Greensboro Daily Photo

UNCG Annual Spring Pow Wow 2024

On Saturday, April 13, UNCG held their annual spring Pow Wow on the lawn of Elliot University Center on the campus of UNCG. It was a hot, sunny day, and also the day of the "Science Everywhere" event. Formerly, for nearly 40 years, UNCG held an International Festival in early April on campus. Fortunately, Pow Wow is still being held. It was so fun watching the young children learning the cultural practices and traditions of their families.

Commencement services are starting to be held on college and university campuses. UNCGs will be this Friday and Greensboro College will hold graduation on the same day. NCA&Ts undergraduate ceremony will be on May 11th and that of Guilford College on May 18th. April is a time to hold all of those culminating events, even Pow Wow, where Indigenous American students and families in the Greensboro Community can gather one more time before people go their separate ways for the summer.

Happy Tuesday!

 

*Cumberland County will hold a Pow Wow this Saturday (see HERE), 

McKay's Mebane Mega-Bookstore

This month, Greensboro lost McKay's bookstore, as the store relocated to Mebane. It opened on April 19th to welcoming arms of the people of Mebane. We had a chance to stop by and see the new, 35,000 sq. ft.  store off of exit 154 off of I-40. The first McKay's opened in 1974. Now there is the story in Mebane and the one in Winston Salem.* If you still like to read a physical book, It is worth the trip to Winston or Mebane to find something to read. Forthuately, Greensboro has Scuppernong Books downtown on Elm Street. They work very hard to build community and to provide a well curated selection of new and used books. However, with four institutions of higher education in Greensboro alone, and six GTCC campuses in Guilford County, it seems like we could support a mega-used bookstore. Is there someone out there who wants to open one? We would love that. McKay's outgrew their old location Perhaps opening a store in Greensboro could be in their foreseeable future..

We also wonder what will become of the former building on Battleground Avenue. We're wondering if it will be removed to allow access to construction to the lot on Mill Street. Do you know?

Happy Monday! What are you reading, Greensboro? 

 

* read more HERE.

Chestnut Grove Church

Chestnut Grove Church is located in King, North Carolina, which is located north of Winston Salem, off of Highway 52. A few weeks ago, they were in Greensboro and their activity bus was parked down near the train depot. We loved the fact that the Lincoln Financial Group building was in the background, firmly anchoring the photo in Greensboro. 

Chestnut Grove Church was founded in 1974. This is their 50 year anniversary year so maybe the congregation is doing something really special. Congratulations on hitting that milestone year, and come back and visit Greensboro often. This is a part of town that is really starting to grow. The train depot area may have a completely different look, next time you are in town. Read more about the initiative for the depot HERE.

Happy Sunday!

Chestnut Grove

Chestnut Grove

Jakes Diner on South Elm Street

It has been a while since we've featured Jakes diner. We first featured Jake's in 2011 at the Wendover Avenue location (see HERE). We've wanted to get to the downtown location and, yesterday, we finally had that chance. The above photo features the most recent, Jake's, located at 611 South Elm Street. It is celebrating its one year anniversary. We visited yesterday at breakfast. The breakfast food is fabulous as is the service. As you can tell from this photo of Chris, the wait staff is happy and works hard to make sure you have a great dining experience. The downtown location is to South Elm Street what the Cheers Bar is to Boston. Chris says on the weekends, customers who sit at the bar all know each other and have the best time together. He told us that the the cooks have been there for a long time and he was very complimentary of their cooking skills and their loyalty to the restaurant. Chris himself has roots to the restaurant and the owners that go back almost a decade.

It is getting harder and harder to find a good, home-cooked breakfast. If you are looking for one and want service with a smile, head to Jake's. If you are dining alone, nothing beats eating at the counter. Those leather seats are super comfortable!

Happy Saturday! 

POTS Acoustic Music

The Piedmont Old Time Society has an open jam the second Saturday at the Corner Market on Market Street. At the last Jam, Rebecca Kress of Guilford College's WQSF radio station heard the group and invited them to her show last Friday. The above photo features part of the group practicing in the home of a member. You can't see Rebecca because she is behind the guitar player taking copious notes. 

The group performed on Rebecca's show. She asked great questions and had a way of pulling everyone into the questions and comments. Fun was had by all. If you like acoustic music, you will probably love the POTS jams. The people are very friendly and inviting. They also meet in the Continental Club on the first and 3rd Thursday's at 7:00 pm.

Happy Friday!

Now on North Battleground at Old Battleground: Mavis Tires and Brakes

 

North Battleground, at Horse Pen Creek and Old Battleground, now has a Harris Teeter Gas Station, an O'Reilly Auto Parts Store, and the above Mavis Tires and Brakes. These properties are located in the area that housed Laddie and Duke's Family Grille.* Laddie and Duke's was an Irish Pub themed establishment with a lot of atmosphere, right down to a cozy stone fireplace. Laddie and Duke's was open from about 1996- to 2008. In Irish Pub fashion, it was one of those places that seemed like it would be anchored on that corner forever. It is a new day on North Battleground Avenue with many shops offering auto parts and tires. And now, there are many more food choices in town, in Mid-Town, and the east side is showing growth. Friendly Center, and Wendover Avenue remain popular destinations for dining out. 

Do you have a go to restaurant? What do you look for in an eating establishment? Given the above photo, we should also ask, how do you decide where to purchase tires? The above branch of Mavis opened this year. However, the company was founded in 1972 by the Sober family and now has about 1,200 stores throughout the northeast USA.**

Today's post has us thinking of then and now and in the future. We're wondering what another decade will bring to Greensboro. What are your predictions?

Have a great Thursday!

*If you are interested in a little Greensboro nostalgia, read here for a News & Record article about Laddie and Duke's from 1996, about the time they opened. They even mention menu items.

** reference and more information here.

Dogwoods Are a Greensboro Tradition!

This photo was taken a couple of weeks ago. Greensboro is so pretty in pink and white in March and April. However, the dogwoods have already are now green. The bracts are gone. But, they will be full of color again in the fall. The above photo was taken at the corner of Hobbs and Jefferson Roads. The pink variety of these slow-growing trees are less common than the white. Dogwoods do well in Greensboro. They like a little shade, and need just the right amount of water- not too wet, not too dry. They look especially beautiful when planted around azaleas.

We recently learned that the largest dogwood in the United States- possibly the world- is growing in a small cemetery in Clinton, Samson County, North Carolina. If you ever want to go see it, Clinton is about 150 miles from Greensboro and it takes about 2 1/2 hours to get there. It would be fun to ride down and see it when it is at peak. For now, we'll just keep walking and driving around Greensboro's neighborhoods to see all of the natural beauty we have here.

Happy Wednesday!

Friendswood Park

According to Trust for Public Land, Greensboro has 245 parks and 64% of Greensboro Residents live within a 10 minute walk of a park .* Many of the parks are truly neighborhood parks, often with a playground.  The above park is one such example. It is Friendswood Park, a 1.76 -acre neighborhood park  at 506 Shelby Drive. It is located just east of Guilford College Road and north of Bridford Parkway. Parks like Friendswood is a perfect spot to walk to meet neighbors and get out of the house for a while. There is also a picnic table, which is a great opportunity to build community. 

Just think, you could visit a new park every other day in Greensboro and still not run out of parks. Somehow, we have never driven past this park before. These park-lets are like this, tucked away in neighborhoods. We're headed out to see how many we can find. When we drove by Friendswood yesterday afternoon, it must have been nap time.

Happy Tuesday!

 

*See this map of areas in Greensboro most in need of parks (northeast & southwest).

Happy Earth Day 2024

Happy Earth Day 2024! Actually, every day should be Earth Day; however, today is a special day that has been celebrated since April 22, 1970- 54 years ago. The goal is to demonstrate support for environmental protection. There are several global events, coordinated by Earthday.org. The 2024 theme is "Planet vs. Plastics."  The Earthday website is a wealth of information and is perfect for parents, teachers, students, well, everyone to learn more about current initiatives and what we can do to help the flora and fauna of planet earth. If you live in the city of Greensboro, you recognize the cans above. The green on the left is regular waste, the one in the middle is for recycling, and the new one on the right is for yard waste. The yard waste container will be so much easier to manage as people don't need to manually toss it on the truck. Also, the yard waste inside will be a lot less likely to get wet.

State law in North Carolina requires that yard waste be separated from trash; so, no tossing of clippings and sticks in with garbage or recycling. Yard waste is collected weekly, plus, you can add on by purchasing those paper yard-waste bags. If you want to read more detail about how and why the city changed from allowing people to fill small garbage bins with yard waste, read HERE. The city estimates that the change will save nearly 13 million dollars over the next 15 years and that it will be safer. Many Earth Day events took place this past weekend. However, according to Eventbrite, today from 4-6 pm, Earth Huggers will host a community clean up starting at 602 South Elm Street. If you can't join this organized event, a Google search will yield great ideas!

Happy Monday!

Max Carter and Ivan Saul Cutler

Max Carter and Ivan Cutler are an example of everything that is RIGHT about the world today. Above, they were both at the Jewish Festival at Temple Emanuel a couple of weeks ago. Max is the Retired Director of Friends Center and Quaker Studies at Guilford College. He is very involved in the Quaker community. Ivan, dressed at Moses and carrying the 10 Commandmentsl, is a member of Temple Emanuel. When he is not in character at temple, Ivan is out taking photos at Greensboro events. He is a freelance journalist and his work can be found in the Carolina Peacemaker and the Greensboro News & Record. While Mex and Ivan have different religious beliefs, they are both committed to being good humans and model examples of their respective religions.

The Greensboro News & Record describe Ivan as being "engaged, energetic, gregarious, and ubitiquous"* He is joyful and likes to help others succeed. Max has a vision of peace, justice, integrity, and equity for the world.** Individually, the two men are very inspiring. Together, the mood becomes magical. To be sure, they are experts on religious history.   If religion were a Jeopardy category, you would want them on your team. Be it Max's Memorial Day tour of New Garden Friends Cemetery or Ivan's volunteering at Temple Emanuel, you can be sure you will leave an event having learned a lot from these two. If you stumble upon them together, you  have to be prepared for a little playfulness. 

Happy Sunday!

 

 *Ed Williams, August 21, 2022, see article HERE.

** read about Max in an old edition of Our State Magazine HERE.

Hillel in Greensboro

Hillel, established in 1923, is an inclusive Jewish organization found on university campuses. The first Hillel to open in North Carolina was at UNCG in 1936.  Hillel serves eight different campuses in North Carolina, one of which is UNCG.The Jewish student population at UNCG is small, but Hillel has an office on campus to meet the needs of Jewish students and to help them strengthen their Jewish identity. According to Hillel.org, there are only 200 Jewish students at UNCG (1.2 percent). 

The above photo was taken at Temple Emanuel on Jefferson Road at their recent Jewish festival. The campus Hillel representatives were at the event to interact with students and to raise awareness of their presence on campus. The Hillel corn hole game was a clever way to raise awareness. The organization gets its name from the Babylonian, Hillel the Elder, who was a Jewish religious leader, scholar, and founder of  the House of Hillel School of tannaim. The name is the symbol of a quest for higher learning. According to the tank, blue is the color of heaven and divine revelation and white is associated with purity and cleanliness; hence, the blue and white corn hole board and decorations at Hanukkah.  Saturday is the Jewish Sabbath, so, Shabbat Shalom to all of our Jewish readers.

Happy Shabbat!

Tate Street

Tate Street Coffee has been a Greensboro institution since 1993. It is one of those coffee shops that stays full of students and faculty. It is a great 3rd space- a home away from home and office. The artwork on the walls is engaging, the staff knows the regulars well, and people are usually willing to engage in conversation. At the academic year approaches the end of the semester, the coffee shop crowd will shift a bit. To the right of Tate Street Coffee is Boba House. In March, it closed permanently, ending a 20 year run of a Vietnamese/Thai, vegan/vegetarian restaurant. They were serving boba tea with tapioca pearls long before the boba tea craze. Let's hope something with character and good food moves into their location.

If you are on Tate Street this evening, you will have at least two opportunities for events. "The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical will be playing in the Brown Building at 402 Tate, and Tim Warfield will be performing in the UNCG Auditorium at 408 Tate. Since the semester is ending, many event options are related to students' final projects. The Lalla Essaydi photos will be in the Weatherspoon Art Museum for about another month. If you arrive at the Weatherspoon during the day, you will have the option to grab a cup of coffee from the Borough Coffee Cart. To be sure, there is so much to choose from along Tate Street.

Happy Friday!

Softball in Greensboro

With so many colleges and universities in Guilford County, there are many opportunities to see great sporting events, and often free. This past Saturday, we enjoyed watching the softball game between UNCG Spartans and the Chattanooga Mocs. Unfortunately, UNCG lost but it was a nice day and there were some good plays. We also enjoyed pitchers warming up, standing just above them. The snaps and the energy of the pitch add excitement to the game. It is so fun to watch. We have all levels of play in Greensboro. If you know someone interested in playing softball, take them out to a ballgame. Whether young children or adults, players appreciate playing with a crowd. Greensboro Parks and Recreation is a great place for adults to start- to play or to watch.

Happy Thursday!

Double Oaks

Double Oaks is a beauty of an Air B&B, located at the corner of Friendly Avenue and North Mendenhall Street. The last we heard, this turn-of-the-century colonial revival mansion was still for sale. James and Amanda Keith have owned the property since 2016 and it appears they are ready to move on. According to the Double Oaks website, the young couple is also restoring the NuWray Hotel in Burnsville, NC. Built in 1833, it is said to be North Carolina's oldest continually-operating hotel. From casual to elegant, they hold so many events here. Hopefully, the new owners will be as community oriented as the current ones. Located just a hop, skip, and a jump from Greensboro College and UNCG and right across the street from the First Baptist Church, the Air B&B surely stays busy. At least, we hope so. Stop by this morning for a cup of Borough Coffee and have a look at this gem of a place.

Happy Wednesday!

Battleground Avenue at Twilight

Tonight, we were leaving Mythos Restaurant, struck at how beautiful Battleground Avenue looks in early evening This is a part of Battleground that is transforming. There is a new indoor storage place about to open; the Natural Dog has relocated to the building that used to house Omega Sports; State Street Jewelry is building a completely new building on the other side of the street; the greenway is well under way. Still, at about 8:30, Battleground traffic had already quieted. This view looks so different when the streets are empty.

As much as Greensboro is growing, there is still a sleepy element to our town, and, we love it so much. Yesterday's temperatures ranged from a low of 54º and a high of 86º.  Today will be warm, too, with a low of 59ø and a high of 81º, and no rain anticipated until the weekend.It will be a great time for to explore Battleground Avenue.

Happy Tuesday!

Science Everywhere

This past Saturday was the annual UNCG Science Everywhere event. There were over 50 science activities all over campus related to science, technology e-sports, art, and music.  It was a chance to tour the UNCG science research labs and for community members, professionals, and students of all ages to see displays and participate in hands-on activities. The above station, held in the Coleman Building, involved dry ice and cosmic slime. It was a big hit with younger students. It was also a great opportunity for anyone preparing to teach science to gain field experience.

Greensboro is so lucky to have so many community college branches and institutions of higher education. Every week of the year there is something going on that is open for community attendance. Science Everywhere is an April event held as college students are about to finish their semester. Sadly, the International Festival, a UNCG annual event for almost 40 years is no longer being held. The Science Everywhere event, however, seems to be going strong. To be sure, these interdepartmental ventures are a lot of work, and we appreciate you.

Happy Monday!

Lutheran Church of Our Father

Lutheran Church of our Father is located at 3304 Groomtown Road. This yellow brick church is so lovely by day and by night. The above photo was taken last night when friends of ours were having a party in the neighborhood. The people in this neighborhood are so nice and it seems like they have a nice relationship with the church. We absolutely loved the stained glass windows, especially the one that is lighted at night.

Lutheran Church of Our Father is located on almost 5 acres of land, and when it was converted as a church, they converted a warehouse, garage, iron works and a sandwich company into a house of worship.  The church has so much history and share it online (see here). They try to do a lot for the community and have a Benevolence program, helping people in financial need. They have a Pre-K program, and they work hard to adjust as demographics shift and as the congregation grows and shrinks. One tradition that interest us is the live nativity. We'll have to stop back in December to see it. 

Happy Sunday!

Prom 2024 Season is Upon Us!

Prom season is upon us in Greensboro. Students throughout Guilford County will be attending prom over the next several weeks. It is such a jubilant time with seniors enjoying their last couple of months together. Last night, all of the middle colleges held their prom together at George K's at the corner of Gate City Boulevard and High Point Road. Students looked so beautiful and they were on their best behavior. Teacher chaperones were commenting at how grown up their students looked. The DJ took requests from the crowd and students danced the night away. It was good, clean fun. The food was good small plate food (chicken fingers, egg rolls, fruit, and more), but most prom groups go out to eat beforehand and didn't seem that interested in food. The theme, "Bling, Bling, It's a Hollywood Thing" was perfect from the backdrop for photos and the glittery dresses.

Congratulations to the graduating class of 2024. Finish strong, and remember this night forever. If you have a graduating senior in your life, trust them, encourage them,  love them, and cherish every moment. They are growing up. 

Happy Saturday!

Between Greene and Eugene Streets

The other night, we were walking from Green Street in the direction of Eugene Street, and found ourselves on Paisley. It is very near Joymongers, in the heart of that area just north of downtown. It is still a street with mostly houses and a neighborhood feel to it. This house at 135 Paisley Street was built in 1926. We're guessing the street is named for Reverend William Denny Paisley, Greensboro's first Presbyterian minister. The original First Presbyterian Church is not far from here. Reverend Paisley did not actually live on Paisley Street. He lived on West Market Street in a house that was eventually moved to 409 Hillcrest Drive in 1929, to make room for the Preyer Building.*

This street looks pretty during the day, especially when the hydrangeas are in bloom. However, is is also charming at night. Most of the houses on the street have similar architecture. Most of this row of houses has been converted to apartments. However, they still have the feel of a house and you can walk to almost everything. It seems to be a quiet street as we rarely see people coming and going from the houses. It is the weekend. Consider heading downtown, or any neighborhood and explore away.

Happy Friday!

*reference and more information.

Judy Woodruff, Bryan Series Speaker

Tuesday night, Judy Woodruff closed out the GUILFORD College 2023-2024 Bryan Series. She is an American broadcast journalist whose career in public television began in 1970. She has been a CNN anchor and senior-correspondent, a Washington correspondent for PBS, anchored the PBS News Hour until 2022, and so much more. Currently, she is on a reporting project to better understand the political divide in the United States. She talked a great deal about this project, entitled, "America at a Crossroads." She showed clips from interviews which were clear examples of left and right learning ideas and positions. She explained how this division is a layered issue and there is animosity coming from both sides.

Judy Woodruff has North Carolina ties. She identifies as an "Army brat" and she finished 6th grade in Roanoke Rapids, NC. She also attended Meredith College and is a Graduate of Duke University. Greensboro is so lucky to have the Bryan series as it is an opportunity for us to hear deep thinkers and people who are looking at issues from a national and international level. The above photo was taken as she was leaving the stage. The speakers for next year have not yet been announced. It is always fun to see the list for the first time

Happy Thursday!

Eid Mubarak!

Today, Muslims around the world are celebrating the completion of Ramadan, the end of the 9th month of the Islamic calendar. It has been a month of fasting, prayer, reflection, and community. Muslims in Greensboro will be at the Greensboro Coliseum on Gate City Boulevard as well as at mosques praying and enjoying the fellowship with family and friends. Everyone will be wearing new outfits. Men will be sporting new haircuts and everyone's favorite foods and desserts will be shared. Eid-al-Fitr celebrates Allah's providing strength and endurance, and is a time of great charity.

The above photo features the hands of a group of Muslim students at the Middle College at UNCG. They have had henna applied to their hands, in most cases having done it themselves. Applying henna is a communal tradition that builds a sense of sisterhood and community. According to the US Religion Census (updated March 26, 2024), there are 130,661 Muslims in North Carolina, 11th in number by state. Guilford County Schools has a diverse student population and the district makes every effort to ensure all students have a positive experience. The Middle College at UNCG has a diverse student population. It is a high school that focuses on health and life sciences. These very hands will someday be our doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and other healthcare professionals. May they enjoy this special day.

Eid Mubarak, Blessed Feast!

Meet Kendall McMillan

Recently, we had the opportunity to chat with Kendall McMillan who is a rising senior at Grimsley High School. Kendall is one of those students who does it all. She is in student council, a varsity cheerleader, runs track, participates in service learning opportunities, and more, all while excelling in honors courses. Kendall has attended public schools in Guilford County since Kindergarten. 

After Kindergarten, it quickly became apparent that Kendall needed a more challenging curriculum. In first grade, she transitioned to the Spanish immersion program at Jones Elementary. In spite of starting a year late, within her first year there, she earned an award for outstanding pronunciation. Kendall has remained in the Spanish immersion program all through elementary, middle, and high school. She loves speaking Spanish and plans to minor in it in college. She will pursue a career where she can use Spanish to help people who might not be in the position to help themselves- possibly immigration law or social work. 

Recently, Kendall learned that she has been accepted into the highly-competitive Governor’s School of North Carolina. It is the nation’s oldest statewide summer residential program for gifted high school students. The classes integrate academic content with the arts and other creative learning experiences. Kendall’s area of concentration is Spanish. She will spend four weeks immersed in the language. Congratulations to Kendall McMillan. Hers is a name you will want to remember.

Nostalgic Display in Design Archives

What, if anything, do you collect? Nostalgia can be a big factor. Some people like iconic designs like the above display at Design Archives, a consignment shop for handmade and vintage items, located in the 300 block of South Elm Street. The store attracts quite a crowd, especially  on weekends when people come downtown to eat and spend time with friends. When we were in Design Archives recently a young couple (perhaps early 30s) was perusing the booths and stopped to look at the above items. One commented that his grandmother had a phone just like the red one. And the conversation continued about other items they'd seen in their childhood. 

Meanwhile, there were other young shoppers trying on vintage clothing, looking for sweatshirts with just the right slogan, and perusing vintage record albums. Even if you don't collect anything, vintage stores are a way of connecting with the past and helping us realize just how much society has changed. The younger generations cannot fathom a time when conversations were tethered by a phone cord. Displays like the one above are such great conversation starters. If you had to write a short story based on the things you see in the above photo, imagine the possibilities. Other spots that evoke other times are Elsewhere Museum in the 600 block of South Elm Street, and Reconsidered Goods, located on Spring Garden Street behind the Food Lion on Market Street. We hope you had a good weekend, with some time set aside to nurture your creativity.

Happy Monday!

Power for Living Tabernacle Church

Power for Living Tabernacle Church  was founded in 1987 and  is located at 544 South Mendenhall Street. It is such a lovely little non-denominal, white church in College Hill. On the website, it bills itself as a church in the "Universal Spiritual Realm by Prayer and Fasting" (see here). The pastor is T.J. Patterson is a graduate of Dudley High School. He has been in the Coast Guard and went on to attend Barber-Scotia College in Concord, NC, where he studied Psychology and Religion. He and his wife serve together in the church and in life in general. They have been married for nearly five decades and have raised a family together.

As you can see in the above photo, Tabernacle Church is simple, clean, and inviting space. In this era of mega-churches, it is nice to see there is still room for the small congregations. We're wondering is this church is affiliated with "Power for Living," which is a Christian evangelistic book distributed by the Arthur S. DeMoss Foundation.* We should stop by after services today to learn more about Tabernacle Church.

Have a great Sunday!

*see reference here.

The Downtown Depot on East Washington Street

The J. Douglas Galyon Depot. on East Washington Street,  was built in 1927. It is a transportation hub for trains and busses. We were walking by today and noticed that the Depot has new signage on the smoke stack. Earlier this week, Downtown Greensboro, Inc. held its annual State of Downtown Greensboro event. One of the big announcements centered around initiatives for the Depot. The goal is to make the Depot a destination with more businesses, shopping, and events. 31 new businesses opened in downtown Greensboro in 2023 and space is at a premium.*

Yesterday was such a nice day, we walked to the Depot property to see the changed on property. As you can see, the brick smokestack now has signage on it. Also, about 15 trees along this hill have been cut down. We're wondering what they will be replaced with. It was such a lovely day. We were going to go inside the train depot building. However, that blue sky kept us wanting to walk and walk outside around town. We'll head inside the depot and share it with you on another day. If the Depot gets developed with the vision Downtown Greensboro, Inc. has for it, it will be yet another example of how East Greensboro is showing tremendous growth.

Happy Saturday!

* reference and more information, HERE.

Moroccan-American Artist Lalla Essaydi Visits Greensboro

Last night, Lalla Essaydi spoke as a Falk Visiting Artist at the Weatherspoon Art Gallery on the campus of UNC Greensboro. She is a Moroccan-American artist whose portraits of Moroccan women are laboriously crafted in a way that can take up to two years to stage. She fills the walls and clothing of the scenes with Arabic calligraphy and puts henna designs on women and their garments. The Arabic writing tells the stories of the models and the artist as they sit together preparing to stage the photo. The stories are not meant to be read by the viewers, but instead are part of the experience created by the artist for her models. They are written in a way that the viewer cannot read; so in essence the stories are hidden in plain view. Ms Essaydi addresses very complicated topics like male gaze, Orientalism, and western perceptions of Muslim and Arabic women. Essaydi's models are very aware of gaze and they look back!

Ms. Essaydi combines the everyday with the elegant. In one series of clothing, she designed "cloth" out of parts of bullet casings. In her latest project, she assembled beer caps, creating beautiful clothing with an elegant traditional design. Not only do the clothing pieces take two years to make, some weigh more than 200 pounds.  The Weatherspoon has modern and contemporary artwork  that represents the diversity in society today. They also work hard to engage community members from all walks of life. Greensboro is lucky to have the Weatherspoon Art Museum, a space that makes possible memorable presentations like the evening with Lalla Essaydi.

Happy Friday!

High Pollen Index, a Sign of Spring

As much as we are enjoying this spring in Greensboro, we must acknowledge that pollen levels are high right now. People who don't usually have issues with pollen have reported being affected. As you can see here on pollen.com, the forecast for the weekend is high. According to WCNC Meterologist Brad Panovich, pole counts have reached record highs. The warm weather that came on fast and furiously has caused many plants to bloom and to emit pollen all at once. If is a symphony of pollen, of sorts.

The long leaf pine is native to North Carolina and is also known as the southern pine. According to NC State Extension, it yields many useful products: tar, pitch, pine straw (for ground coverage), resin, turpentine, and lumber. It is strong and durable. It has the longest needles of all conifers in this area. We think the above is a longleaf pine. If it is not, please correct us. Cones fall in the late fall. We'll head back to this stand of trees in northwest Greensboro and see if the large cones are dropping. At any rate after the next week or two, pollen rates should taper off. Check here for the bloom calendar for the area. Let us all remember that, in order to reproduce,  pollen is necessary for flowering plants and plants with pine cones. If you are looking for a useful tree to plant this year, consider the longleaf pine!

Happy Thursday!

Kickball in S. Carolyn Allen Park

Spring is the time of year when outdoor sports begin sprouting up everywhere. Karen S. Allen Park and Athletic Complex is one of those spaces. It is located at 3610 Drawbridge Parkway near Wellspring Retirement Community and it is home to many different sports. Carolyn Allen Park is part of the Greensboro Parks & Recreation network. Right now, adult kickball is in full swing. The above photo was taken last night and Tuesday is a night for competitive-recreational kickball, as is Wednesday. Monday is the night for beginner-recreational. The atmosphere is family friendly, as is the kickball program. The teams are also co-ed. 

If you watch one of their kickball games, you will find yourself being transported back to middle school and memories will likely surface. It may even inspire you to want to play kickball. The ages range from 18 to senior citizens. Often, there are people available to help you learn how to get started in the sport. And once you are out on the field, you will start having so much fun, you won't even realizing you are exercising. They'll be out again tonight.

Happy Wednesday!

Strolling along South Mendenhall Street on a Sunny Spring Afternoon

We realize we've been featuring a lot of buildings and houses lately, but the temperature topped 80º yesterday, We just had to walk. We spent time in College Hill, near Friendly and Market. The above photo is of 102 South Mendenhall, The Wilson-Andrews House, a beauty of a home built in 1859. It is believed to be only one of 12 homes in Greensboro, remaining standing, and built before 1880.*

When built, the house was originally a single family dwelling, built by Rev. Wilson who bought the land from the Bumpass family. Over the years, the home has had several exterior enhancements, like the bay windows and the addition of decorative woodwork.   The home has long been divvied up into student apartments. However, the current owners have spared no expense with that elaborate, exterior paint job. That orange color is a stand out. Also, as hinted in today's photo, the landscaping is nice with camellias still in bloom and azaleas popping out.  This is the time of year when the scenery changes weekly. Please get out and explore Greensboro. Let us know what you find.

Happy Tuesday!

*read more in the News & Record article from 1990.

2310 Fairfield Avenue; Going Strong After 77 Years!

The house we're featuring today is just down the road from the Guilford Park Presbyterian Church, the church we featured yesterday. The two bedroom, one bathroom house was built in 1947. The house looks like it has been really well cared for, even after 77 years. It looks so cozy,  and is conveniently located in Kirkwood, just north of Irving Park Plaza. The lot is 2/10 of an acre, a nice size for a small house this close to town.  The current owners have had the house since 2005. According to the Next Door website, the Kirkwood neighborhood has 2,216 residents with an average income of $84,000, and the average age of a resident is 50. It is a neighborhood with a lot of character. We're very curious about this brick and iron fence. It seems like it may be older than 77 years.

Happy April 1st. For our Christian readers, we hope you had a good Easter. It was early this year. Our Muslim readers are still observing Ramadan, which concludes with Eid on the evening of Tuesday, April 9th and Passover begins on April 22. Finally, Orthodox Easter is on Sunday, May 5th. Spring is the time for some great holidays and with the diversity of Greensboro, we celebrate them all. We wonder what the people in 2310 celebrate.