planning for the garden began in 1999, Gateway Gardens opened to the public in 2011. For the past seven years, the plantings have become established, the visitor center has opened, and the grounds just keep getting better and better. Here is their website, if you want to keep up with events and to learn more about the venue.

Gate City Divas

The Gate City Divas were one of two groups that performed at last night's MUSEP Concert, held at Gateway Gardens in East Greensboro. This talented group had as many as 18 people on stage, playing instruments, singing lead and back up. The resulting sound is bluesy and full; the lead singers' voices are raspy and pitch-perfect. The group members come from all walks of life; the core group of eight female vocalists play multiple instruments. Many perform with the local group, Ladies Auxiliary and most are singer/songwriters. The bass player even plays with the Greensboro Symphony Orchestra. The audience was highly complimentary of the keyboard player (Kristy Jackson). Several people commented on how cohesive the Divas' sound was given the diversity of their backgrounds, not only in music, but also in life experience.

If you haven't been out to a MUSEP concert this year, check your Sunday afternoon calendar. They continue into August. Not only do you get to hear great music, you get to experience an array of Greensboro's great city parks... for free! Each concert costs the city $3,000; so if you have a few extra dollars or want to bring a tax-deductible check, they do pass around a donation bucket.

Read more about the individual divas on their website, here.

Mind, Body, Spirit and the Bryan YMCA

Sunday for many, and here at GDP, is a day for pause and reflection. Instead of taking a day off from posting, we like to be more reflective, grateful, and ever hopeful. The above photo is features the Bryan Y.M.C.A. in downtown Greensboro. The Ys have rebranded to use the "Y" (Young) and, as of 2010, have dropped the "MCA" (Men's Christian Association), to be more inclusive, espousing Judeo-Christian values. Today, there is more emphasis on the ethical aspect of the Abrahamic religions, as opposed to the theological. To be sure, the "Y" is more inclusive, doing more to foster inter-group relations. Bibles are welcomed, but you do not need to be a Christian to walk through the doors.

Y memberships today, give you access to more than one Y and there is even national membership. If you are a Y member, you should be free to try out other facilities. The one above, the Kathleen Price Bryan Family Y at 501 W. Market Street, has always been inclusive and inviting. If you ever feel alone, lonely, in need of community, wanting to boost the spirit, mind, and body, take a Y class, walk the track, or participate in a pick up game. Heck, you can even hover around the coffee pot. Conversely, if you see that lone person at the Y (or anywhere), be the one who initiates a conversation. Spirit. Mind. Body. Everyday and everywhere.

"Y" not?

Fireworks Tonight!

Happy Fourth of July on the 7th! As you may have heard, the fireworks in downtown Greensboro have been rescheduled for tonight. Bring a chair and head downtown to enjoy a spectacular display and fellowship with other people in Greensboro. Food trucks and live music should start around 8pm and the fireworks will start around 9pm. While the National Weather Service is predicting cloudy skies and a temperature in the low 60s, the weather sounds much safer than Wednesday night, when the winds were strong and conditions were not safe.

If, for some reason, they need to postpone the fireworks again, perhaps they can combine with them with the MUSEP music concert that will start at 6pm at Greensboro College on Market Street. There will be two sets of big band- swing/jazz swing music. Surely, those bands could sneak in a little patriotic pops sound for en encore. This could be Greensboro's largest MUSEP attendance ever. Regardless, both events are free and open to the public and proof-positive that there is plenty to do in our great city! 

First Responders

First responders are often under-appreciated, that is until the community needs them for an emergency. The above photo features the Greensboro Fire Station #21,  located on Horse Pen Creek Road, between the Montessori School and Kernodle Middle. This station has been open since 2006 and has overseen many changes to the area, including the current widening of Horse Pen Creek. 

The photo was taken on July 4th, when firefighters were busy testing their equipment, including the ladder, used to reach the higher floors of buildings. Hopefully, they were not called out later that evening when people were letting off fireworks in nearby neighborhoods. If you are a first responder, thank you for all you do to keep the people of Greensboro safe.

Have a great weekend, everyone and remember, tonight is First Friday downtown and tomorrow will be the rescheduled fireworks. To be sure, Greensboro's fire fighters don't need to be reminded, as they will already be on high alert!