Greensboro Daily Photo

Cranes for Japan

The Greensboro Origami Project is trying to make 1,000 cranes for Japan. Today, we share a window full of origami cranes, seen in the window of the Green Bean Coffee House at 341 South Elm Street. The Origami Peace Memorial is intended to be a memorial for the Japanese families and businesses that are rebuilding and trying to move forward after the tsunami. The one year anniversary of this terrible event was March 11th. See the project's facebook page here. If you have time, read the stor of Sadako Saski, The Thousand Origami Cranes, to further appreciate the cultural significance of cranes in Japanese society. In the meantime, if you have a minute, head to 341 South Elm Street and fold a crane or two. It looks like Greensboro has a little way to go in the folding department. We're not at 1,000.... yet. Regardless, such a nice gesture.

We're sharing this photo with weekend reflections because nobody appreciates a storefront window more than our friends at this meme!

Civic Threads on Elm St.

First Friday started out a little slow last night; however, by the end of the eveing, Elm Street was PACKED. Especially busy was the new kid in town, CIVIC THREADS. Civic Threads, located at 527 South Elm Street, is part clothing store, part silk screening shop, part handmade-etsy-like shop. Clothing is mostly unisex, soft cotton and cotton blend. The store seems to be attracting a broad demographic-- from the artsy, urban, tattooed crowd to suburban moms with children in strollers. Everyone loves a comfy T and warm hoodie. Our personal favorites were the shirts and mugs that said "I heart-icon GSO." Modeled after the NYC logo, Greensboro's version has our airport 3-letter code and a GREEN heart!

Civic Threads is located in the building that originally housed Coe Grocery and Seed, an Elm Street institution. Now, Coe is located in the building next door and Civic Threads is in the two-story "Coe" Building. We're sharing this photo with our friends at Weekend Reflection. We'd love to see the video the man in the black suit was making. Who knows, we may even be in it!

Nico's Italian Restaurant and Bar

Today, we share a photo of Nico's Italian Restaurant and Bar in Downtown Greensboro. Nico's Restaurant is located inside the Centre Points Building, an upscale 17-floor urban apartment complex, at the corner of Elm Street and Friendly Avenue. We always notice the restaurant when we are across the street at Center City Park. On one of the first warm nights of spring, when we drove by and people were dining outside, we snapped this photo. The scene reminds us of big-city life, even though it was taken here. On March 14th, Nico's celebrated its one-year anniversary. Nico's is a collaborative effort between Sicilian Nico Scavone and Greensboro's own John Drees (of Southern Lights) .

We're sharing this photo with Weekend Reflections. And, no, the waiter isn't watering the evergreen. There is a young couple dining behind the shrub! We hope to be dining there soon ourselves.

Schiffman's Back Door

Today, we share not the Elm Street side of Schiffman's Jewelry Store, but the rear view. Schiffman's has been in downtown Greensboro since 1893. We've featured Mr. Schiffman previously as well as an interior view of his store. However, last month, when we were driving downtown, we noticed the Davie Street entrance with convenient parking.

Imagine discreetly slipping in the back door of Schiffman's to pick up an extra place setting of your heirloom china, maybe even selecting a diamond ring for your sweetheart. Even if you aren't buying something, consider slipping in the back door and thanking Mr. Schiffman and his sons for having maintained a business on Elm Street for 119 years. Surely that is a record for downtown Greensboro!

We hope you have a great weekend. We're sharing this with Weekend Reflections.

Greensboro's Finest Hour

As the planets have aligned in the March night sky, significant events in Greensboro this weekend have aligned as well. First, ACC Men's Basketball is in full swing at the Coliseum. The Southeast Zone Sectional Age Group Championships are underway at the Greensboro Aquatic Center. The Battle of Guilford Courthouse, the turning-point battle of the Revolutionary War, is being reenacted here.

On a smaller scale, the Rothar Turas cycling event is under way. St. Patrick's Day festivities are in full swing. While there is no river to turn green, we've seen plenty of green brew being imbibed. Also, Triad Stage is in the final weekend of fabulous performances of a trilogy of plays by Reynolds Price. These are just a few events in town this weekend. Many of these events attract guests from out of town. One attendee at Triad Stage tonight said that she saw more out of state license plates today than North Carolina plates.

If we all are good hosts, we all behave, and we get a little help from the weather, quite possibly, this weekend could be Greensboro's Finest Hour. Please allow extra time for driving AND help our guests feel welcome! We're sharing this with Weekend Reflections. WELCOME TO GREENSBORO!

LOAF & Méchelle's

The 200 block of South Elm Street, between Schiffman's & Chakras, has a couple of new kids on the block. LOAF is a bakery that moved in to assume the shop formerly occupied by Simple Kneads. They specialize in artisan breads but also sell pasteries, granola, and coffee. The acronym LOAF stands for local, original, artisan and fresh. Méchelle's is a clothing store at 227 South Elm. Méchelle's sells an interesting assortment of clothing, shoes, and scarves. Both stores seem to be well received by people who shop downtown. They are a perfect for the old-world charm of the vintage buildings that house them.

We're sharing them with Weekend Reflections. Happy weekend, folks. It has arrived......

International Civil Rights Center and Museum

Black History Month is in full gear and what better place to stop and reflect on the past and hope for a harmonious future than the International Civil Rights Center and Museum? The museum, located in the former F.W. Woolworth Company on South Elm Street, houses permanent exhibits and sponsors events all year long. Today, story hour begins at 11am featuring, When Marian Anderson Sang: The True Recital of Marian Anderson. The 2012 Gala is happening today at the Koury Convention Center Imperial Ballroom and the museum's website indicates the topic is Today's Sit-in: Economic Justice (more here).

We're sharing this post with the Weekend Reflections meme; the participants will love all of the reflections on the windows. Note the iconic, seemingly ubiqutous, Jefferson Standard/Jefferson Pilot/Lincoln Financial Group building peeking out from behind the leafless tree.

Jenn's Diner

The cold, battleship-gray little place at 3929 North Battleground Avenue, formerly known as Waffle House, just got a facelift and is now Jenn's Diner. Since opening a few weeks ago, it has been non-stop busy and has added life to a little section of Highway 220 that was starting to look and feel empty.  If someone can build on the Laddie and Dukes lot and replace the corner drug store, there will be a nice oasis of activity at the corner of Battleground and Horse Pen Creek.

Looking inside and seeing the warm, orange walls, the artwork, and the TV, it is hard to believe that the place used to be a Waffle House Chain. The home-style, country-cooked entrees and classic diner breakfasts are a hit. This photo, taken at night, reflects the warm, inviting, glow of Jenn's Diner. 

Here's to this young couple making a go of their dream. Nothing beats an on-site proprietor. We've spotted enough of a reflection on the ceiling to feel worthy of Weekend Reflections!

Pretty Birdie..... Spreading Wings on Elm Street

Pretty Birdie is an Elm Street business owned and operated by seamstress/designer Stephanie Teague. She uses sustainable and organic fabrics, new and vintage, to make clothing for not only local clients but also clients worldwide through her etsy site. Stephanie is a good example of a current business trend in the USA.

The older generation of Americans has seen the two-way dismantling of corporate loyalty-- to companies and to employees. The younger generation is realistic in knowing that they can't count on graduating from college and signing on to work for a corporation until retirement. Instead, many have transitioned to a model where they develop a product, service or skill and market it themselves. They take an idea from concept to completion. A global market is merely a URL or social network away.

Walking by Stephanie's shop at 612 South Elm Street, you see piles of fabric, two sewing machines and clothing racks filled with special orders-- many one-of-a-kind pieces waiting to be united with their purchasers. Stephanie is a self-taught seamstress who grew up in Charlotte making clothes for her Barbie dolls. Recently, her husband Sanders Trippe (who works at the Bass Violin Shop downtown) has started making rings and bracelets out of broken musical instruments and vintage melmac dishes. Stephanie and Sanders, working in concert, have a growing business that is winning awards and developing faithful followers, worldwide. Say hello to the 21st-century, mom and pop, global-enterprise model. Read more about Stephanie's business here. Don't plan on running in to browse on your lunch hour; her door reads, "by appointment only". Kudos to this 21st-century entrepreneur who sets her own schedule!

Speaking of going global, we're sharing this post with the world through Weekend Reflections.

Merry REDneck Christmas Ya'll

We met this tattooed man, L. F. Lance, last weekend while shopping at Friendly Center. As it turns out this "REDneck" in camouflage is a really nice person who was shopping for Christmas gifts with loved ones. He was at Bath & Body Works for at least 15-20 minutes, we might add. 

This upbeat, ever-smiling, genuinely cheerful man said that he got the RED tattoo on his neck because he is a self-proclaimed redneck. Needless to say, the tattoo attracts a lot of attention. Lance, originally from High Point and now living in Kernersville, has a friend who plans to put a photo of the tattoo in his album liner notes. We take it the music will be music for RED necks. The play on words is brilliant... and permanent! Lance is proof positive that you can't judge a book by its cover.

We're sharing this post, Merry "REDneck Christmas ya'll, over at Weekend Reflections.

'Tis the Season

Last night's First Friday in downtown Greensboro must have had record crowds. People from all walks of like were out walking and enjoying the gala event. There was so much festivity and the weather was perfect. Music, dancing, artwork, food, and strolling along Elm Street. It really seems as if our city could support this event every Friday in December. The above photo was taken (last year) at Just Be, a place at the corner of McGee and South Elm that sells arts and crafts, some of which are from local artists. 

Remember that today is the Jaycees Holiday Parade (12-2) as well as the Girl Scouts Candlefest. The Moravian Tea is hosted by the First Moravian Church.  Attending a performance, selecting a Christmas tree, attending parties; officially, 'tis the season. Please make the most of it, but pace yourself. Our one wish for the man in the photo is that he not to use his phone at the expense of enjoying the beauty around him.

This photo is to be shared with our friends at Weekend Reflections. It is an old one from our archives but we loved the subtle warmth, color, and reflection.

Piedmont Triad International Airport (GSO)

As with most of the USA, this is a big travel weekend for the people of Greensboro. Above, we see a photo of the Piedmont Triad International Airport -- GSO in airport three-letter code. Located eight miles west of Greensboro, the surface address is 6415 Bryan Boulevard, Greensboro, NC 27409. Lindley Field was formally opened to passengers on May 28, 1927 and, flew its first passenger to New York in July. The field was named for the Lindley family who owned the land originally.

In November 2009, 68,954 passengers traveled through GSO; In November 2010, the number increased to 75,634.* It will be interesting to follow the statistics for this November.

This was the calm before the storm of travelers. 

*Statistics here.

The FASHIONABLE Guilford National Bank

On Greensboro Daily Photo, we find inspiration when and where we least expect it. The above photo was taken at the Antique Marketplace in Greensboro. The black & white advertisement, nestled between Pyrex kitchen bowls and vintage cocktail dresses, is for Guilford National Bank, the Friendly Center Branch.

According to the archives of the News and Record, the Guilford National Bank opened in 1934 with capitol of $250,000 and merged with Security National Bank in 1960. Since Friendly Center opened in 1957*, we're guessing this ad was published in the late 1950's. The ad establishes the bank's locations as the following: 419 N. Elm; 301 S. Elm; 1301 W. Lee ; 1712 E. Bessemer; and Friendly Shopping Center. The text below the black and white photo of the girl with her poodle reads:

                            WHY IT'S FASHIONABLE TO SAVE

"I heard daddy say we should save for the things we want. That's why I started my savings account at Guilford National Bank. Now I have my own fancy poodle. You, too, can have the things you want to be fashionable. Open your Guilford Bank savings account today."

We love that use of the word fashionable. What would we say today? trendy? cool? a good thing? Why is it fashionable to save in the 21st century-- or not?  What are you saving for? We're sharing this post with Weekend Reflections. There is just a touch of reflection in our photo (inside the Pyrex bowls on the edge of the ashtray peeking out from the lower left corner); however, check out the reflection in the glass window & door in the advertisement.

*read more about the early years of Friendly Center here. 

Tree and House; So Poetic

Once there was a tree and it was so beautiful that the owner of this house decided to remodel the house around the tree. The oak tree continues to grow tall and thrive on this Shady Lawn lot, located off Etney Ridge, in the neighborhood behind Earthfare (off Battleground). This neighborhood is very conveniently located to Bryan Boulevard and Battleground Avenue. Many people like it because it is quiet, the houses are reasonably priced and it is zoned for Grimsley High School. 

If you like houses built around trees, look at this 300 year old tree in Pasadena, CA that has a home built around it. That post reminded us of Joyce Kilmer's poem.

    I think that I shall never see

    A poem as lovely as a tree.

    A tree whose lovely mouth is prest

    Against the sweet earth's flowing breast;

    A tree that looks at God all day,

    And lifts her leafy arms to pray;

    A tree that may in summer wear

    A nest of robins in her hair;

    Upon whose bosom snow has lain;

    Who intimately lives with rain.

    Poems are made by fools like me,

    But only God can make a tree.

Is there a special tree in your life? We're sharing this with Weekend Reflections.

PTI Airport at Night

Piedmont Triad International (PTI) Airport is beautiful at night, especially in the rain. Here is a picture of the Fed Ex side of the airport just after a soaking rain when the asphalt took on the magical reflective quality of a lake. PTI is located eight miles west of Greensboro. The landing field is called Lindley Field, named for the Lindley family who owned it prior to 1927. It was the second official airmail route in the USA. Another great piece of PTI (not so trivial) trivia is the fact that Charles Lindberg brought the "Spirit of St. Louis" here in 1927. This summer, when we interviewed Greensboro lawyer Henry Isaacson, Chairman of the Piedmont Triad Airport Authority, he told us how much he enjoyed his involvement with the airport. We're betting he is an arsenal of PTI trivia.

Today, we're bringing you a David- Letterman-style top ten list. The top ten busiest domestic routes out of Greensboro's PTI are #10... Washington-Reagan, DC; #9 Washington-Dulles, DC; #8 Dallas-Fort Worth, TX; #7 Detroit, MI; #6 Newark, NJ; #5 Chicago O'Hare, IL; #4 New York- LaGuardia, NY; #3 Philadelphia, PA; #2 Charlotte, NC;..... #1....ta...da...Atlanta, GA (reference). 

This is our contribution to Weekend Reflections.

NC A&T Homecoming 2011

This weekend is homecoming for North Carolina A&T State University and at least 40,000 people are participating in this much-anticipated annual event. North Carolina has eleven historically-black colleges and universities (HCBU) and NC A&T, with over 10,000 students enrolled, is the largest in North Carolina. NC A&T was established in 1891 with the mission of helping African-Americans prepare for careers in science and engineering. In its 120 year history, this institution of higher education has amassed an impressive list of alumni, many of whom are recognized internationally in their respective fields. The University is credited with playing a major role in the Civil Rights Movement. 

This weekend's homecoming activities include: bowling and golf tournaments; a conference and meeting; an alum scholarship game; alumni reunions, dances, dinners, church homecomings, a homecoming parade, tailgating parties, countless student events, and a football game. The above photo, taken on Elm Street early yesterday evening exemplifies the mood of the crowd: upbeat, enthusiastic, personable, and thrilled to be part of this special event.

For a list of HBCU homecoming events around the nation, visit here. To learn more about HBCU's in general visit here. Seeing the reflection of the former Kress Department Store in the windows above makes it possible for us to participate in Weekend Reflection which catapults this photo of Aggie Pride into the international arena! Go Aggies!

The Art Shop

The Art Shop is located in the Pomona Park neighborhood we've been featuring this week on Greensboro Daily Photo. The present location on West Market Street is near where the Boar and Castle Drive In Restaurant used to be and near John Van Lindley's Pomona Nurseries of yesteryear. The Art Shop has been in business since 1899. Perhaps Mr. Lindley himself used this shop!  At 112 years old, The Art Shop has been serving Greensboro families' fine art needs for generations. The art shop has a national reputation for retail excellence.

The above painting in the window is an original; Garnet, painted by figurative artist Richard Johnson. Knowing that this goddess of fruit is hanging in the Pomona neighborhood, the old stomping grounds of one of Greensboro's most famous fruit tree specialists, is so fitting. Garnet, the Pomona of Pomona, has a bountiful harvest of fruit in her hands. Let's hope she finds a new home-- nearby.

We're sharing Garnet with our friends at Weekend Reflections, where a little reflection draws a big applause!

Interfaith Altar

We stumbled upon this Interfaith Altar at the Art & Sole Walking Tour of Westerwood yesterday, at the home of local artist Kathy Clark. The lovely prints on the wall are a small sample of Kathy's art and her black and white pieces frame the colorful, candlelit display nicely. Kathy assembled the altar in remembrance of souls departed. The photo in the center is of her grandparents. The poster under the star was from the memorial service of local friend Timothy LaFollette who died with ALS about a month ago. The box at the feet of the Statue of Mary are the cremains of her beloved cat. From Hindu's Shiva to the Virgin Mary to the Day of the Dead skeletons, there is something for everyone at this altar. Kathy is keeping the Virgin Mary until its owner gets settled in her home in Los Angeles, at which time, the statue will get wrapped up and sent west to be reunited with its owner. 

Hearing the stories of the artists of Westerwood and seeing their stunning artwork was a great way to spend the day yesterday. Today, we take pause to quietly nurture the spiritual self. We offer this view, serendipitously stumbled upon yesterday, for our Sacred Sunday series. Among other things, we are thankful for the wonderful interaction with the 17 artists, especially Kathy, on yesterday's art tour. Do you have a special corner in your house, a place to remember loved ones, a place to reflect on your belief system? If so, what does it look like? What would it look like?

 

October 1: Mystery Objects at City Daily Photo Sites

Today's first-of-the-month theme for the city daily photo community is "mystery object." Our mystery object was found on Elm Street last week. It is a photo gliceé,  submerged under water in what looks like a gallon pickle jar; reminiscent of what you would see at the house of horrors at a carnival. This entrapped photo has been underwater since July 2009 for the purpose of showing the archival qualities of the gliceé process.

William Heroy is the Greensboro photographer and restoration specialist who has this display in his store front downtown. We originally took the photo for Skywatch Friday as that square of blue hovering at the top is actually a slice of sky. Since Friday is over, but there IS a reflection, we get to double dip (pun intended) and also offer this "mystery object" up for Weekend Reflections. See what we meant when we said the memes can do wonders for keeping your perspective fresh. Had we not been on the lookout for a Skywatch/Weekend Reflection/City Daily Photo themed photo, the above scene would have passed us by. Maybe Mr. Heroy will get a FLOOD of requests for this technique for Halloween.

If you want more of the City Daily Photo theme.... Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

Vegetable Carving Alive and Well in Greensboro

The ancient art of Kai Su Luk, or friut and vegetable carving, is alive and well on Tate Street. These cut vegetables were on display in front of Tate Street's Thai Garden which has been open since 1995. One of the proprietors was advertising his carving talent at the Tate Street Festival last weekend. Taro root and melon are especially popular for carving. However, passersby last weekend seemed to be taken by the red peppers above which were sliced to look like flower petals with seeds as the center of the flowers. They were attached to small dowels and could actually be placed in a vase.

In addition to edible centerpieces, Thai carvers are experts at carving soap and are known worldwide for their high-quality carving knives. If you are interested in learning to carve, you can take a class locally through GTCC's Culinary Tech classes. Their students and, a carver or two, set up each year at the Parisian Promenade at the Tanger Bicentennial Garden. Alternatively, you can attend a school in  Bangkok (see this website).

The above arrangement is displayed on top of a mirror, the perfect touch to allow us to share the photo with our friends at Weekend Reflection.

Giacomo's Italian Market

Giacomo's Italian Market is as close as you can get to Little Italy right here in Greensboro. Homemade sausage, pepperoni, seafood salad, insalata caprese, homemade pasta, and so much more. They make and serve up food the old-fashioned way: handmade and fresh; friendly and efficient. Whether you are looking for something for your Labor Day picnic or want to feel like you are in New York without leaving town, Giacomo's is a great place to visit. This photo was taken at the 2109 New Garden Road location, near Brassfield. There is also a High Point Road location as well as the option to order by mail. It seems like just yesterday we discovered their great sandwiches and pasta. Hard to believe they've been in Greensboro for about a decade.

We've been saving this photo for a Saturday Weekend Reflection shot. Have a great weekend everyone. A special thank you to our Facebook fans who doubled our pageviews on the day we posted the blue house on Alamance Church Road this week. Friend us on Facebook for an easy way for your friends and family to keep up with our posts.

Greensboro Aquatic Center

This weekend, the Greensboro Aquatic Center is open for locals to stop in and see this beautiful community resource. Oh how wonderful it is to watch youngsters diving from the 7.5 and 10 meter platforms with such poise and confidence. It is also wonderful to admire this lovely facility and realize it is right here in in our own backyard to be enjoyed by EVERYBODY! 

Field of Dreams said it best. "Build it and they will come." Swimming, diving, water polo, scuba diving, synchronized swimming...... lessons and events...........spectators......swim teams.......national competitions.....a 79,000 square foot facility with nearly a million  gallons of water. While many people in Greensboro were stunned at the fact that the city was spending $19 million on a swim facility in these financially austere times, the positive economic impact from the currently-booked events is already double the cost. Water event planners come here and see this spotless facility with crystal clear water, plenty of space for spectators, a nice deck, grand dive platforms, and they can't wait to sign on the dotted line. Water time is selling fast.  Yesterday, we ran into Jay Dodson and his Star Aquatics team as they are involved in the opening events (read here). The Greensboro Aquatic Center will serve our community for a very long time.

The white ceiling supports reflected in the water, among other reflections, have us participating in Weekend Reflection.

PHOTO BIZ + Center for Visual Artists = Wow Wall

In May, PhotoBiz enlisted the non-profit Center for Visual Artists  (CVA) to decorate the wall of their parking lot.  Houston Patton, teacher, tattoo & graffiti artist, designed the mural for PhotoBiz. Mr. Patton has dedicated his life to perfecting his vibrant, comic-book, graffiti-style art. His canvas ranges from the biceps of clients to retaining walls; his medium from tattoo ink to cans of spray paint. Once he had the design mapped out, PhotoBiz employees and CVA members and friends got together to paint the mural. Spring Street at Friendly is now a riot of color and images-- meaningful to Greensboro and to PhotoBiz as well. Kudos to PhotoBiz for having the foresight to partner with a local non-profit.

Today, we feature only a few feet of the approximately 50 feet of artwork. We will share another portion next week. For now, we chose the segment that has the line drawing of the Jefferson Standard/ Lincoln Financial Group building.  Adding our own little creative twist, reflecting from our car's side mirror, you can see the top of the actual JS/LFG building. We did this so that we could give one more nod to the Bryan family AND post the photo on James'  Weekend Reflections meme.

Bestway Grocery Store

Bestway, located near the corner of Walker and Elam Avenues, is the longest continuously-running grocery store in Greensboro. The location has been a grocery store since 1947. In 2008, Roger and Nancy Kimbrough purchased Bestway and have been renovating and sprucing it up ever since. They have kept the touch of nostalgia by doing things like leaving the old-font lettering and old-school shelving as well as carrying nostalgic food items (like boar and castle sauce) that can be hard to find elsewhere. However, new to Bestway is the expanded drink cooler as well as the commitment to keeping the store looking clean, well-organized, and local, when possible. Here we see an employee pulling cans and boxes forward so that the shelves will look orderly and full. If the buzz in the neighborhood is correct, the Kimbrough's major investment on renovation is paying off! You know you have a good thing when customers range from high school students to retired professors!

This little slice of updated nostalgia at 2113 Walker has a Facebook page. How 21st century is that?? We're sharing this photo with our friends at Weekend Reflections. Wouldn't it be great to feature it in a 60's or 70's movie?!

Coffeology

Coffeeology, open since 2009 and located at 423-A Tate Street, is a great place to visit especially if you are in the College Hill neighborhood. The coffee-panini-gelato shop is conveniently located between UNCG and Greensboro College. Since we at GDP only drink black coffee, to us, coffee is like sushi, every minute makes a difference. We stopped in the other day at 4:30 pm which is a tough time slot to find fresh coffee anywhere, ESPECIALLY on a hot summer day. The coffee was absolutely perfect-- fresh with a sweet and clean aroma, buttery, and medium-bodied (approaching full-bodied). Mouthwatering....

Coffeology is a nice place to stop and use the Internet or, in our case, drink coffee and review photos. As we were exiting the back door, we couldn't resist taking a picture of this man, lost in reading. He looked so comfortable, as if sitting in this window seat were part of his routine. (We'll have to stop back and see). Through the glass, you can capture a soft-focus glimpse of Tate Street.

We're sharing this one with Weekend Reflections.

Green is for ACTION GREENSBORO

It is the first of July which means that City Daily Photo blogs worldwide are celebrating the theme "green." Well, how could GREENsboro resist participating in the "green" theme? For our contribution, we've selected the window of Action Greensboro, a non-profit organization established in 2001 to enhance Greensboro's economy and to break new ground in addressing community needs (reference). Action Greensboro endeavors to address the following six community needs: 1) Attraction and retention of young professionals; 2) development of  the center city; 3) recruitment and retention  of business and industry; 4) enhancing Greensboro's image; 5) enhancing small business development and entrepreneurism; and 6) supporting the public schools. 

Action Greensboro is located in an historic building at 317 South Elm Street. Their funding is provided by: the CEMALA Foundation; Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro; Cone Health Foundation; Ellison Family Foundation; Bryan Foundation; Tannenbaum-Sternberger Foundation; and the Weaver Foundation. This list is evidence of how much Greensboro's local families give back to the community. 

The Center City effort has been especially visible.If you want something to do, head down to Elm Street or Center City Park and celebrate First Friday this evening. You will think you are on a vacation without leaving town. Finally, if you want to see more green, visit Greensboro's famous GREEN drink featured on GDP last Saturday or head on over to City Daily Photo to see green from Paris to Mumbai!

Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

Summer Fun in the Water Mister

Spraying water screams summer fun more than about anything else; whether you are at a water park or just a park with a water element. Above, we feature the water mister at The Tanger Family Bicentennial Garden last weekend. Children gleefully ran through the water-- usually more than once-- on the extremely hot day. Today is the first day of summer vacation for public school children. Many students have headed to the beach with their families, a North Carolina tradition. (We have great beaches). However, for those of us who can't get away, a water park or garden hose will be just fine.

We love the way the triangular shape of the young boy's folded balloon mimics that of the above structure's frame.  Finally, that little reflection on the ground qualifies us to participate in James' Weekend Reflections!

Gone Elsewhere?

Memorial Day Weekend is upon us and Greensboro is about as crowded as the front window of ELSEWHERE. Many people have gone to the beach or to the mountains. For sure, lots of our residents are are ELSEWHERE. North Carolina is lucky to have landforms ranging from the beach to the mountains and this weekend represents the kick-off for summer. Students are in school for a couple of more weeks; however, mentally, summer begins for us with this holiday. People who do stay in town, likely, will head to their community pool.

ELSEWHERE, photographed above, is "a living museum designing collaborative futures from old things." Basically, it is the remnants of a thrift shop where nothing has been for sale since proprietor Sylvia Gray died. Her grandson has transformed the space into a living, working museum in the 600 block of South Elm Street, across from the Mellow Mushroom. We love the dynamic nature of the storefront that changes almost weekly. If you read this before 2pm, you might want to stop by their Saturday creative workshop for children of all ages.

We're sharing this with our friends at Weekend Reflections where all the photos have some sort of reflection.

Dining for Friends 2011

This photo was taken on Lawndale in the window of Affordable Scrubs where they sell everything from plain, subtle uniforms to wildly colorful ones, like the kind pediatric hygienists wear. Affordable Scrubs is advertising the community event, Dining for Friends. We were struck at how well the DIning for Friends poster to the right matches the scrubs in the window. Dining for Friends is an event where hundreds of host households around the triad serve dinner as fundraisers for the Triad Health Project. For the grand finale dessert, participants meet at the Coliseum. The event will be held on May 14th. This is the 25th anniversary and the celebratory cake-poster has 25 layers decorated to look like the previous posters. We've featured this event before as it is such a worthy cause. Each the poster design and the event itself seem just perfect.

Well, it is Saturday and we're donning hats and heading out to photograph Kentucky Derby Parties. Today's photo is being shared with our friends at Weekend Reflections.

Metal Man and Renaissance Man at Adelaide's

In today's photo, we see the Metal Man, sitting in his truck bed, making a visit to Adelaide's Vintage Home and Garden on Spring Garden Street. He works tirelessly finding, buying, and selling treasures that the original owners no longer want. Many days, he has scrap metal for D.H. Griffin; other days, he has antiques and old furniture. He's been working to diversify his business and to determine the needs of his market. He dreams of a new truck and making it big!  To the left, Antonio, Renaissance Man, tries to determine what they might have room for inside the store.

This is the perfect segue to mention that this is a busy weekend for Greensboro. Remember, the Liberty Antique's Festival continues today. Also, at the Central Library, Children's Book Day is in full swing. If you are local, please get out and enjoy everything that Greensboro has to offer. We're sharing today's post with Weekend Reflections.

Liberty Antiques Festival Next Weekend

The Liberty Antiques Festival is this upcoming Friday and Saturday (April 29-30, 2011). The bi-annual event attracts over 400 dealers from at least 25 states. People come from miles around to peruse the stalls on a 100-acre farm in Liberty, NC, just about 30 minutes south of Greensboro. Equally fun will be the miles of yard sales strung along the highway to and from Liberty. Even for people who don't collect anything, the event is a great way to enjoy a little slice of rural North Carolina, to eat BBQ and funnel cakes, and to see what the treasures in your attic might be worth. We've featured this fabulous festival in previous years here, here, and here because we love, love, and love it-- there, there, there! We're doing a little spring cleaning weekend in the hopes of making room for something special.

Additionally, the Antique Car and Tractor Show will be in full swing on Saturday in Downtown Liberty. The more we prepare posts for GDP, the more we realize just how much there is to do in the Greensboro area. While time and money may be constraints; things to do is not!  We picked this photo for today so that we could share it with James and the Weekend Reflections gang. 

Aliens on Elm Street

Greensboro artists Leanne Pizio and Paige Cox have collaborated on an alien art show/sale. Leanne does the pottery and Paige is the fiber artist. Together, they have a fabulously creative collection for sale at Just Be in downtown Greensboro. This assemblage in the window is a small part of their work. Inside, you will find plates, prints, and more. Some creatures look haunting, others a little more Shrek-like. One of our favorite quotes from Leanne's alien- who has just arrived on earth- is, "It's not what I had hoped for." That can have meaning on so many levels. If an alien landed in your back yard, what do you think he/she/it would say?

Just Be-cause we can, we're sharing this post with James at Weekend Reflections. His meme seems just perfect for the weekend. Ponder, reflect, and get a little light bouncing back atcha. If you look closely, you can see the photographer's body attached to the alien head in the middle and the local comedy club, The Idiot Box, in the background.

Could MacCulture Surpass McCulture in Billions Served?

Although the store doesn't open until 9:00 am, here we see a line of nearly two dozen people at 7:45 am Thursday morning in front of the Apple Store at Friendly Center. Every day, people line up early to purchase the second generation I Pad. According to the man in the Carolina sweat shirt, daily, a new shipment arrives and sells out immediately. While Apple hasn't disclosed figures, rumor has it that Apple sold about 2.5 million I-Pads in March alone. Supply constraints are everywhere from Best Buy to online with Apple. This reminds us of the Cabbage Patch doll and UGG boot craze in 1983 and 2003, respectively. 

Greensboro is so fortunate to have an Apple store. Young and old alike flock there to sample 21st century technology. One only has to observe for a few minutes to see how Apple is transforming our relationship with technology. From small children to teenagers to adults, access to information, entertainment, and one's social network is a mere fingertip away. Perhaps someday, the Apple stores will get a sign like McDonald's stating how many billions have been served. In the meantime, the man at the back of the line gets the patron/patron award for being both an Macintosh/Apple and McDonald's aficionado.

We're sharing this photo with our friends over at Weekend Reflection. Click "like" if you are reading this on a touch screen.

Vigilant Min-Pin; Loyal Companion

Arf! Arf!

Last weekend, man's best friend vigilantly awaited the return of his owner at the Yanceyville Farmers' Market. This miniature pincher's eyes were glued to the exact door where his owner entered the market. Dogs are so smart and loyal that not even our photography was enough to distract him. If you are in the market for a loyal pet, the Guilford County Animal Shelter has several waiting for you (their new website is fabulous).  The Guilford County Animal Shelter has everything from guinea pigs and rabbits to dogs and kittens who are hoping for a second chance. The GCAS website has three pages of dogs and eight pages of cats. All have the potential to be loyal companions. What a great thing to do on a Saturday; head out to your local animal shelter and adopt a pet. If you adopt from GCAS and are a frequent reader of GDP, send us a photo with your new friend and we'll try to post it. If you are not in the position to adopt, consider volunteering or sending a financial contribution. 

The cool weather last weekend made it safe to leave this canine locked in the car. However, soon, in North Carolina, it will be way TOO HOT to leave a pet (or child!!!!!) in a car-- even with the window cracked. We're sharing this post with you as well as our friends at Weekend Reflection and Camera Critters. Happy Saturday all. We LOVE our readers and their pets!

CHARTreUSE

Looking for something to do on Saturday? Across the street from yesterday's new student housing compound on Merritt Drive is a consignment store called CHArtReUSe. In the neighborhood of the former Pomona Cotton Mill, a husband and wife team opened the "artistic reuse" store last July. They make some of the artwork that is for sale and represent other, mostly-local artists. CHArtReUSe is an eclectic mix of styles ranging from 1950's bowling alley bright to garden-white shabby chic. Many of the items in the store are repurposed. For example, Christmas cookie tins are cut and assembled into metal flowers for the patio. They take old, tired furniture, paint the wood and reupholster it. As with the items in the store, we're predicting that this part of town is on its way to being transformed.

After milling about CHArTReUSe for a while, we're heading to the Green Bean for the collaborative artists' Hand-to-Hand event from 3-10pm today. We're sharing this photo with our friends at Weekend Reflection who will appreciate our efforts at taking an artsy photo with lots of reflections in the details.

2011 ACC Basketball Tournament in Greensboro

This weekend, while people are reenacting the Battle of Guilford Court House, others are flocking to the Coliseum in Greensboro to watch ACC  Tournament basketball games. By tomorrow, we'll know the 2011 Champs. For now, we're reposting the photo of this window from a couple of years ago. Not only are the games here this year, Greensboro is home to the Atlantic Coast Conference. As their website states, "(t)he Atlantic Coast Conference was founded on May 8, 1953, at the Sedgefield Inn near Greensboro, N.C. with seven charter members- Clemson, Duke, Maryland, North Carolina, North Carolina State, South Carolina and Wake Forest." Today the conference has expanded to eleven member schools and generates some pretty intense rivalries.

As of last week, Greensboro is now home to the ACC Hall of Champions. One of the highlights of the brand-new, state-of-the art facility is a 4-ft. 360-degree video globe that shares conference highlights with visitors. We'll try to get a photo of the new facility but NOT during tournament madness. Getting near the venue during the busiest weekend of the year is not advisable. 

We're posting this photo, with the reflections in the windows, on Weekend Reflection.

 

 

Gate City Roller Girls 2011

Hurray, the weekend has rolled in. Last night's First Friday in Downtown Greensboro was a little quiet. However, the Gate City Roller Girls were out in full force. Again, they rolled onto the scene when we least expected it and volunteered to pose for a photo. Founded in 2010,they are a fun-loving group of women are dedicated to athleticism and roller skating fun. They are part of Greensboro's first official Roller Derby League. This fast-paced, contact-team sport is fun for women of all ages. They practice at least three times a week and are up for a workout indoors or out.

We're sharing this with our friends at Weekend Reflection. Surely, you see the reflection on the knee pags as well as the vehicle. See our older photo of them here! If this weekend is nice, how about getting out for a little roller skating fun. Thing spring! We're posting this with weekend reflection. Look at that reflecting off of those knee pads and beyond! We hope to see these girls on Friday, April 1st when the Indie Market will return to First Friday!

Urban Francis II

We learned recently that Urban Francis is a 21st century version of St. Francis of Assisi. This close up of the face shows the detail sculptor Judith Shea put into the art project. The cast bronze statue has been installed behind the Weatherspoon Art Museum on the UNCG campus. Yesterday, a faithful reader asked where the pigeons were. We'll Jane, today's photo shows you that they are flying nearby, overhead. The stained face adds yet another human element to this saint in a mortal's clothing. Someone asked if the sculpture is installed permanently behind the Weatherspoon or if it is temporary. It looks permanent; however, we're not sure.

Notice how the brick casts a reddish glow onto the face of Urban Statue. Also, notice the reflection in the windows behind. We're sharing the photo with Weekend Reflection.

PUNK ROCK

Vanity tags are a reflection of one's personality and this driver must like music. Spotted on Cornwallis Drive more than once is the PUNK ROCK mobile. If you have a vanity tag, what is it and why? If you don't but were offered one for free, what would have put on it? What are some interesting vanity plates that you've seen? Here's one we featured last spring.

With a hint of reflection on this bumper, we're uploading this photo on James' Weekend Reflection. Besides, we're doing another kind of "reflecting" on vanity tags!

IHOP; He Bikes; We all Go for Pancakes

Greensboro has three International House of Pancake (IHOP) Restaurants. This one is located at 1430 Westover Terrace at the corner of Green Valley Road and Battleground Avenue, making the restaurant a virtual peninsula surrounded by busy roads and a railroad track. IHOP opened in 1958 in California and has expanded to 1,500 restaurants in all 50 US States and beyond. It is known for breakfast foods and was originally going to be called IHOE (International House of Eggs), a name that did NOT prove popular (Wiki)! Rumor has it, IHOP workers are inside gearing up for the March 1st National Pancake Day when they will offer a short stack of pancakes to customers for free in the hopes that donations will be left for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals and other local charities. Mark your calendars for the event.

Today's photo in the fourth in our Guy Noir Series. These photos offer a little intrigue and could possibly serve as inspiration for a short story. What does the guy on the bike see? Why is he stopped? What is he waiting for. What if the person taking the photo were a private detective? Just what kind of international intrigue can you think up about the scene? We'll pose those questions to our friends at Weekend Reflection. Yes, Monsieur Noir noticed the reflection of a vehicle in the front window and door of the always-open restaurant..... See more of our original Guy Noir series here, here and here.