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M A G A Z I N E VOLUME 3, NO. 1
“I have a fancy that every city has a voice.” 336.617.0090
227A North Spring Street, Greensboro, NC 27401 www.ohenrymag.com Jim Dodson, Editor jim@ohenrymag.com Andie Stuart Rose, Creative Director andie@ohenrymag.com Ashley Wahl, Associate Editor 336.617.0090 • ashley@ohenrymag.com Cassie Butler, Photographer/Graphic Designer Kira Schoenfelder, Graphic Designer CONTRIBUTING EDITORS David C. Bailey, Maria Johnson, Jim Schlosser PHOTOGRAPHERS Sam Froelich CONTRIBUTORS Harry Blair, Jane Borden, Tom Bryant, Steve Cushman, Robyn James, Sara King, Meridith Martens, Mary Novitsky, Noah Salt, Stephen E. Smith, Stacey Van Berkel
O.H
David Woronoff, Publisher ADVERTISING SALES Tom Chitty & Associates has been the top producing team for Prudential Yost & Little in the Triad for four consecutive years.
TomChitty &Associates Direct Line: 336-420-2836 Email: tom@tomchitty.com Website: www.tomchitty.com
4 O.Henry
January 2013
Marty Hefner, Sales & Circulation Director 336.707.6893, mhefner@ohenrymag.com Hattie Aderholdt, 336.601.1188 Kathy Murphy, 540.525.0975 ADVERTISING GRAPHIC DESIGN Cassie Butler, 910.693.2464 cassie@pinestrawmag.com ©Copyright 2013. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. O.Henry Magazine is published by The Pilot LLC
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
Windsor Jewelers congratulates Oscar Heyman on 100 years of designs that stand the test of time
Oscar Heyman loves working with opals and this new necklace design has been turning heads
Oscar Heyman and Brothers, founded in 1912, is one of a handful of family-owned companies still dedicated to European-style craftsmanship. As they celebrate their 100th anniversary, the company continues to make its own tools, alloy its own metals, design and create exceptional pieces of jewelry. It’s this commitment to extraordinary quality and artistry that earns Oscar Heyman a place in the jewelry cases at Windsor Jewelers.
Oscar Heyman designed this Burton-Taylor Diamond Necklace for Hollywood’s iconic couple in 1969
Oscar Heyman’s signature Pansy Brooches created in the 1920s are still top sellers today
Indisputable gemstone quality and beautiful settings are the hallmark of these stunning rings
526 S. STRATFORD ROAD • WINSTON-SALEM • 336.721.1768 WINDSOR-JEWELERS.COM
OPENING AT PHILLIPS PLACE • CHARLOTTE FEBRUARY 2013
The Bird Story Bracelet was originally created in 1925 and sold at Sotheby’s in Geneva in 1998 for $450,000. It was recreated in 2008 at the request of a London dealer
January 2013 FEATURES
45 At The Playground Poetry By Steve Cushman
Big Idea 46 The Ask and ye shall receive. Nearly 30 Big Ideas from some of Greensboro’s most innovative thinkers
56 The Simple Life By Ashley Wahl
A girl, her Airstream, and their incredible journey
63 January Almanac By Noah Salt
Edible flowers, contemplation, and a primer on the Greek gods DEPARTMENTS & COLUMNS
9 HOMETOWN By Jim Dodson STORIES 12 SHORT Your Guide to the Good Life CITY MUSE 17 THE By Ashley Wahl WISDOM 19 VINE By Robyn James EATER 21 SERIAL By David C. Bailey THE OMNIVOROUS READER 28 By Stephen E. Smith CITY ICONS 31 GATE By Maria Johnson LEVEL 34 STREET By Jim Schlosser THE SPORTING LIFE 39 By Tom Bryant OF JANE 43 LIFE By Jane Borden 64 Arts Calendar 69 The GreenScene FUNNY 79 LIFE’S By Maria Johnson ENDING 80 O.HENRY By Jim Schlosser COVER ILLUSTRATION BY HARRY BLAIR PHOTOGRAPH THIS PAGE BY STACEY VAN BERKEL 6 O.Henry
January 2013
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
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HomeTown
The Snow Baby
BY JIM DODSON
C
oncerned friends were alarmed when my pregnant wife and I informed them we planned to move to Bailey Island in the dead of winter. In good weather, they pointed out, the nearest hospital was a full 45-minute drive away — across two adjoining islands, over three narrow bridges and over winding roads that passed through three tiny fishing villages. These roads were sometimes impassable when the inevitable winter storms hit. From Labor Day to June only about 300 rugged souls inhabited the fishing village where we chose to set up housekeeping in an old cottage that enjoyed a 50-mile view of the Maine coast. At night, beneath clear winter stars, we could see the lights of Portland harbor and a hundred miles out to sea. Within days of our arrival on the island we’d met the folks at the community store, the crusty postmistress, several lobster men, several neighborhood dogs, a widow who owned a dozen cats and a chatty retired gent named Bob — sort of the island’s chargés d’affaires of local gossip and snowplowing. “When the snow flies it can get wicked out here with the drifts,” Bob explained to me and promptly paled at the gills when I mentioned we were in a family way, due in early February. “I’m glad you told me,” he said seriously, making some kind of mental Post-It note. “We’ll have to make some kind of arrangement for that.” The Art & Soul of Greensboro
A few days later, a middle-aged woman approached me in the store and declared, “You’re the Southern fella havin’ the baby, I take it. Well, call anytime you need a ride out. Herman’s got four-wheel drive.” A few days after that, a local lobsterman at the post office told me, “If need be, we’ll get her there by boat. My old boat, ayuh, can cut through ice a foot thick.” We enjoyed a cozy island Christmas with a large tree and a gorgeous wreath I brought back from an interview with a clan that makes them for L.L. Bean. Only one thing you expect to have at Christmas in Maine was missing: Snow. A snowless holiday came and went. By the first week of January, in fact, there still hadn’t been more than a few flurries on Christmas Eve. Locals shook their heads and declared it to be the “unsnowiest” winter they could recall. “I always think a green wreath looks better with a lot of snow,” Eve the postmistress said to me one afternoon when I walked up to collect our mail. “Just don’t look right without it. I notice yours has been flapping away on your door since Thanksgiving. Looks a mite puny without snow, don’t you think?” I suspected this was her classic “Maine way” of saying it was time to take down our holiday decorations. Winter gets serious in Maine come January, and the locals were getting edgy because the salt was piled up and the snowplows were sitting idle. Real Mainers need the drama of snow to make the long trek to June bearable. January 2013
O.Henry 9
HomeTown “Actually, I’m thinking of leaving it up until Easter,” I came back pleasantly, explaining how I’d always preferred to leave my wreaths up all the way through January to provide a bit of cheerful green in the heart of midwinter. I joked that I was half pagan and also liked a lusty bonfire under a full winter moon from time to time. Eve shook her head. “You people from the mainland are plain kooky,” she declared, handing me a few late Christmas cards that took their sweet time finding their way to our tiny island home from family back in North Carolina. For the next few weeks, my wife and I lay in our bed beneath the skylight looking at the glacial stars over our cove and cottage, trying out one boy’s name after another. We hadn’t accepted the doctor’s offer to tell us, but I was certain the baby would be a boy. “How about Herman,” I suggested one night, feeling our rambunctious heir bump around beneath her swollen belly. My wife frowned. “You mean like the guy with the four-wheel drive?” “More as in Melville. Given our nautical theme of life.” “Why not Dick — as in Moby,” she came back. She didn’t really fancy Noah, Davy Jones or Horatio Hornblower Dodson, either. “Let’s work on it,” she said, suggesting perhaps our own fathers or grandfathers might merit being honored. “We have a few weeks yet.” On an arctic Friday night just before the end of January, we met after work at our favorite restaurant in Brunswick. My wife arrived having contractions a dozen minutes apart and ordered hot cider. At one point she glanced out the window and said, “Oh, look.” For the first time that winter, it was snowing. The first snow of the season — even if it comes in late January — is nothing less than pure magic, especially to a Southerner like me. We drove through the snow to the hospital to check things out. The maternity staff installed us in a cozy blue room in the maternity ward. No other couples were there that night. The three of us had the joint to ourselves. Just before dawn, I went home to feed the dogs. By then the storm had dumped a foot of
fresh snow and churned out to sea leaving a landscape of downy white beneath the most stunning sunrise I’d ever witnessed. A few hours later, our January baby was born. We decided to name her Margaret Sinclair, after both her grandmothers. Back on the island, the news spread fast. My lobsterman pal waved me down from his dock just to say congratulations. Four-wheel Herman offered to drive us anywhere we needed to go, while Mayor Bob assured us our tiny lane would be nicely plowed out by the time mother and newborn were heading home. The widow with the cats sent over a tuna casserole, though I feared it might be made from cat food. Even Eve the crusty postmistress cracked a wintry smile when she heard the big news, though I think she was a little giddy with relief over the coming of the snow. “That wreath don’t look so lonely now, does it?” she said. A day or so later, as the snow continued to pile up, we brought our island baby home to the cottage by the sea. By then my Greensboro mother had arrived to help out. The snow was so deep we had to park on the hill above the cottage and trudge through the knee-deep drift to a steep path that led down through the fir trees to our back door. I was helping my mom down the slope when she slipped and took off down the hill like a blue-haired Olympian in a fur coat toboggan, laughing all the way to the bottom. My wife went next, sliding on her bottom, and I followed with Baby Maggie in her snug new tiger suit from her Auntie Fiona and plastic baby carrier. It was the perfect winter homecoming. This month, our January Baby turns 24. After college in Vermont she moved to New York and found a good job, a new life, but still calls her old man whenever it’s snowing in the North Country. She’s dearly the reason I really love January and sometimes miss Maine come midwinter. OH
A few hours later, our January baby was born. We decided to name her Margaret Sinclair, after both her grandmothers.
Total Bliss
4545 Hwy 220 North Summerfield NC 336-441-5104 www.totalblissonline.com
10 O.Henry
January 2013
Contact editor Jim Dodson at jim@ohenrymag.com The Art & Soul of Greensboro
O.Henry
Short Stories Your Guide to the Good Life in the Triad
All Their Pretty Things
You can’t visit the Penns’ Chinqua Penn Plantation any longer, alas, but if you drop by the newly opened Museum and Archives of Rockingham County in Wentworth, you can ogle Miss Betsy’s personal, five-piece vintage toilet set, waiting to be packed in her 1930s-era Oshkosh traveling trunk — as if she and Mr. Jeff were about to set off on one of their three world tours. Or check out Mrs. Penn’s saddle or Mr. Penn’s reading glasses, some of the highly personal items Rockingham County residents donated to the museum. Housed in Wentworth’s handsome 1907 courthouse, the museum is just across the street from the town’s circa 1816 Wright Tavern, which is open to museum-goers. Other exhibits focus on the area’s tobacco heritage with a faux tobacco barn redolent with golden leaves hanging from the ceiling, a room that highlights the six railroad lines that once crossed the county and a striking exhibit of family snapshots — taken by no less than renowned photographer Carol Highsmith, formerly of Eden. Highsmith’s other photographs are exhibited in the Library of Congress — making her one of only six photographers whose collections are featured at the library. Open Wednesday through Friday, 2–8 p.m., Saturday, 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Information: (336) 394-4965 or www.themarconline.org. DCB
Please Silence Your Cell Phone
Just Dance
Obviously the 2012 North Carolina Dance Festival has come and gone. C’est la vie. But the NCDF Bonus Day on Saturday, January 19, will give you a taste of what to expect when the traveling menagerie of North Carolina dance artists returns to Greensboro this fall. Take dance classes with Festival artist Gary Taylor of the Winston-Salem Festival Ballet or E.E. Balcos of the Charlotte-based modern dance performance group, E.E. Motion. Dancers and choreographers in need of headshots and publicity photos can reserve digital photography sessions between the hours of 9:45 a.m. and 2 p.m. And don’t miss the Audience Choice Show at 3 p.m. where three emerging North Carolina choreographers will unveil their work, and you help decide which dance will be performed during the NC Dance Festival in November 2013. Bonus Day will be held at the Cultural Arts Center, 200 North Davie Street. For more information and a complete schedule of events, visit www.ncdancefestival.org or ncdancefestival.wordpress.com. AW
12 O.Henry
December 2012
Bing! Your show is done. That’s the idea behind the Microwave Dinner Theatre, the creation of a Greensboro couple who deliver quick and tasty entertainment to your door. For the price of a charitable donation, Kay Kelley Mersereau and her husband, Bob, will come to your private party, church, synagogue, retirement home or other cozy venue and perform a series of comedy sketches peppered with musical interludes. The skits are drawn from domestic situations, paying taxes, getting ready for an evening out, watching TV as a couple. The shows last a total of 30 to 45 minutes. Both long-time theater lovers — Bob, a former mechanical engineer, and Kay, a former legal secretary and court reporter — took up screenwriting and founded their cabaret-on-wheels in 1996 after Bob retired. They were living in Hillsborough. “We just started out entertaining friends in our living room,” says Kay. “That intimate setting was so nice.” They brought the concept along when they relocated to Greensboro in 2008. The Mersereaus typically perform three or four sketches with breaks for Bob to play sing-along numbers on guitar. To book a show, call (336) 547-1992. MJ
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
Short Stories Room for Pie?
When L.A.-based Wolfgang Puck decided to expand its brand with a pizza-bar concept, it hired A.C. Nielsen to do a market analysis. “North Carolina was at the top of the list,” says Joseph C. Essa, president of Wolfgang Puck Worldwide. The company then zeroed in on a couple of cities for launching its first two Wolfgang Puck Pizza Bars, Charlotte and — given the whole United States to choose from — Greensboro. “We decided to go here first,” says Essa. “It turns out this is a great representation for a lot of the country.” Sort of the new Peoria, if you will. “Obviously, I’m partial. I grew up here,” Essa says. After Grimsley High and Boston College, “I went to work in San Francisco and was an accountant for Peat, Marwick and Mitchell.” Then Essa came home to launch Café Pasta, which his brother, Ray Essa, still runs. “After Café Pasta, I fell in love with the business and never went back to accounting.” Essa went on to launch a second restaurant in Connecticut and then worked five years in New York City at high-end, white-tablecloth eateries for Toscorp before joining Wolfgang Puck 14 years ago. Rustic and angular with lots of rough-hewn surfaces, the restaurant, which opened in October with very little fanfare, seeks to replicate the quality and hospitality of Puck’s other venues, but at a lower price point. Restaurant three and four are planned in San Diego and Palm Desert, California. Look for artisinal pizzas — made from double-fermented dough that raises for nine days — artfully topped with the likes of sweet fennel sausage or chicken, caramelized onions and broccolini. Puck’s signature pie features smoked salmon with dill cream, red onions and salmon roe. Also offered are pasta, steaks, salads and seafood along with value-priced wines. Though he’s glad to be visiting old friends and relatives, “This should not be about me,” Essa insists. “I have the easy job. The chefs and managers have the really challenging work. They have to come in every day and inspire people, and believe me, that’s not easy.” Wolfgang Puck Pizza/Bar, 607 Green Valley Road, (336) 854-0303. DCB
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
Sauce of the Month
Got wings? Watch them fly off the plate when you serve them with It Takes Three to Tango dressing. Not exactly your ordinary name, nor is this blend of three dressings an ordinary sauce. But then again, there’s little that’s ordinary about High Point’s Kissie Stroup — and her Little Black Dressing Co., advising consumers to “Dress Up Your Salad.” Stroup recalls how, when her parents took her out to eat as a kid, she and her dad would mix together equal parts of thousandisland, blue-cheese and ranch dressings. Riding on the success of her Dreamy Creamy Vinaigrette, her Far East Flair and her Honey, It’s Dijon Dill, Stroup says she test-marketed her three-part invention and then bottled it. “It was the last thing I put in the line and I sell it two-to-one over the others,” she says. Pick up a bottle from Kissie at the Yanceyville Street Greensboro Farmers Curb Market. Also available at Bestway or New York Butcher Shoppe. More info at www.facebook.com/littleblackdressingcom. DCB
Happy Friday
This new year portends trouble for the superstitious. But they are lucky. The year will bring only two Friday the 13ths, in September and December. But they will come in the year with the number thirteen. Thus, we will have Friday the 13ths in the year 2013. Last year brought three Friday the 13ths, the most that can occur in a year. And every year has at least one Friday the 13th. But only once in a century is there at least one Friday the 13th in the year bearing the number thirteen. An Asheville stress management and phobia institute reports this will be an extra terrifying year for 17–21 million Americans who suffer from triskaikekaphobia — the fear of the number thirteen whenever it falls on a Friday. Add thirteen to half of the numbers in a year, and I predict that some of these folks won’t even get out of bed. The first known reference to the superstition was in 1867 when an Italian biographer wrote that his subject had the misfortune to die on Friday the 13th. The Italians considered both Fridays and the number thirteen as unlucky. The source goes on to say that the number thirteen must be bad because the number before it, twelve, is so good: “the twelve months of year, twelve hours of the clock, twelve gods of Olympus . . . twelve Apostles of Christ, twelve signs of the Zodiac.” But wait a minute — and not the 13th minute on the clock, please! If Friday is so unlucky, why do people say TGIF, for “Thank God it’s Friday”? Doesn’t a prosperous restaurant chain uses those very initials? And why have people in recent years taken to saying, “Happy Friday” even when it falls on the 13th? So here’s wishing you a Happy New Year and a whole year of happy Fridays, even if they do fall on the 13th. JS
January 2013
O.Henry 13
Art for Eyes | Eye for Arts Fine Eyewear, Artwork and Jewelry 327 South Elm Greensboro 336.274.1278 TheViewOnElm.com
Here’s to a new year and a new look! - Becky, Marti, Deb, George and Gigi
Gone to the Dogs
Short Stories
Local canines and their owners are hot on the scent of arcBARKS, the all-natural dog treats made by special-needs chefs in Greensboro. The arcBARKS bakery was founded in 2010 by The ARC of Greensboro, a nonprofit organization that helps people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. In the last year, biscuit sales have jumped from about 300 boxes a month to nearly 1,000 boxes a month, and the bakers hope their treats will gain national distribution through The Fresh Market chain. Locally, you can find arcBARKS at The Fresh Market, Bestway Grocery Company, All Pets Considered, Design Archives, Civic Threads, Dog Days, The Ear Center of Greensboro, Old Mill of Guilford, Nanhall Pet Spa, Carr Veterinary Hospital, and the arcBARKS bakery at 2823-C Spring Garden Street. That’s where eleven chefs make the bone-shaped biscuits, which contain flour, water, peanut butter, oatmeal and oil. Cold-nosed sources say they’re ter-ruff-ic. The treats cost $6 a box, or you can get two boxes for $10 at the bakery. See arcBARKS.com for more info. MJ
Gavel-to-Gavel Coverage
Size Matters
The name doesn’t quite say it all, but it sure is a good start. On Saturday, January 26, the Guild of Family Service of Greensboro will bring haute couture to the heart of downtown Greensboro with its first ever Big Hair Ball, an edgy, high fashion event where artistic hair design and couture outfits are sure to enchant and bewilder — and prove that bigger is most definitely better. Edison light bulbs, underground music and fiber optics will transform the Regency Room at Elm Street Center into an avant-garde industrial warehouse, and you’ll think the catwalk was ripped straight out of New York. “Greensboro has never seen anything like it,” event chair Frances Vinoski promises. Hair and outfits, designed by Indigo the Salon, Leon’s Salon and UNCG Consumer Apparel and Retail Studies (CARS) students, will reflect the community sponsors. Tickets are $60. Cocktails start at 6 p.m. For more information, visit www.familyservice-piedmont.org/bighairball. AW
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
Are long meetings ruining your life? Greensboro attorney Jim Slaughter can help. In his just-published book, The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Parliamentary Procedure FastTrack, Slaughter shares the secrets of running snappy and technically correct huddles. He gives tips on sticking to an agenda; making, seconding and debating motions; breaking ties; managing absentee votes; and handling disruptive members and tyrannical leaders. (Not that we know any of those.) The simplified rules can be used to speed up nonprofit panels, city and county commissions, homeowners associations, and all kinds of governing bores, er, boards. Hard copies of the slim volume sell for about $10 through Amazon and Barnes & Noble. E-versions are available for Kindle, Nook and iPad users. Story adjourned. MJ
January 2013
O.Henry 15
The attorneys and staff at Ward Black Law congratulate Janet Ward Black for being named one of the “Women of Justice” by North Carolina Lawyer’s Weekly. We’re grateful to Janet Ward for her leadership and integrity in the pursuit of justice and in the betterment of the legal profession.
Woman of Justice 800.531.9191 wardblacklaw.com info@wardblacklaw.com 208 W. Wendover Ave. | Greensboro, NC
JANET WARD BLACK
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S. CAMILLE PAYTON
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PAUL DANIELS
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NANCY R. MEYERS
The City Muse
No State Secret, alive and kicking BY ASHLEY WAHL
“S
tate Street isn’t what it used to be,” says anyone who shopped there when shoulder pads were as hot as high tea. Some people speak about the street in past tense. But the shop owners who survived the Great Recession prefer to think that the grande dame of Greensboro can still show a girl a good time. Consider the ample parking an added bonus.
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“Don’t wait on a guy to buy you those,” says Robyn Holder about a pair of diamond earrings. “Get them for yourself.” And what about that yellow sapphire necklace beset with diamonds? The Muse can dream. When Robyn and her husband opened Mark Holder Jeweller in 1984, State Street was seriously kicking. She misses State Street Coffee and the bygone boutiques, but “you must go to Boho Blu,” she says. Can’t argue with a gal beset with diamonds.
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Boho Blu, a vintage inspired boutique that opened last fall, has been called a discount Anthropology. What’s hot right now? “Wet look leggings,” says sales associate Kelsey Byrd. What look leggings? They look like pleather jeggings. (Yes, those are both real words.) “We need more shops like this on State Street,” says customer Kat Cline, whose sister owned the former Josette’s Boutique. “More shops like this and this place will be like it used to be.”
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“This street was like an English village,” remembers Kathy Yamamori, who grew up biking through State Street to visit friends in Irving Park. “At Christmastime, you couldn’t walk down the street without bumping into people.” Kathy’s husband, Yosuke, makes custom jewelry. They opened Yamamori Limited thirteen years ago. “More foot traffic would be nice, but I’m glad we’re here,” says Kathy. “I think State Street is coming back.” Unable to shake the vision of yellow sapphires, the Muse asks what Kathy dreams of. “South Sea pearls.” The Art & Soul of Greensboro
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“I’m the genius who started a business during economic collapse,” says Emem Ikon, who moved from Nigeria 20 years ago and opened Lillo Bella in 2008. “If you can survive that, you can survive anything.” Just look at those leather boots, handmade in Spain. “This is not a comfortable shoe,” she says of a pair of high fashion Fly Girl half-boots with 4-inch heels. “Strictly fashion. But I primarily sell quality shoes that are a marriage of comfort and style.” Thoughts on State Street? “It’s like taking a little bit of Charleston and dropping it in Greensboro,” she says. “You want to know how cool State Street is? When Mr. Yamamori goes fishing on a Saturday, on Monday, he brings me back a cooler full of fish.”
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“Franklin Boulevard in Chapel Hill,” says Linnea’s Boutique sales associate Yoleeta Howell. “Newport,” says owner, Jody, who carries stylish made in America and free trade clothing for plus-sized shoppers and, now, missies. “My customers love it here, and I love State Street.” La Bamba, Jody says, is the best Mexican restaurant in town (get the grilled tilapia), and the sushi at Nizumi is the freshest around. “I send customers over to Lillo Bella for shoes, which are a great complement to my clothes. They go to the Secret Tea Room after they shop.”
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The secret? Tea isn’t just for drinking. They cook with it. Taste jasmine in couscous, blueberry in bread pudding, Lapsang souchong (aka smoked tea) in the black bean soup. For $32 bones, Queen’s Tea comes with a three-tiered platter filled with English scones, warmed homemade strawberry sauce, and an assortment of sugary treats. Solo? The muse recommends a hot pot of lotus Darjeeling, the “Queen of Tea” for under three bucks.
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Some people eat black-eyed peas. If medicinal herbs are more your thing, Tavane Taylor of Eclectic by Nature can tell you what leaves and resins will bring good luck and good fortune in 2013. “White sage, sweet grass, and frankincense and myrrh.” Or there’s always tea. “We drink breakfast tea every day until 3:30,” says Tavene’s 7-year-old daughter, Tristen. Such is life on State Street. OH Our muse, O.Henry associate editor Ashley Wahl, is a born wanderer.
January 2013
O.Henry 17
18 O.Henry
January 2013
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
Vine Wisdom
The Need for Nebbiolo Intensely aromatic, slow maturing, a fine Italian worth your time and budget
By Robyn James
I
f pinot noir is the world’s most tantalizing grape, nebbiolo runs a close second for very similar reasons. While the red Burgundy grape has been extremely unwilling to travel happily from its French birthplace, and is only just showing signs of settling down in places such as Oregon, New Zealand and cooler parts of California, good nebbiolo wine is still very difficult to find outside its homeland in the Piemonte region of Italy. Even in its region of origin, Piemonte, nebbiolo is exceptionally finicky about where it will grow and ripen. The nebbiolo heartland is in the tiny Barolo region where gifted and dedicated growers-producers know that it is worth planting nebbiolo only on south or southwest facing slopes at an altitude between 250 and 450 meters. There is no chance of making decent wine from this late-ripening variety if it is not exposed to maximum sunshine. Lesser sites are planted with barbera, dolcetto or the newcomer to the area: chardonnay. Again, like pinot noir, nebbiolo is lighter in color than other red grapes and is extremely sensitive to the soil in which it is planted. It also grows well in the younger, smaller area of Barbaresco and on the Langhe Hills, bottled under the name of Nebbiolo D’Alba. These can be some of the best values in nebbiolo. So, what does nebbiolo taste like? It could be one of the few grapes you could identify on color alone, as it tends to take on a brick-orange tinge at the rim of the glass. Perhaps the most wonderful thing about nebbiolo is its perfume. The wine is typically intensely aromatic, developing the most haunting bouquet in which, variously, roses, autumn undergrowth, wood smoke, violets and The Art & Soul of Greensboro
tar can often be found. On the palate, the wine is typically high in acidity and, until after many years in bottle, tannins. In fact, top quality barolo made in the traditional way is one of the slowest maturing wines in the world, easily aging four decades in the bottle. Although nebbiolo is the king of Piemonte, it still accounts for only about 3 percent of the wine produced in that region. It is so temperamental and difficult that only the truly dedicated with the perfect sites will deal with it. Nonetheless, vintners are attempting to tame the beast in Australia, California, New Zealand, South America and South Africa. Rarely do you find the words “affordable” and “nebbiolo” in the same sentence; barolos can be some of the priciest wines available in the market, beginning at $80 and going up. Barolo must spend at least a year in oak barrel and then three years aging in the bottle. The barolo riserva will spend at least 57 months aging. Principano and Marchesi Di Barolo are great producers of fairly priced barolo, and Ceretto makes a delicious barbaresco asij. However, nearly every producer of Barolo also makes wine bottled as either nebbiolo d’Alba or Langhe nebbiolo. Basically from the same grapes that would become barolo, only aged less. For example, Vietti, one of the most highly regarded Barolo producers, makes a Langhe nebbiolo called Perbacco, which is so close to the real thing, they call it “baby barolo.” Damilano also makes a nebbiolo D’Alba for under $15 that is a great introduction to this unique and elusive grape, so don’t miss out! OH Robyn James, formerly Robyn Shields, was in the wholesale fine wine industry in the Triad for 12 years prior to opening The Wine Cellar & Tasting Room in Southern Pines. January 2013
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The Art & Soul of Greensboro
Serial Eater
Eat, Love, Pay
Who knew authentic, exotic and gourmet came so good and cheap?
By David C. Bailey
Photographs by sam froelich
P
ssst! Want to try Greensboro’s best Chinese steamed bun? Or a “real” Mexican taco, overstuffed with sizzling pork and big chunks of avocado? Can I interest you in an order of fiery, melt-in-your-mouth jerk chicken? If so, come along with me and I’ll introduce you to five of Greensboro’s best-kept culinary secrets — all of them small, out-of-the-way eateries that, with no advertising, thrive on serving incredibly authentic ethnic dishes at fast-food prices. Don’t expect candlelight, tablecloths or even real plates at most of these spots. If that’s your thing, skip to the next story. But if you like to wander a little on the culinary wild side, if you’re someone who will try anything once, if your taste buds constantly yearn for something just a little more exotic than the last time you picked up a fork, keep reading. I’ll share with you some spots where the chef/owners serve up made-from-scratch food so authentic and lip-smacking, it makes up for their off-the-beaten-path locales and their no-frills ambience.
Apple China 4925 West Market Street (Fanta City food court); (336) 235-2422 11 a.m. until 9 p.m., seven days a week Category: Chinese, counter-service with food-court seating Don’t miss: The yeasty steamed buns ($1-1.50) are as pillowy as clouds and The Art & Soul of Greensboro
stuffed with all sorts of savory and exotic ingredients, including my fave, red-bean paste. The lowdown: I could just as easily be in San Francisco’s Chinatown, spellbound over a Dry Erase board of offerings scrawled in colorful Chinese characters, when, in fact, I’m in Greensboro at Fanta City International Shopping Center’s food court, where a fellow diner is generously translating the various choices for me. Several of them are way beyond my ken, even though I’m a lifelong fan of Chinese food. The scene: Don’t look for fancy. You’ll eat off paper plates on a Formica tabletop under the glow of fluorescent lights. And you’ll order at a counter from one of two menus — one featuring Westernized Chinese chow and $6 lunch specials such as kung pao chicken, moo goo gai pan, lo mein or sweetand-sour chicken. The other menu, though, itemizes 174 dishes, from spicy lamb to dan dan noodles — whatever they are. The chow: “Best Authentic Chinese Food in Town!” says the menu and that’s not a total exaggeration. The steamed dumplings ($7) come piping hot right from the kitchen, plump, obviously handmade and filled with ground pork, savory onions and spices. Offerings include a wide range of stir-fries, a number of preparations as elaborate as Peking duck, sizzling casseroles, spare ribs galore and a wide array of seafood specialties, including whole steamed fish. For the adventurous, there’s sizzling frog, fish-head casserole, pork intestine hotpot and wok’ed beef belly. January 2013
O.Henry 21
Serial Eater Carnicera El Mercadito 103 Muirs Chapel Road, (336) 855-5722 Kitchen open 8 a.m. until 9 p.m., seven days a week (Store opens at 7 a.m.) Category: Mexican tacqueria, with counter service and limited seating Don’t miss: Home-cooked tamales (six for $5 — cheese, chicken or pork) are available on weekends until they run out. I recommend the ones filled with melt-in-the-mouth pulled pork, not overly spicy and wrapped in cornhusks. The lowdown: You decide whether this is more a bakery, butcher shop, Mexican convenience store or a tacqueria — or a cacophonous combination of all the above. Where else can you buy a wedding cake, a leg of goat, a piñata, donkey-milk soap and an order of gorditas all from the same place?
The scene: Order from an overhead Coca-Cola menu board featuring more than 40 items. The menu is English-friendly, and most of the time the cashier who takes your order speaks adequate English. She’ll be glad — if she’s not slammed — to tell you the difference between beef barbacoa (slow-cooked beef cheeks) and beef al pastor (spicy and complex). The tables are small and you’ll eat shoulder-to-shoulder with a mix of workmen and families, who have inevitably ordered something I wish I had known about — fiery-looking birria (goat stew), for instance, or menudo (tripe soup). The chow: You can’t go wrong ordering a raft of four soft tacos ($7). Be sure to get them contado
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The Art & Soul of Greensboro
Serial Eater or “all the way.” I would suggest you order each of them with a different filling — asada (grilled beef), al pastor or pollo (roasted chicken if you want to play it safe, though chorizo and deep-fat-fried pork skins beckon). Squeeze bottles full of salsa are on the tables, or if you get a takeout, ask for both green (mild) salsa and red (hot) salsa. Finally, go to the bakery counter and get a couple of punishingly sweet cookies for dessert.
Da Reggae Cafe 815 West Lee Street, (336) 333-3788 Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. until 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. until 10 p.m. Category: Jamaican, full-service Don’t miss: The “Rockaway” oxtail soup ($10) is slow-cooked into a thick, vigorously spiced stew that’s one of my favorite dishes in Greensboro. A little pricey, but it’s a big serving and comes with two sides you’ll want to try anyway — steamed cabbage, plus rice and peas. The lowdown: Sit back and savor “da mood & da food of da islands,” Mon, surrounded by images of Bob Marley with his music bouncing off the walls. But make no mistake: This is one neat, clean and extremely well-run café. The scene: Tropical foliage, the beat of reggae, a laid-back staff and electricyellow walls turn this small café into a vibrant, fun-loving scene. Booths line the narrow dining room, where the service is crisp and friendly, with Jamaican accents as authentic as the food.
The chow: The jerk chicken ($6 as an appetizer) is marvelous, fork-tender and no mister blister unless you request it extra-hot. The codfish fritters ($3.50) are a great and savory appetizer. The menu is wide-ranging, with several fish and shrimp dishes, curried goat, hearty stewed beef and stewed peas made with pig’s tail. The calaloo with codfish ($4.50) is a must. Or try the bammi ($3.50, fried cassava) dusted with cinnamon with a sweet dipping sauce.
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O.Henry 23
Serial Eater Pakse Cafe 827 West Florida Street, (336) 574-4404 8 a.m. until 5 p.m., closed Sundays Category: Laotian restaurant, serving Vietnamese sandwiches; counter service with limited seating
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The scene: The strip mall may be a little sketchy, but the interior of Pakse (named for a provincial capital city in southern Laos) has a fun and winning ambience. Look for a combination of Asian kitsch, such as wind chimes made from seashells, iconic East Asian landscape paintings on bamboo matting and an animatronic love monkey that greets customers with fiery red, blinking eyes and a lewd wolf whistle. Sandwiches are served in baskets, salads on Styrofoam plates. And though the few tables are small and just a bit crowded, the service is warm and friendly. The chow: I would argue there’s not a better, fresher sandwich in all of Greensboro than Pakse’s banh mi. Take a crusty, fresh baked baguette and slather on butter and paté — remnants of Vietnam’s Colonial rule — pile
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The lowdown: For eleven years, this little eatery has thrived on serving basically two items: traditional banh mi sandwiches and Laotian papaya salad. “Definitely pure Lao style,” said one online fan whose husband is Laotian. Friendly service with limited English, but the “sandwich” board itemizing the basic menu items makes ordering a breeze.
12/5/12 10:02 AM
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
Serial Eater on Chinese roast pork, plus cilantro, julienned carrots, cucumbers and jalapeños, and you’ve got arguably the best fusion dish on the planet. Choose from five different fillings, but start by trying the classic roast pork ($4). The papaya salad ($5-10) is strictly for devotees of fish-sauce and redhot-peppers. Begin with the one-pepper edition and work your way up to the 10-pepper, subatomic bomb version with a plastic fork as a detonator.
Los Cobanos 4925 West Market Street (Fanta City food court); (336) 482-2979 11 a.m. until 10 p.m., closed Tuesdays Category: Salvadorian, counter-service with food-court seating Don’t miss: Plantains, deep-fat fried ($1.75) are as good as I’ve had in Greensboro. The sopa de pata ($9 for a gigantic bowl) is hearty fare — and yes, it is beef-hoof soup, but a meal in itself with huge, chunky slices of cabbage, squash, yucca and corn. The lowdown: Westerners tend to make the mistake of lumping all Latin cuisines together, which is sort of like saying that all sports played with a ball are like soccer. Salvadorian cuisine is generally milder than Mexican — more comfort food than fireworks. The food at Los Cobanos is lovingly served and cooked from scratch by Mariby Melendez. As both your cook and culinary guide, she’ll fill you in, with impeccable English, on what’s what and how best to enjoy it (“Yes, go ahead,” she says of the sopa de pata. “Pick up the beef bone and clean the meat off of it.”). The scene: With plastic parrots hiding in faux ferns beneath a thatchedroof treatment, the counter at Los Cobanos (named after a beach in El Salvador) is tropically festive, festooned with peacock feathers and flowering
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The Art & Soul of Greensboro
David Bailey is a regular contributing editor of O.Henry magazine.
Showroom #1
Rhymes for Reason
Showroom #29
The chow: Papusas ($1.75) are the specialty here and they’re fabulous. Though sometimes described as stuffed tortillas, papusas are more like small discs of hand-patted, yellow Salvadorian corn flour, stuffed with cheese, squash, beans, meat or a combination thereof and then pan fried (the mixed papusa, with beans, pork and cheese, is my favorite). Served with a tangy slaw of pickled cabbage, carrots and onions, Melendez’s papusas are not in the least greasy. Fresh-corn tamales ($1.75), lighter than the Mexican variety, are nearly as good as the papusas. And the pineapple pudding is fab. OH
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O.Henry 25
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January 2013
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
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O.Henry 27
The Omnivorous Reader
Dining with Giants With unapologetic nods to Gatsby and Garp, murder — and gourmet eating — sometimes happen
By sTePhen e. sMiTh
D
avid “Lizard” Hochmeyer is 18 years old, nearly seven feet tall, a natural athlete, a gifted student, and the obsessive narrator of Bill Roorbach’s latest novel, Life Among Giants. He lives in a quirky universe of subterranean secrets where reality has a nasty habit of slamming him full in the face when he least expects it. Take, for example, the matterof-fact murders of his parents, which opens the action and sets the tone for this captivating literary detective story: “Smoothly, the man pulled a large black handgun out from under his jacket, the barrel of a black hole sucking in everything. He aimed it casually, pulled the trigger, shot Dad in the face, shot him again in the chest. The bang didn’t seem loud enough to be real. I thought it was all a joke, had to be a joke . . . My mother made an impossibly slow hop, caught Dad as he was falling, fell with him in a blooming mound of their nice clothes . . . And then, and then, and then, as I was making my hop toward them, the man shot her, three bullets, three pops, efficient trajectory, making sure my dad was dead, that’s all: Mom was just in the way.” And that’s how it should happen — bang bang bang. Roorbach’s instincts as a storyteller are right on the money: No enormous explosions, horrendous reverberations or eye-smarting gunpowder, just the pop of the gun and the sudden and absolute demise of the parents, the surreal incident understated and unsettling. Thus the reader is dragged into a mystery that twists through the fantastical life of Lizard, a tale of love, revenge, death and redemption, a life in which he is surrounded by giants. The Hochmeyer family lives in Connecticut next to the High Side, a Gatsby-
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January 2013
like mansion populated by celebrities of many nationalities — the postmodern internationalization of the Fitzgeraldian dream — and which is the home of Sylphide (ballet aficionados will grasp the allusion), the world’s greatest prima ballerina and the widow of Dabney Stryker-Stewart, a millionaire rock star who dies in a suspicious car accident well before events begin to unfold. In the coming-of-age segment of the novel, Lizard progresses through high school, undergoes the requisite sexual experimentation, and experiences to the full the often perplexing world in which he exists. If he’s puzzled by what he observes, he’s naturally and persistently inquisitive, keenly intelligent and minutely observant, occasionally to the frustration of the reader who is smothered with sometimes superfluous detail. Lizard’s older sister, Katy, is a student at Princeton, where she cohabitates with her professor and future husband, Jack, and stars on the tennis team. Her erratic behavior — “She spanked a line judge with her bare hand, bent him over, pulled down his shorts, and walloped him, film that made the evening news” — is a precursor to the bipolar disease that will plague her throughout the novel. The central portion of Lizard’s story qualifies as a Garp knockoff, the funny-sexual-serious-sad plot twists and the bizarre yet realistic characters are ringers out of Irving’s masterwork. Lizard is a football star for the Miami Dolphins and something of a celebrity, although he never emphasizes his fame to the reader, and he pals around with the requisite transvestite — wasn’t Garp’s Roberta a former Philadelphia Eagle wide receiver? — and finds himself in situations that immerse the reader in a world too strange to comfortably fathom and too familiar to ignore. The final sections of the novel are a gourmet detective story told via a mushThe Art & Soul of Greensboro
Reader
room encyclopedia. Ribbed pluteus, blushing false truffles, candlesnuff fungus and other exotic appellations season the narrative. Lizard and friends open the Restaurant Firfisle, where the food is exquisite and the stylish clientele decidedly indulged by the staff and Lizard’s obsession with rarefied cuisine. Even informal picnics among friends are a literary opportunity for gastronomic extravagance: “. . . Etienne laid out a middle-eastern feast on good paper plates: foul mudamas and kerba-kum, hummus and spiced baked nuts, baby house-pitas and eggplant tapenade, sweet tea, shocking little pickles, candied squash blossoms stuffed with curried rice and onions, pink linen napkins from the restaurant.” The barrage of food imagery never quite achieves the olfactory apex of Leopold Bloom’s chicken livers, but the descriptions are bound to get into the reader’s nose.
He lives in a quirky universe of subterranean secrets . . .
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Since Roorbach’s secondary focus is popular culture, there’s a vague sense that he’s poking fun at our obsession with celebrity, but the notion is never fully developed, although the narrative continually edges toward subtle parody. The final chapters weave in and out of time, fleshing out gaps in the plot, supplying character motivation, and drifting confusingly — and surprisingly — toward a satisfying conclusion. If the novel has a fault, it’s more the reader’s dilemma than the author’s — a guilty intolerance for hanging out with the rich and famous. At a time when so many Americans are suffering the effects of the Great Recession, Roorbach’s characters are a trifle too gifted and a little too detached from the realities of contemporary life. A smidgen of economic compassion would have helped to humanize the principal players. Roorbach is cursed or blessed — depending on the reader’s ability to endure the drudgery or exhilaration of endless detail — with a talent for making his reader feel emotions by proxy. His characters breathe in a universe of their own creation, and although fantastical, they emerge as soulful human beings. If the reader is left feeling Lilliputian, well, that’s the point. OH Stephen Smith’s most recent book of poetry is A Short Report on the Fire at Woolworths. He can be reached at travisses@hotmail.com. The Art & Soul of Greensboro
January 2013
O.Henry 29
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30 O.Henry
January 2013
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
Gate City Icons
The Perfect Ring
UNCG’s iconic design links generations of proud graduates
By Maria Johnson
Photograph By sam froelich
M
y mom wore the black ring often, on her right hand. It absorbed my attention because it was so different from her other rings — the ones with stones perched on pronged settings. Those rings said, “Look at me.” This ring didn’t care if you looked at it. But it looked at you, with an unblinking round eye that was absolutely flat — like a cup of flour that had been leveled with a knife. The stone was etched with a crest. The metal was gold. It was simple, feminine, dignified and captivating to the little girl who liked to nose through her mother’s jewelry box inspecting the circle pins, clip-on earrings, strands of pearls and other treasures. My mom said the stone was onyx. I’m sure it was the first time I heard the word onyx. I’m also sure it was a long time before I could spell onyx, and many more years before I deciphered the ring’s connection to the “Dubya See” she always talked about. “Dubya See” was W.C. W.C. was Woman’s College. Woman’s College was the forerunner of UNCG. And the ring? The ring — which is still available to students today — is one-of-a-kind. “UNCG is the only school in the country that has the round, black onyx,” says Mike Merritt, regional manager for the ring maker Balfour. Other schools — including Meredith College, Peace College and Salem College — offer rings with onyx in different shapes, but none duplicates the UNCG ring.
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Part of the reason is money. About 20 years ago, another ring maker with the UNCG contract offered a round onyx ring to another school, and UNCG dropped the contract, Merritt says. Ever since, no ring maker has produced a similar design for another school. And it’s unlikely that any school outside the South would want such an onyx ring. “It’s very unique to our part of the country,” Merritt says. It took a while for UNCG to arrive at the distinctive design. The oldest class ring in the UNCG archives is from 1911. It’s all sterling silver. The center is engraved with the head of Minerva, the Roman goddess of wisdom, and what was then the school’s name, “State N & I School.” “N & I” stood for “Normal and Industrial,” meaning it was a school for future teachers and secretaries. Each class changed the design of the ring until the Great Depression. A committee of juniors convened in 1935 to decide what its class ring would look like. Its advisor was Harriet Elliott, the dean of women and a former suffragist who would later work in the Roosevelt administration. She became a friend of Eleanor Roosevelt and helped to establish the WAVES, or Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service, a women’s Naval reserve. With Elliott at the helm of the ring committee, the women decided the most practical course would be to stick with one design so that the school could get a fixed price from a ring manufacturer for four to five years. The class of 1937 was the first to wear the design that has survived for more than 75 years with only minor tweaking. Then, as now, the onyx is engraved with the school’s name and Minerva’s profile. And then, as now, undergraduates wear the ring with the goddess January 2013
O.Henry 31
Gate City Icons facing them so she can watch over them while they study. When they graduate, they turn the ring around and face the world with Minerva. My mom, Mary Lee Brown Johnson, class of 1955, wore her ring for years. She, like most W.C. students of her era, was the first woman in her family to graduate from a four-year college. “They had a great deal of pride,” says Hermann Trojanowski, a special projects archivist at UNCG. “It was the golden age of education for women, and W.C. had an excellent reputation nationally.” These days, class rings aren’t as popular as they once were. But UNCG students still buy several hundred rings a year, more than the national average. The chancellor presents the rings
1911 Woman’s College Ring at ceremonies in the fall and spring. “It’s a nice touch,” says Merritt, the Balfour rep. “The UPS guy gave me my ring.” In November, Danielle Campoli, 22, a senior psychology major from Raleigh, gathered with a few dozen students who received their rings in the auditorium of the Elliott University Center, a building named for Harriet Elliott. “My parents came up to see me get my ring. They were so proud,” says Campoli, the first in her family to graduate from college. She bought the ring — for nearly $500 — as a reminder of her college experience. The design was a bonus. “It’s just really subtle and pretty,” she says. “It’s not like you have this huge rock on your finger. It’s very wearable.” Christine Natal, 21, a senior business administration student from Greensboro, received her ring at the ceremony, too. Active on campus, she had been eyeing the ring for three years, ever since she began explaining its history to freshmen at orientation. “I kind of like that tie to the older classes,” she says. She also liked the ring’s singular message. “Someone can see you from across the room and know you’re a graduate of UNCG.” OH
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The Art & Soul of Greensboro
Irving Park
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January 2013
O.Henry 33
Street Level
Up on the Roof
By Jim Schlosser
J
ust when you thought every historic tidbit was known about every piece of granite, marble and terra-cotta in the ninety-year-old Jefferson Standard Building, up pops Ron Kemnow. He has discovered that during the 1950s, the iconic, 17-story Jefferson quartered more than insurance agents, doctors, lawyers and businessmen. During the early 1950s, Kemnow says, the roof served as a fire observation tower. From the mid- to late-1950s, an organization known as the Ground Observervation Corps worked atop the building. People with binoculars recorded every airplane that came into view. In addition to possible enemy aircraft during this Cold War period, friendly planes were observed and charted. While radar could do the same thing, radar installations, Kemnow says, weren’t that common as yet throughout the United States. So human eyes were recruited. “It was a crude radar system,” he says of the observation post. Who is this Ron Kemnow? A local historian researching the city’s old buildings? Not by a long shot. He lives and works in Sprague River, Oregon. He has never been to Greensboro or even east of the Mississippi River. A disabled Marine Corps veteran from the Vietnam War, he 34 O.Henry
January 2013
spends his days, starting at 3 a.m. and going to late in the night, researching the location of active, inactive and vanished fire lookout towers in the United States and Canada. In the case of the Jefferson, his discovery of the Ground Observation Corps post was a bonus. He has a website, ronkemnow.weebly.com, which shows fire towers state-by-state and North Carolina’s county-bycounty. Most counties relied on erector set-like towers with booths on top. They typically stood in rural areas. Their mission? To detect forest fires. Guilford relied instead on a building in the heart of downtown Greensboro. It made sense. At one time, the Jefferson, which opened in 1923, was the tallest structure between Washington and Atlanta. Humorist Will Rogers, in a Greensboro lecture, is said to have quipped that the Jefferson reminded him of a huge candle in a cornfield. It dwarfed everything around it. Kemnow made his discovery about the Jefferson in late October while going through old state forestry department records and a biennial report of an old agency, the N.C. Department of Conservation and Development. He spends his days working amid reports from various county, state and federal agencies from throughout the country and Canada. He finds his material on the Internet and from requests he submits The Art & Soul of Greensboro
© Carol W. Martin/Greensboro Historical Museum Collection
Though few knew they were there, the Ground Observation Corps kept a sharp eye in the Gate City
Street Level for old documents and reports. He also spends time in the National Archives branch in Seattle. Papers and books so overwhelmed an office he had in his basement, he recently had to move to his larger living room and convert the basement office into the living room. “I have an in-box three feet deep in paper,” he says. “I have a file folder for every known lookout tower in the United States and Canada. I would say I have close to 15,000 folders crammed into file cabinets. I have 140 feet of shelf space filled up.” This fascination with fire towers began, Kemnow says, while he was hospitalized about eighteen years ago for his war disability. “My research was my therapy,” he says. “It is my legacy to leave for future generations.” He truly believes some people will give a darn about where a fire tower — and in the case of the Jefferson, an airplane detection post — stood. They already do. “I get four to five hundred visitors to my website everyday,” he says. “So apparently someone is finding it interesting.” As for towers, Kemnow says, “I keep finding new ones almost daily.” He says it wasn’t unusual for fire towers in North Carolina to stand atop old downtown hotels and on water towers. Towers made of steel girders with a booth on top are common in the southeast, including North Carolina. At last check, one stood on a small mountain overlooking Asheboro in neighboring Randolph County. In the far western states a typical tower had a sizable cabin on top. A lookout person often lived in the cabin. In some isolated places they still do. “Up in your neck of the woods not too many towers are used anymore,” Kemnow says. “There are some people trying to save them for historical reasons. They are trying to save history.” Fire observation today is pretty much done from airplanes and by other means. Bob Haynes of Greensboro, who spent many years working for the Jefferson, remembers the fire lookout because he used to see the uniformed forestry officer in the building. He doesn’t recall the airplane
observation operation. Several other old timers with the Jefferson said they had no recollection of the fire or airplane observation posts. The Ground Observation Corps often advertised for volunteers, thus “there was nothing secret about it,” Kemnow says. “It was one of those things that was there for a few years and most people never paid any attention to it.” A check of the Civil Defense file at the Greensboro Public Library turned up, in the mid 1950s, a reference to the Ground Observation Corps. The story includes a photo of a man and a woman at the edge of the roof eyeing a passing plane. Down below in what old timers still call Jefferson Square, a winter’s day could be brutally cold and windy. Imagine what it was like 233 feet above on the Jefferson’s roof. Nationwide, the corps had 800,000 volunteers who worked alternating shifts at 16,000 observation posts. The corps was abolished in 1959. If you’re thinking that tracking old fire towers is a weird hobby, be aware that others also search for the mundane. A man spent years seeking sites of former supermarkets in Greensboro. Next time you are in Fisher’s Grille on North Elm Street, ponder you are in what was an A&P Store in the 1930s. At the same time, the store front next door, now the Downtown Fitness Center on Elm, was a Piggly Wiggly. Kemnow says his discovery of fire and airplane detection posts on the Jefferson’s roof excited him. He immediately contacted the historical museum here. The staff wasn’t aware of the rooftop activities. They sent copies of photos shot from street level of the Jefferson. They show a roof with a time and temperature sign, a container-like structure for air conditioning and heating equipment and, sure enough, what looks like a small structure on top of it. But looking at pictures isn’t enough for Kemnow. “I would love to get there,” he says, “and see the building.” OH Jim Schlosser is a regular contributing editor of O.Henry magazine.
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The Sporting Life
The Man Who Was Never There Deep in the Yukon, off the map, the pilot never showed and the weather was closing fast A New Year Adventure Story
By Tom Bryant
H
e had an amazing talent for going to sleep. It was as if he had a switch in his brain. Turn it off, sound asleep. Turn it on, immediately awake. It never failed him until this particular morning, when he opened his eyes slowly and heard sleet and freezing rain rattling the roof of his wall tent. He was tired, bone weary. It seemed as if the sleep he was getting was not the kind that refreshed. It was just part of his routine. Maybe it had to do with the longer nights. This time of y ear, in the northern Yukon, darkness came early in the afternoon and lasted long into the morning. He resolved, as he unzipped his sleeping bag and sat up on the side of his cot, that he would have to start living more by the clock and less by the sun. He sat there for a minute and his yellow dog, Mackie, came over and put her head on his knee. She had been sleeping close to the tent’s little iron stove even though it had gone out long before. “Cold in here, Mackie,” he said. “Let’s get us a fire going.” He slowly got out of his sleeping bag, pulled on his wool mackinaw trousers, lit the hurricane lantern, grabbed some kindling from the bucket and started a fire in the stove. For the size, the stove was remarkably efficient, and soon warmth pervaded the small space he had called home for the last month. He finished dressing and poured dry cereal into a tin bowl. Before he ate, though, he unzipped the front of the tent to let Mackie out to do her business. Sleet now mixed with snow was blowing intermittently out of the northeast. He zipped up his parka and followed Mackie out into the darkness. The nights are getting longer, he thought. I’ve got to make a decision today. Something has happened to Larkin. Their plan was supposedly foolproof. He had flown in with his partner, Larkin, who had filed a false flight plan to throw off the people who had The Art & Soul of Greensboro
been following him for the last month. They landed at the lake indicated on the ancient map near the site where the gold claim was supposed to be. Larkin was to fly back to the base airport until it was time to rendezvous. In the interim, his job was to reconnoiter the lake until he found the old prospector’s cabin. Then he would put up new claim stakes and wait for Larkin to fly in with his floatplane for the trip back to Whitehorse, where he could record the claim. On paper it looked good. But something had happened. Larkin and his plane were four days past the pickup date. Mackie ran down to where he kept the canoe. It was a natural little cut in the lee of the prevailing wind with flat calm water, a perfect place to launch. Sleet changed over to snow and seemed to be getting lighter. He whistled up his dog and walked back up the hill to the tent. A dull gray sky with low angry clouds began to emerge from the darkness. It had been a long time since he had seen the sun. The tent was warm and he poured Mackie a bowl of her diminishing dry food. His coffee was about gone but he made a generous pot and put the percolator on the stove. Man, what a mess, he thought, and lay down across his cot and thought back to how it all started. He had always been a student of Canada’s Yukon. Even as a kid he would read everything he could find about the Arctic in Northern Canada and Alaska and dream about one day camping and exploring the vast wilderness. As he grew older, his interest almost became an obsession, and he made several trips to Canada doing research on the early days of the great Yukon gold rush. There was one prospector he discovered in an old record book in the archives at Whitehorse, the capital of the Yukon Territory. His name was Hutchinson and he was from southern British Columbia. He had acquired quite a reputation as an explorer, prospector and friend of the natives who lived on the banks of the Porcupine River. The legend surrounding this January 2013
O.Henry 39
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The Sporting Life
old Canadian was only found in a few archival books; but surprisingly, the elders of the tribes that Hutchinson lived with in the early days along the Yukon and Porcupine still passed down tales about the one-armed, gray-bearded one who found gold by talking to the bears. In his research, he discovered that Hutchinson had an early version of a prosthesic arm that he used in dealing with the Tagish people. He would often take off his false arm to amaze and impress them. The elders of the tribe described Hutchinson as a shaman or one who could talk to the bears. It was said that giant grizzlies led him to a gold strike where nuggets the size of chicken eggs were lying in a dry creek bed. The gold rumor was supported back at Whitehorse and at Dawson City by actual facts. Hutchinson would resupply from time to time
. . . something had happened. Larkin and his plane were four days past the pickup date. using gold nuggets for cash. One of the old residents of the Yukon capital had a nugget, supposedly from Hutchinson, that was the size of a golf ball. What made this tale even more interesting was Hutchinson’s sudden disappearance. One day he was there, the next he was gone, along with information about the whereabouts of his unrecorded major claim. Finding the map was a fluke. On a trip to one of his favorite hideaways in the mountains of North Carolina, he had stopped at a used bookstore. He was in a hurry and only had a few minutes to browse because he had a plane to catch, ironically to Alaska. He was heading out the door when the owner of the shop, a small, elderly, white-haired lady said, “I just received several boxes of books from a mountain estate just north of here. The owner was quite a collector. You’re welcome to go through them. Maybe you’ll find The Art & Soul of Greensboro
The Sporting Life something that will interest you.” He hurriedly dug through the first box just to appease the old lady; but surprisingly, he found a well-worn book written by the famous Yukon explorer and hunter, Fredrick Selous. He purchased the book and stuck it in his briefcase, worrying all the time about missing his plane. He just made his flight and boarded the nonstop out of Charlotte to Seattle. As his trip got under way, he opened his book on the Yukon and looked at the inside cover. It was well-worn and had an inscription: To Dad, I hope you get to go here some day. Jamie, October 1907. On the inside back cover was a hand-drawn map in faded ink with a notation at the bottom, Directions given to me by J.H. to his cabin, 1911. The map included a lake in the Yukon Arctic just off the Porcupine River. Wind blowing hard woke him from his reverie and he got up, poured water in his cereal and ate breakfast. With the last bite of the tasteless mixture, he made up his mind. “OK, Mackie, we’re getting out of here. Larkin hasn’t shown up, which means he’s not coming. It can’t be plane trouble. He’s got three.” Larkin’s bush pilot service included a Dehaviland Beaver and an Otter, both equipped with floats. There was also a big DC 3 for longer flights. “It’s gonna take some doing, but we’ve got to go. We’ll never survive winter here.” In Whitehorse, at the Royal Canadian Mounted Police headquarters, Staff Sergeant Johansson reported to his captain, “We got a team down to the missing plane. Believe it or not, it looks as if he ran out of gas, and he was way off his flight plan. The pilot’s dead. No sign of the passenger.” “That doesn’t make sense,” replied the captain. “I know Larkin. He’s one of the best bush pilots around. No way he would run out of gas. And he knows those mountains like the back of his hand. You’re sure? No sign of the passenger?” “Yes sir. It’s like he was never there.” “Well, if Larkin dropped him off at some lake for fishing, the fellow will probably wish he were on that plane. Winter’s coming and this is supposed to be one of the worst. Keep looking to the lakes in the north but make it quick. A northeaster is on the way, and I don’t want anybody out in that.” A hundred miles from where the Mounties were searching, a man and his dog stood on the bank of a small windswept lake looking toward the south. OH Tom Bryant, who graduated from Elon and lived in Alamance County for decades, is a lifelong outdoorsman and O.Henry’s Sporting Life columnist. The Art & Soul of Greensboro
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Life of Jane
Up a Creek
What the gods give, they sometimes take back
By Jane Borden
P
robably, I did it wrong. Surely, over time, I’d master the motion, ritualize it. But my first attempt at the vault bar fitness station on the Latham Park Greenway left my shins bruised and spirit defeated. Previous posts along the exercise circuit — the equivalent of twenty adult swing sets — had asked me only to climb ladders or jump jacks. I was ill-prepared for the truly Olympic feat of throwing my legs up and over a bar while basically horizontal to the ground. I tried and failed twice more before deeming it the most torturous stop on the wellness Via Dolorosa. The fitness stations are carefully crafted, prescribed for me to reap someone else’s R&D rewards. It runs parallel to another circuit of high design, a loping robot army of electrical-power-line towers. The third path within the Greenway is Buffalo Creek, snaking more extemporaneously among, and occasionally in the way of, the other two. Humbled by my failure to medal in the vault, I pushed through the creek’s thrushy wall and clambered down to its bed. I was no longer an Irving Parker in a jog bra; I was a latter-day hero on a journey to steal something from the gods. A guide appeared in the form of paw-print tracks in the sand, so I followed, passing increasingly bizarre trash along the way. Beer cans, sure. Plastic grocery bags — the clover of man’s garbage — also made sense. But a cell phone box? I momentarily wondered what we won’t launch through an open car window — a Christmas tree? a sofa set? — before realizing that the diversity of waste was surely a result of flooding. How else to explain an enormous American flag? I found it crumpled in a heap, a wholly novel site to me, on the flat, sandy plain next to the water’s edge. If it’s verboten for even a corner of a flag to touch the ground, then this was an act of acciden-
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
tal terrorism. Had invading water carried it from someone’s garage? Had an entire high-school band washed away with it? Or maybe it was abandoned in the park when the Confederates in a Civil War re-enactment decided they finally wanted to win one? I grabbed an edge and tugged. It threw sand to the side as it heaved from the earth. I half expected to find a treasure chest. Then it stopped, would no longer budge. I pulled harder and it began to tear. While the water was high, the cloth must have tangled around something solid and heavy — treasure! — that dragged part of the flag down through the mucked-up floor before the silt and sand settled again, burying a new captive with them. Note to self: Remove heavy burdens, in case of flood. I considered returning with a shovel. For reasons unknown, I wanted that flag. Then I imagined someone seeing me, in a sweat, climbing into Buffalo Creek with a shovel. Whether casualty or prize, I turned my back on the flag and climbed out to the manufactured world. Two days later, I returned to the Latham Park Greenway, again to exercise, although this time I eschewed the Fitness Stations of the Cross for a jog. Throughout, I wondered over the status of the flag. Afterward, I crawled back through a patch in the creek’s wall of brush and walked the water’s edge. But I did not find it. Perhaps it’s gone. Or maybe I’d lost the ability to see it. I should have stolen my prize from the gods when I had the chance. The guards open the gate just once; the hero only gets one journey. OH Jane Borden is a native of Greensboro and the author of the highly acclaimed memoir I Totally Meant To Do That. Illustration by Meridith Martens January 2013
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January 2013
At The Playground My four year old doesn’t play with other kids; he lives in his imagination throws his hands in the air, fingers writing the sky like tiny birds and when the other children turn and stare, I want to tell him to stop doing that to just ride down the damn slide, swing on the swings, like everyone else but he is only being himself, someone I am still not comfortable with.
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The Art & Soul of Greensboro
— Steve Cushman
January 2013
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The Big Idea
Illustration by Harry Blair
Last September, you may recall, Greensboro was one of three cities chosen nationally to receive a $1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce designed to stimulate local cutting-edge economic development through a spirited public competition of new ideas. Sometime early this year, it’s believed, the city will select the best ideas and award money to help implement them. While we at O.Henry Magazine have no role in the selection process, we do have a major stake in the outcome of a more prosperous and economically vibrant city. And so do you, dear reader. Thus was born our Big Ideas issue for 2013. Back in November, we invited a broad crosssection of civic and community leaders, artists, friends, loyal readers and would-be visionaries to submit a Big Idea for us all to ponder. We asked and you responded with a mailbag full of cool ideas, some of which have been around for years (a commuter line) and others (a Bohemian Circus) that simply tickled our funny bones and fired our imaginations. In the end, as judged by our staff, we’re delighted to present twenty-seven Big Ideas that most intrigued us. Sadly, our editor’s Big Idea of an Olympic Napping Park somehow failed to make the list. The good news is he seems to be coping pretty well with the rejection, grabbing a nice creative nap most afternoons. Do let us hear what you think of them — and feel free to send along your own Big Idea for 2013. The Art & Soul of Greensboro
— The O.Henry staff January 2013
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Home Run for Everyone As Greensboro has grown and prospered, so too has its popular minorleague baseball franchise — all the more reason to explore the possibility of the Grasshoppers making the jump from Class A to Double-A or perhaps Triple-A. Beautiful NewBridge Bank Park is a worthy host, and the city is more than ready to take it to the next level. A home run for everyone! —Brian Cook, editor and writer
Percent for the Arts My Big Idea has been done all over the country, but not here. It is called “Percent for the Arts.” It is a very simple idea where a portion of taxes (local, county or state) are collected to support the arts and cultural activities within that jurisdiction. It could be as little as or as much as the community supports. The advantage is the cost is spread equally across the population, but the whole community benefits. Details and models abound throughout the country. But what I really like about this idea is that there is perpetual funding for the arts and cultural programs so we can grow these organizations for our future generations. —Judith Kastner, Executive Assistant at Preservation Greensboro
More Nurses in Schools My dream is to have a registered nurse in every public school in Guilford County and to bring the nurse-to-student ratio to at least one nurse for every seven-hundred-and-fifty student students. According to the N.C. School Health Report for 2010—2011, the nurse-to-student ratio runs 1/2,249. This ratio allows the school nurse little time to deal with the most pressing of issues, let alone provide the care and teaching that is necessary to encourage truly positive outcomes. Just imagine what would happen if we could have a nurse in every school, assessing, teaching, screening, referring, communicating and promoting good health among our students, plus improving student attendance and academic performance. —Ruth L. Hoffman, Director of Health Services, American Hebrew Academy
Six Flags Over Quakerland What?? They’re not the Amish?! And they settled in Guilford County before there was a U.S.A. or a Greensboro?! Not only that, they helped establish the southernmost land station of the Underground Railroad, founded the South’s first co-educational school, rebuilt the agricultural economy after the War of Northern Aggression, and just downright acted “peculiar” in comparison with the surrounding culture! In and around the Guilford College and New Garden Friends community are enough Quaker historical sites to rival Williamsburg or Old Salem! If only we weren’t too silent to speak up — and had enough grant money to make it happen! —Max L. Carter, director, Friends Center at Guilford College 48
January 2013
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
Jetson Packs I propose Jetson packs made of nanoscience-recycled or -generated material, equipped with state-of-the-art viewmasters so as you’re flying around town, you can pick any time period. You’d see the landscape, visit any business, zoom down a dusty sidewalk or breeze along a road, say hello to people you meet and find out stories behind Greensboro’s stories. —Linda Evans, community historian, Greensboro Historical Museum
Bring Streetcars Back
My Big Idea is to turn back the hands of time and return to an era when most residents of Greensboro got where they needed to go without getting in their personal vehicles and jumping on Wendover Avenue. No, instead they walked and boarded an electric streetcar or trolley that took them from the hinterlands (suburbs) to the bustling city center for a few pieces of pocket change. What great fun it must have been to ride the streetcars — and no worries about finding a parking space. I say let’s bring back the streetcars! —Jon Zachman, curator of collections, Greensboro Historical Museum
A Twoofer from Jay Pierce Build a local-producer food court in downtown Greensboro for lunch and late-night meals, similar to the Singapore street hawker scene. Little kiosks for rent with a communal seating area and restroom facilities. No one would be complaining about food trucks then. Give community organizers the authority to commandeer blighted buildings from their negligent landlords and have them razed at the public expense to use the land for urban gardens. We need to feed the people! And we need to teach the people to feed themselves!
Preserve War Memorial Stadium and Involve our Veterans My idea combines preserving a unique historic property — War Memorial Stadium — with assisting and honoring the veterans of our recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Let’s create a nonprofit organization that would coordinate efforts to restore the property as a safe, well-equipped facility that could handle a variety of sports and entertainment events, producing income and involving veterans in all aspects of its operation. Greensboro residents dedicated this memorial to those who died defending our country during World War I. Partnerships with veterans groups, educational institutions, preservation groups including the Aycock Neighborhood Association and sports organizations could provide important assistance for a homerun project that would preserve an important shrine to baseball and veterans. —Gayle Hicks Fripp, Guilford County historian
—Jay Pierce, chef at Lucky 32 Southern Kitchen The Art & Soul of Greensboro
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Millennials Rule I propose a community conference to unify Greensboro’s arts community for the 21st century . . . I think millennials ought to be in charge of this planning process, using social media to organize, hold e-meetings, develop models, etc. Geezers need to take a back seat. Let’s bring together the entire art community — and I mean entire, including vendors and consumers of art, music, theater and everything imaginable related to the arts. Also teachers of art, music, voice, acting, and dance, plus students, parents, patrons, philanthropists, board members of arts organizations — everyone. The idea would be to come up with 21st century plans to make Greensboro the 21st century arts Mecca. Who knows what would happen if the whole community planned together. —Bob Wineburg, Jefferson Pilot Excellence Professor, UNCG
Garbage Creates Art Let’s build a glass-blowing studio at the city landfill. There are thousands of cubic feet of methane flared off every day. The demand for glass-blowing facilities is tremendous, and artists would come to Greensboro from all over the country to rent the space for days or weeks at a time to create their art. An apprentice program could also be set up there on the east side of the city to train and educate future artists. The gas could be used for other areas that need a lot of energy — large ceramic kilns for firing clay or a bronze foundry for casting artwork. The equipment for all of these operations is designed and made in nearby Star, North Carolina, at the Water Dog glass works. They’ve installed glass-blowing equipment around the world and in western Carolina, where a glass studio is already producing blown artistic glass at a landfill. One day, Greensboro could be the “Seagrove” of glass blowing.
Many Small Ideas
I think many small ideas are more exciting and, in the end, more powerful than a single blockbuster idea. When we come together as a community we come up with many wonderful small ideas that no one person could ever have thought of. I’m reminded of the story of some factory women who were on strike in Lawrence, Massachussets, and carried signs that said “We want bread, but we want roses too!” So my big idea is to make Greensboro an even better place for small ideas: more potlucks, more sidewalks for street conversations, more street parties, more time in the day so working parents can take their children to the park, more places where strangers can strike up a conversation, more community gardens, more free coffee. —Liz Seymour, writer and executive director of the Interactive Resource Center
—Jim Gallucci, sculptor
50
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Bohemian Circus A meaningful historical figure never asked: What’s a city without a circus? In a word: sad. The good people of Greensboro demand fire twirlers, acrobats and belly dancers and performance art. Center City Park should be overrun with Steampunk missionaries and their multi-raced brethren from all facets of subculture: tattooed titans, roller-girls (and boys), furries, goths, queens and, yes, the obligatory unimpressed hipsters. The circus is the place for freaks of all sizes, shapes and colors — all are welcome, all are home. We sweet mutants need a home, too. “Come one, come all” to the greatest show in North Carolina: Greensboro! —Jessica Labbe, assistant professor of English and Communication Studies, Greensboro College
Vertical Farm Convert the old Sears Distribution Center on Lawndale into the nation’s first operable vertical farm. At over 1.7 million square feet, the building has around 40 acres of growing space. The project could be run by N.C. A&T and serve as the preeminent research facility on the concept — drawing jobs from across the food research and farming industry to Greensboro. —Jay Kirkpatrick, President of Greensboro Historical Museum, Inc.
Century Boulevard Elm Street, from Hamburger Square to Fisher’s Grill, is ten blocks long. Each block is a decade, from 1900 to 1910 at the McGee end to 1990 to 2000 at the Fisher end. Each business is representative of its particular decade in every way, from décor, dress, music, food, ambience, signage, etc., so that one (read tourists) could stroll from, say, vaudeville, to the roaring ’20s, through the hippie ’60s, to the “Party-like-it’s-1999” new millennium, in an afternoon or evening. Or take the trolley, but that’s another Big Idea. —Ogi Overman, writer/editor
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Gate City Singer/ Songwriter Festival
How about a festival of N.C. singer/ songwriters? It could be similar to City Stage, a great festival that used to annually fill the streets of Greensboro offering national, local and regional music acts to our region. We are blessed in this state with a number of the best in the country. Invite these artists to Greensboro for a couple of days or make it a monthly series of concerts. Provide them with a place to stay and hospitality and pay them their performance fee. This could greatly enrich our public and put Greensboro on the map as a destination for a one-of-akind festival. —Bruce Piephoff, singer/songwriter/poet
Educational Squads My idea is to have volunteer educational squads go into parks and other public places to help set families on a successful path in the rapidly changing globalized world. The squads could help with things like financial planning, and they could introduce different careers such as engineering and medicine. This could motivate kids and make them more likely to stay in school. The volunteers could encourage good decisions and individual responsibility by telling stories about the outcomes of bad decisions. You could attract people by offering food (from tons of unsold food thrown away by restaurants) and passes for visits to state-of-theart companies, hospitals and data networks. -Andres F. Marquez, electrical engineer
Super Senior Racket I think the city of Greensboro should encourage older North Carolinians to move their joints and muscles by sponsoring a regional or national U.S. Tennis Association super-senior tournament. It could be held in one of our public facilities, and it would enable many baby boomers to see that the game of tennis is not just for the young. In professional tennis, people retire, but they don’t stop playing. If amateur tennis were endorsed, advertised and promoted, Boomers and the rapidly retiring generation might embrace the sport. — Reverend Hattie L. Howell 52 O.Henry
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The Art & Soul of Greensboro
Restore the Cascade Saloon The Cascade Saloon Building on South Elm Street should be restored for commercial and residential uses. This project, along with other nearby restored historic buildings, could be the catalyst for developing the area around the rail yards and Hamburger Square into an activity center with a railroad theme. Currently this area represents a break in the continuity of the downtown historic district. Markets and festivals would attract visitors from around the region and help revitalize the downtown. The Midway Diner, a converted railroad car on Highway 70, should be moved here and restored for a restaurant. Other historic railroad cars could be brought in and set up on rail sidings and adapted for small shops. —Mike Cowhig, community planner
A River Runs Through It G’bof, G’bop I propose a week-long Greensboro Business Opportunity Festival (GBOF) and a related Greensboro Business Opportunity Program (GBOP) Web site. The festival would promote local entreprenurship, plus GBOF, GBOP has a nice doo-wop rhythm and would look good on T-shirts. I suggest a short business and finance course geared to high school and undergrad students; tours of local businesses and/ or a business fair, possibly in conjunction with a 5k race; presentations by local entrepreneurs (RF Micro, Rhino, Natty Greene’s, etc.); advice and assistance on mechanics of start-ups; and panels on the barriers to starting businesses, financing, permitting, regulation and local sourcing.
Reroute the Haw River through downtown Greensboro. I’d like to see kayaking, canoeing, powerboat races, fishing competitions and little cafés along the winding riverbank. Never mind that the water would only be about three inches deep. —Harry Blair, illustrator
Monorail Though very expensive, it is simple: Build an elevated monorail from N.C. A&T to the airport, going down Market Street past UNCG, then swinging south to pass the Coliseum and then north to pass Friendly Shopping Center and on to the airport. Of course, professional planners would have to determine the exact route, except that it must initially connect the A&T and UNCG campuses so students can take subjects across institutional lines. It would also connect Four Seasons Mall and Friendly Center where so many of our city’s shoppers go. —Irwin Smallwood, former writer and editor for the News & Record
— Joseph Montgomery, environmental consultant, Greensboro The Art & Soul of Greensboro
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Theater Under the Stars I would like to see the city or a nonprofit bankroll a couple of outdoor theater productions every summer for the people of Greensboro to enjoy. Although a musical can cost anywhere from $15,000 to $40,000 to produce depending on how elaborate it is, the production could be done in conjunction with a local theater group. The benefit would be that families without the means could take their children to the theater and introduce them to wonderful live theater right in the downtown. I would personally choose Center City Park for the productions. —Sheri Masters, Greensboro actor and director
Digital Capital Our area has a long rich history for providing commercial and advertising photography, which is constantly expanding with film, TV and video productions for commercials. Hundreds of people work in this field in Guilford County alone. What we are missing is a support center, a kind of cooperative for production. It could house still photographers, video production companies, editors, audio people, stylists, talent agents, props and set builders, plus provide studio space for production. It would be a total digital production center. —Mark Wagoner, Greensboro photographer
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More Street Musicians I’d like to see Greensboro allow acoustic musicians to play on the street without getting a permit. I’d also like to see more bars and restaurants with tables on the sidewalk. Having recently visited Montreal and Asheville, I saw how these two simple things made both cities more vibrant and cosmopolitan. —Stan Gilliam, artist and teacher
Family Resource Center
Going Fully Green Greensboro should throw an annual Green Party where everyone comes downtown to wear green, eat green food (fried green tomatoes and collard greens, especially), build green floats for a parade, compete in an Al Green lip-synch contest, listen to readings of Green Eggs and Ham, break a world record for number of people wearing green at one time — or just learn to take our city’s identity a little less seriously.
I think Greensboro needs to find a way to help low-wealth families connect with the community around them. That might involve an enormous family resource center or continuous funding to organizations, agencies and churches that are doing important outreach work to underprivileged children, youth and their families. Greensboro’s goal should be to make sure that all families are continuously advocated for and share in the knowledge and benefits of what is happening in their city. Investment in our entire community is vital to our collective success. —LouMecia Koonce, Marketing Director, African American Atelier
—Britta Waller Melton, writer and editor The Art & Soul of Greensboro
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The Simple Life Have Airstream, Will Travel (In Glorious Style) By Ashley Wahl Photographs by Stacey Van Berkel
For Greensboro native Meredith Becraft, home is a vintage Airstream — and wherever the road takes her.
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The interior, once drab and dated, was transformed into an elegant country French living space with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint.
A
sk Meredith Becraft where she lives and watch her flash one of the biggest, most radiant smiles you’ve ever seen. “Anywhere I want,” she will say. And then she’ll tell you how, at age 25, she has no idea where she will be in five years, but that she isn’t going to worry about it. “We are living in a crazy, messed-up world,” says Meredith, brushing sandy blonde hair away from her face with hands covered in pastel swatches of dried paint. “All I can do as a human being is try to add something positive to someone’s life and hope that they can wake up and transform things like I did.” Meredith isn’t talking about her vintage Airstream motor home, although she has spent the last three months revamping every inch of the interior with her signature Annie Sloan Chalk Paint before setting out for destinations unknown. She’s talking about her personal transformation. When she writes her memoir, expect her to tap into those dark memories leading up to being admitted into Moses Cone Behavioral Health Center — a time when she thought that life was not worth living. Trust that she will wax poetic about self-discovery, her first yard sale, and the pivotal moment when she realized that life is what you make of it.
Vertically split antique bed posts above windows add an unconventional charm throughout. The Art & Soul of Greensboro
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No more fast food. Meredith plans to buy fresh fruits, vegetables and meats from local farmers’ markets. Galley kitchen includes refrigerator, icebox, stovetop, microwave oven and double sink.
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The Airstream is a work in progress. Purple side panel, stripped, will be replaced. Meredith envisions a black and white awning — ”like an old French café.”
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hen Meredith first told her family that she was willing to trade her worldly possessions for life in an old, aluminum-skinned travel trailer, her mother’s response, after a long, uncomfortable silence, went something like this: “You want to do what?” Allison Becraft, content in her Lowcountry house in rural Greensboro, has come around. “Now I wonder why more young adults aren’t doing the same thing,” says Allison. “Just think of all the money they would save on rent.” And when there isn’t much room to accrue junk, they might discover how little they actually need. Exactly two pairs of shoes occupy Meredith’s bedroom closet, which is no more spacious than a steamer trunk turned sideways, perhaps slightly smaller. In the galley kitchen, overhead cabinets are the size of breadboxes. The shower is smaller than most closets. Dishes are hand-washed. When Meredith has worn the same pair of blue jeans so many times that she absolutely cannot go another day without washing them, she steers 31 feet of aluminum to the nearest coin-operated laundry. But anyone who thinks that Meredith is somehow depriving herself of the good life doesn’t understand the liberty of living in an Airstream — an iconic artifact of a bygone era when times might have been tough but dreams were simple, which is what drew her to the brand in the first place. Of course, Meredith initially envisioned owning the “silver bullet” Airstream travel trailer, but climbing inside Ken and Judith Roberts’ 1982 Airstream 310 Turbo Diesel Motorhome changed her mind. “The interior was ugly,” remembers Meredith’s father, Scott Becraft, who owns a local roofing supply group.
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
His daughter saw past the crimson red carpet and the cedar-colored wood grain cabinets and paneling. She saw good bones. And she saw the way Judy’s face brightened when she told stories from their travels. In truth, Ken and Judith had no intention of selling what had become their home for a year after their house was destroyed by a tornado in Clemmons, North Carolina in the early ’90s. When they met Meredith at a yard sale in Winston-Salem, and she told them about her dream of someday taking her business on the road, they saw inside her the wanderlust that every Airstreamer knows, and they felt a gentle tug at their heartstrings. If she wanted it, the motorhome was hers to buy. Sure, the interior needed some work. The tires were worn down and the wooden floors needed restoring. She might like to replace the exterior side panel. But the Onan generator worked like a dream. For $15,000, the Airstream was a steal. Meredith is no stranger to yard sales. Or finding something flawed and making it beautiful. “Basically, I make a living off of other people’s trash,” she explains. Add paint that works miracles on nearly any surface, she has discovered, and create an entirely new product. Which explains how the Airstream looks like a French County cottage. Understated whites, grays and cocoas create a sense of elegance. While there’s no room for clutter, find throw pillows, vintage light fixtures, Mason jars filled with freshly cut roses, and an entire wall done in patterned tin tiles that Meredith found at a local thrift store. Her dad spent hours stripping walnut veneer and building a new entertainment center. “This wouldn’t have been possible without him,” says Meredith. Save for a couple of small accent tables — one in the living area and the other snug between the twin beds — there isn’t much space to decorate with the shabby chic furniture that Meredith sells at her booth at Aubrey Home, the home furnishing store on Old Battleground Road in Greensboro where she is known as Salvager Dolly. January 2013
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Life in an Airstream leaves little room for clutter. Her secret? Storage space underneath the twin beds.
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Simple living, like Airstream, is classic Americana. “I’m happier than I’ve ever been,” says Meredith. “I just wish I could have figured this all out sooner.” Like during those miserable years at Northwest Guilford High School where she struggled with measuring up to standardized tests and, harder yet, her peers. “Doctors told me I had Attention Deficit Disorder and teachers stuck me in LD classes,” she says. “When I said that I wanted to play the guitar or be a photographer, people called me a poser.” She never took an art class. Prescription drugs and bouts of depressions drove her to her bleakest moment. “It’s a miracle that I graduated.” After high school, she left Greensboro for a fresh start in Winston-Salem. There she began to discover her artistic potential, mostly because no one told her she couldn’t. Then, she attended the first of many yard sales. “You’re kidding,” said the yard seller when Meredith pointed to a wormy chestnut table she saw tucked away in the dusty corner of a garage. “How much?” asked Meredith. “Five dollars and it’s yours.” No telling what drew her to that filthy farm table, but she took it home, cleaned it up, and, months later, hosted a yard sale of her own at which someone offered her $75 dollars. Sure, she recognizes the metaphor. Meredith’s business plans are extensive enough to make you dizzy, but she’s on her own schedule. No matter where the road takes her, she can repurpose and resell whatever treasures she uncovers. She’ll keep her booth at Aubrey Home by shipping goods back. And she plans to tell her story. “I just want someone to approach me in five years and say, ‘Because of you I am doing what I want to do.’ That would be the best feeling in the world.” OH The Art & Soul of Greensboro
Bubby, Meredith’s 6-year-old Pomeranian, will come along for the ride, as will Meredith’s tabby cat, Kitty.
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By Noah Salt January, month of white sales and empty pockets, begins with a hangover and ends with a minor head cold. In between, a gloriously quiet month meant contemplation and planning. We love January because it isn’t all demanding — too late for Christmas shopping, too early for garden labor — has clear night skies and clarifying cold. Voices travel miles. Hearts huddle by the fire. Sunny walks are a treasure. “There is a privacy about it which no other season gives you,” notes Ruth Stout. “In spring, summer and fall, people sort of have an open season on each other; only in winter, in the country, can you have longer, quiet stretches when you can savor belonging to yourself.” The Almanac Gardener couldn’t agree more.
Go Jump off a Chair If black-tie and black-eyed peas strike you as somewhat tame New Year traditions, perhaps this year you should try these international traditions: In Ecuador and Bolivia, revelers don bright yellow underpants outside their clothes on New Year’s Eve to bring good luck or at least make for interesting photographs. In Mexico, orange underpants are favored, as is lots of tequila. In the Philippines, people traditionally don clothing with circular patterns, allegedly guaranteeing more money in the new year. Chileans visit graveyards to sit with departed ancestors on New Year’s Eve, and Panamanians parade through the streets holding effigies of famous people. Last year, for reasons entirely unknown, Donald Trump was big. The hair, probably. In Spain, revelers assemble on street corners at midnight to eat twelve grapes for good luck. In Scotland, “first footing” is an old New Year tradition — meaning the first person over your theshold in the New Year is asked to bring a gift, typically a bottle of good Scotch. Finally there is a small town in Sweden where carolers sing in the nude, upstaging neighboring Danes who save up their old china plates through the year just to smash them on New Year’s Day. Danes are also wont to climb on chairs and collectively jump off at the stroke of midnight to assure good fortune and only minor sprained ankles.
The Catalog Season Cometh & A Few Tips If you’re like the somewhat lazy Almanac Gardener, nothing heralds spring gardening season like the arrival of garden and seed catalogs come January. White Flower Farm’s and Johnny’s Seeds have been reliable old friends for The Art & Soul of Greensboro
decades, but a highly useful mail order resource we’ve discovered is Cyndi’s Catalog of Garden Catalogs, a terrific one-stop shopping resource for generalized and specialized catalogs in the United States and Canada, everything from aquatic plant suppliers to wildflower seeds, heirloom veggies to house plants. From experience the AG has found a great daylily source and a fantastic English garden tool company that offers hard-to-find tools. The site: www.Gardenlist.com. Meanwhile, the short list of January garden duties this month: • If your ground isn’t frozen, now’s a great time to turn the soil in your veggie garden and annual beds. This exposes any insect larvae to birds and will eliminate many other pests with the next freeze. • Start plotting out your spring garden now. January is a good time to start seeds indoors and have slow-growing, cold-loving plants ready to transplant before the last frost. They include broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, parsley, onions, chives, sage, cilantro and thyme. • Use a warm January afternoon to take a good look at your garden — and those of others, as well. The winter bones will tell you more about your garden’s strengths and weaknesses than just about anything else. • A good time for a final clean-up and rethinking of your garden space. Judicious pruning of some deciduous trees and shrubs can begin. Finally, this late-breaking news: The North Carolina Herb Association is forming a new chapter, the Piedmont Regional Herb Society, aimed at providing programs on how to identify and use herbs for health and culinary purposes, network with other growers and share tips and resources. For further information contact camille.edwards@aol.com.
Good Enough to Eat Since we really can’t grow flowers in January, what about eating them? An adventurous cook of our acquaintance sent over her list of edible flowers from Schott’s Food & Drink Miscellany: marigold, marjoram, thyme, hyssop, saffron, chive, fennel, daisy, peppermint, hollyhock, lavender, sunflower, tiger lily, dill, citrus, borage, rose, rosemary, nasturtium, bergamot.
OMG January, we find, is a fine time to brush up on your classical gods and goddesses for your next Olympic cocktail party. Allow us:
GREEK Aphrodite Dionysis Zeus Hera Artemis Eros Persephone Athena Eos
DEITY OF love wine ruler of the gods marriage hunting, fields love, desire spring wisdom dawn
January 2013
ROMAN Venus Bacchus Jupiter Juno Diana Cupid Proserpina Minerva Aurora
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Arts Calendar
January 2
January 8
January 11
BLIND TIGER CONCERT. 9 p.m. Bit Brigade elevates game music to its proper place in the foreground of epic technical rock. Doors open an hour before show. Tickets: $8. The Blind Tiger, 1819 Spring Garden St., Greensboro. Info: (336) 272-9888 or www.theblindtiger. com/calendar.
NOON AT THE SPOON. 12 p.m. Twenty-minute docent-led tour of The Cone Sisters Collect. Weatherspoon Art Museum, 500 Tate St., Greensboro. Info: (336) 3345770 or www.weatherspoon.uncg.edu.
MUSIC FOR A GREAT SPACE 7:30 p.m. Trio Solisti. Christ United Methodist Church, 410 Holden Rd., Greensboro. Tickets: (336) 333-2605. Info: (336) 6387624 or www.musicforagreatspace.org.
January 8–12
TRIAD ACOUSTIC STAGE. 8 p.m. Nellie Mckay. Tickets: $20. Mack and Mack, 220 S. Elm St., Greensboro. Info: triadacousticstage.com
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January 2–5
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ARTQUEST STUDIO PROJECT. 3:15 – 4:15 p.m. Visit the Winter Show exhibit to select a theme, medium, or style of work that you like, and then make your calendar using collage, paint or fiber. ArtQuest at Green Hill Center for NC Art, 200 N. Davie St., Greensboro. Info: (336) 333-7460 or www.greenhillcenter.org.
January 3
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ARTQUEST STUDIO PROJECT. 3:15 – 4:15 p.m. Michael Van Hout draws three dimensionally in wire as if he were using pencil and paper. Visit the Winter Show exhibit to see his work, and then learn how to manipulate wire to create your own sculpture. ArtQuest at Green Hill Center for NC Art, 200 N. Davie St., Greensboro. Info: (336) 333-7460 or www.greenhillcenter.org.
January 9–10
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BLIND TIGER CONCERT. 9 p.m. The Deluge. Doors open an hour before show. Tickets: $8. The Blind Tiger, 1819 Spring Garden St., Greensboro. Info: (336) 272-9888 or www.theblindtiger.com/calendar.
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BLUE MAN GROUP. 7:30 p.m. Theatrical tour features brand new content highlighted by classic Blue Man favorites. War Memorial Auditorium, 1921 W. Lee St., Greensboro. Tickets: $55-$65. Info: www.greensborocoliseum.com; www.blueman.com.
January 4
January 10
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FIRST FRIDAY. 6 – 9 p.m. Free self-guided walking tour of local art galleries, art studios, museums, alternate art venues, plus live music and more. Downtown Greensboro. Info: (336) 373-7523 or www.uacarts.org.
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LIVE PAINTING & POETRY. 6 – 9 p.m. African American Atelier and Poet.she fuse together live painting and poetry. African American Atelier, Greensboro Cultural Center, 200 N. Davie St., Greensboro. Info: (336) 333-6885 or www.africanamericanatelier.org.
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CVA GALLERY EXHIBIT CLOSING. 6 – 9 p.m. The Land of Misfits closing event. Center for Visual Artists, Greensboro Cultural Center, 200 N. Davie St. Info: (336) 333-7475 or greensboroart.org.
BLIND TIGER CONCERT. •9 p.m. The Infamous
Stringdusters. Doors open an hour before show. Tickets: $15/advance; $18/day of show. The Blind Tiger, 1819 Spring Garden St., Greensboro. Info: (336) 272-9888 or www. theblindtiger.com/ calendar.
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FIRST FRIDAY AT GREEN HILL. 7 – 9 p.m. Musical performance by classical guitarist Travis Corwin of Burlington. Green Hill Center for NC Art, 200 N. Davie St., Greensboro. Info: (336) 333-7460 or www. greenhillcenter.org.
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Key: Art Music/Concerts Film Literature/Speakers Sports
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January 2013
Performing arts Fun History
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• • BLIND TIGER CONCERT. 9 p.m. Roseland. Doors open an hour before show. The Blind Tiger, 1819 Spring Garden St., Greensboro. Info: (336) 272-9888 or www. theblindtiger.com/calendar.
January 11 – February 10
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BARN DINNER THEATER. Things My Mother Taught Me. Olivia and Gabe are moving into their first apartment together, halfway across the country from their parents. Imagine their surprise when everyone shows up to help them. New romantic comedy by Katherine DiSavino. Rated PG-13. Prices start at $40. Barn Dinner Theater, 120 Stage Coach Trail, Greensboro. Info: (800) 668-1764 or www.barndinner.com.
January 12
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SOAP MAKING IN THE HISTORICAL PARK. 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Discover what role ashes played in making soap during the 18th century and watch costumed interpreters make homemade lye soap. Drop-in. High Point Museum, 1859 E. Lexington Ave., High Point. Info: (336) 885-1859 or www.highpointmuseum.org.
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NEW BOOK LOVERS CLUB. 1 – 3 p.m. Discuss The House at Sugar Beach: In Search of a Lost African Childhood by Helene Cooper. Club meets on the second Saturday of each month; new members welcome. Vance Chavis Branch of Greensboro Public Library, 900 S. Benbow Rd., Greensboro. Info: (336) 373-5838 or www. greensborolibrary.org.
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ART EXHIBIT. 1 – 5 p.m. Yoshua Okón: Falk Visiting Artist. Okón creates staged and improvised situations that challenge notions of reality and truth. The artist has become well known internationally for his practice of placing individuals engaged with real-life social and political issues into fabricated narratives. Weatherspoon Art Museum,
“Michael Van Hout”
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
500 Tate St., Greensboro. Info: (336) 334-5770 or www. weatherspoon.uncg.edu.
January 17–27
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PAPER LANTERN THEATRE. 8 p.m. (Wednesday – Saturday); 2 p.m. (Sunday). The Aliens. In a back alley behind a small town New England coffee shop, two 30-something slackers pontificate on music, philosophy and Bukowski. Tickets: $20/general admission; $18/seniors and students. Triad Stage Upstage Cabaret, 232 Elm St., Greensboro. Info: (336) 272-0160; www.paperlanterntheatre.com.
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ART EXHIBIT. 1 – 5 p.m. In Deed: Certificates of Authenticity in Art. Weatherspoon Art Museum, 500 Tate St., Greensboro. Info: (336) 334-5770 or www. weatherspoon.uncg.edu.
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MANGA, ANIME & GRAPHIC NOVEL CLUB. 2 – 3:30 p.m. Discuss Durarara!!, Volume 1. Group meets every second Saturday of the month; new members welcome. Benjamin Branch of Greensboro Public Library, 1530 Benjamin Parkway, Greensboro. Info: (336) 373-7540 or www. greensborolibrary.org.
January 18
TIGER CONCERT. 10 p.m. •TheBLIND Old Ceremony with Crystal Bright
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AFRICAN-AMERICAN LITERATURE CLUB. 6:30 – 9:30 p.m. Annual holiday dinner. Discussion: “Two Christmas Days: A Holiday Story”, a short story by Ida Wells Barnett. Group meets on the second Saturday of each month from 3 – 4:30 p.m. at the Hemphill Branch of the Greensboro Public Library; new members welcome. Summit Station Eatery, 125 Summit Ave., Greensboro. Info: (336) 373-2925 or www.greensborolibrary.org.
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MAGIC SHOW. 7:30 – 9:30 p.m. Magic’s Royal Duke Sammy Cortino. Cortino utilizes classic illusions incorporated into drama, music, dance and comedy as a theatrical medium to express life and preserve magic’s foundation for future generations. Tickets: $15; $10. High Point Theatre, 220 E. Commerce Ave., High Point. Info: (336) 887-3001 or www.highpointtheatre.com.
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SWING DANCE. 7:30 - 11:30 p.m. Introductory jitterbug lesson starts at 7:30 p.m., followed by live swing music. No partner or experience necessary. Members: $8. Nonmembers: $10. Vintage Theater, 7 Vintage Avenue, Winston-Salem. Info: (336) 508-9998 or www.piedmontswingdance.org.
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CONCERT AT GREEN BEAN. 8 p.m. Ocean Versus Daughter. The Green Bean, 341 S. Elm St., Greensboro. Info: (336) 691-9990 or www.thegreenbeancoffeehouse.blogspot.com.
January 13
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GUEST CURATOR TALK. 2 – 3 p.m. Cornelia Lauf will talk about the new exhibit, In Deed: Certificates of Authenticity in Art. Weatherspoon Art Museum, 500 Tate St., Greensboro. Info: (336) 334-5770 or www.weatherspoon.uncg.edu.
January 13–14
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COMMUNITY THEATRE OF GREENSBORO AUDITIONS. 1:30 – 4:30 p.m. (Sunday); 7 – 9 p.m. (Monday). Cabaret. Community Theatre of Greensboro’s Studio Theatre, Greensboro Cultural Arts Center, 200 N. Davie St., Greensboro. Info: (336) 333-7470 x 200 or www. ctgso.org.
January 14
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HEMPHILL MYSTERY READERS. 2 – 3:15 p.m. Discussing Sugarplum Dead by Carolyn Hart. Group meets
& the Silver Hands. Doors open two hours before show. The Blind Tiger, 1819 Spring Garden St., Greensboro. Info: (336) 2729888 or www.theblindtiger.com/ calendar.
second Monday of each month; new members welcome. Hemphill Branch of Greensboro Public Library, 2301 W. Vandalia Rd., Greensboro. Info: (336) 373-2925 or www.greensborolibrary.org.
January 15
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AFI TOP 100 FILM FESTIVAL. Platoon (#86). A • NC DANCE FESTIVAL BONUS DAY. Take a class • with Festival artist Gary Taylor of the Winston-Salem young recruit in Vietnam faces a moral crisis when confronted with the horrors of war and the duality of man. Rated R, 120 min. Tickets: $6/adults; $5/students, seniors and military. Carolina Theatre, 310 S. Greene St., Greensboro. Info: (336) 333.2605 or www.carolinatheatre.com.
January 15–19
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ARTQUEST STUDIO PROJECT. 3:15 – 4:15 p.m. Experiment with watercolor. ArtQuest at Green Hill Center for NC Art, 200 N. Davie St., Greensboro. Info: (336) 333-7460 or www.greenhillcenter.org.
January 17
Festival Ballet and E.E. Balcos of Charlotte-based E.E. Motion. Mingle with other NC Dance artists and stay for the afternoon Audience Choice Show featuring emerging NC choreographers Audrey Baran, Marcus White and Arlynn Zachary. Help choose the dance that will be featured at the NC Dance Festival Greensboro performance in November 2013. Dancers and choreographers in need of headshots or publicity photos may reserve a digital photography session between the hours of 9:45 a.m. and 2 p.m. Cultural Arts Center, 200 N. Davie St., Greensboro. Info: (336) 373-2727 or www.ncdancefestival.org.
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ARTIST GALLERY TALK. 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. Yoshu Okón, Falk Visiting Artist, will discuss his solo exhibit. Weatherspoon Art Museum, 500 Tate St., Greensboro. Info: (336) 334-5770 or www.weatherspoon.uncg.edu.
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GLENN MILLER ORCHESTRA. 7 – 9 p.m. Big band music. Tickets: $24.50/adults; $22.50/students, seniors and military. Carolina Theatre, 310 S. Greene St., Greensboro. Info: (336) 333-2605 or www. GlennMillerOrchestra.com.
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GREENSBORO SYMPHONY MASTERWORKS CONCERT. 7:30 p.m. Spanish Night: Mad about Carmen! Featuring Elizabeth Basoff-Darskaya, violin; Dmitry Sitkovetsky, conductor. War Memorial Auditorium, 1921 W. Lee St., Greensboro. Info: (336) 335-5456 x 224 or www.greensborosymphony.org.
•
BLIND TIGER CONCERT. 10 p.m. Paleface, indiefolk. Doors open two hours before show. The Blind Tiger, 1819 Spring Garden St., Greensboro. Info: (336) 272-9888 or www.theblindtiger.com/calendar. Key:
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
January 19
NATURAL HISTORY OF WOODPECKERS. 7:30 – 11 a.m. Bring binoculars and coffee for a woodpecker hike. Snack and hot drinks provided. Free and open to the public. Piedmont Environmental Center, 1220 Penny Rd., High Point. Info: (336) 883-8531.
• • Art
Music/Concerts
•
Performing arts
•
JUSTIN BIEBER IN CONCERT. 7 – 11 p.m. “Believe” Tour. Tickets: $39.50-$79.50. Greensboro Coliseum, 1921 W. Lee St., Greensboro. Info: www. greensborocoliseum.com; www.beiberfever.com.
• • Film
Literature/Speakers
• • Fun
January 2013
History
•
Sports
O.Henry 65
Business & Services Digby Eye Associates digbyeye.com
January Arts Calendar •
GREENSBORO SYMPHONY MASTERWORKS CONCERT. 8 p.m. Spanish Night: Mad about Carmen! Featuring Elizabeth Basoff-Darskaya, violin; Dmitry Sitkovetsky, conductor. Dana Auditorium, 5800 W. Friendly Ave., Greensboro. Info: (336) 335-5456 x 224 or www.greensborosymphony.org.
January 22–26
•
ARTQUEST STUDIO PROJECT. 3:15 – 4:15 p.m. Make things that move, including origami, box constructions, and wind machines. ArtQuest at Green Hill Center for NC Art, 200 N. Davie St., Greensboro. Info: (336) 333-7460 or www. greenhillcenter.org.
January 23
•
Two locations: 719 Green Valley Rd, Suite 105, Greensboro (336) 230-1010 2401-D Hickswood Rd, High Point (336) 454-2020
BLIND TIGER CONCERT. 10 p.m. Dirty Names. Doors open two hours before show. The Blind Tiger, 1819 Spring Garden St., Greensboro. Info: (336) 2729888 or www.theblindtiger.com/calendar.
January 24
•
MEET THE AUTHOR. 7 p.m. Alice E. Sink, author of Growing Up in the Piedmont Triad: Boomer Memories from Krispy Kreme to Coca-Cola Parties. Barnes & Noble, 3102 Northline Ave., Greensboro. Info: (336) 854-4200.
•
Trusted Source for Home Care Aides • Companions • Respite Alzheimer’s Care
336-808-1351
4002 Spring Garden St, Greensboro, Suite A
Between West Wendover Ave. and West Market St
Factory Certified Master Volvo Technician with 27 Years Experience
JAY JOHNSON
1045 East Lindsay St Located off East Wendover Ave
273-0256
Open Tuesdays- Saturday
Call for Various Discounts
•
Elizabeth Basoff-Darskaya
BLIND TIGER CONCERT. 10 p.m. The Breakfast Club, ’80s tribute band. Doors open two hours before show. The Blind Tiger, 1819 Spring Garden St., Greensboro. Info: (336) 272-9888 or www.theblindtiger.com/calendar.
January 20
•
GREENSBORO SYMPHONY CHAMBER CONCERT. 3 p.m. Overture on the Hebrew Themes. Featuring Elizabeth Basoff-Darskaya, violin. Tickets: $30. Temple Emanuel, 1129 Jefferson Rd., Greensboro. Info: (336) 335-5456 x 224 or www.greensborosymphony.org.
January 20 & 21
•
BARN DINNER THEATER. Dreams of a King. Shirl Jean tells her story of her time well spent with Martin Luther King Jr. Musical drama by Nathan Alston. Prices start at $40/adult; $20/children 12 and under. Barn Dinner Theater, 120 Stage Coach Trail, Greensboro. Info: (800) 668-1764 or www.barndinner.com.
COMEDIAN RODNEY CARRINGTON IN CONCERT. 8 p.m. Tickets: $44.75. War Memorial Auditorium, 1921 W. Lee St., Greensboro. Tickets: $55-$65. Info: www.greensborocoliseum.com; www.rodneycarrington. com.
January 25
•
IMPROVISATIONAL THEATRE. 7:30 – 10 p.m. The Water Coolers. A cross between Capital Steps and Who’s Line is it Anyway. Tickets: $25; $20; $15. High Point Theatre, 220 E. Commerce Ave., High Point. Info: (336) 887-3001 or www. highpointtheatre.com.
•
BLIND TIGER CONCERT. 10 p.m. Luna Arcade. Doors open two hours before show. The Blind Tiger, 1819 Spring Garden St., Greensboro. Info: (336) 2729888 or www.theblindtiger.com/calendar.
•
ULTIMATE COMIC CHALLENGE FINALS. 8:30 – 10 p.m. The biggest stand up comedy competition in North Carolina. Featuring 50 comics; your vote counts. Carolina Theatre, 310 S. Greene St., Greensboro. Info: (336) 2742699 or www.idiotboxers.com/stand-up/ the-ultimate-comic-challenge.
January 26
•
BLACKSMITHING DEMO IN THE HISTORICAL PARK. 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Watch costumed blacksmith craft various pieces of iron. Drop-in. High Point Museum, 1859 E. Lexington Ave., High Point. Info: (336) 885-1859 or www. highpointmuseum.org.
•
66 O.Henry
January 2013
Weaver’s elly”: The n, painted n n o D a “Andre nd-woven cotto a Bench, h paint le ti x te with
BIG HAIR BALL. 6 p.m. High fashion artistic hair design and couture outfits. Community businesses sponsor models; models seek support for their fashion entry. Event benefits the Guild of Family Service of Greensboro. Tickets: $60. Regency Room at Elm Street Center,
• • • • • • • •
Key: Art Music/Concerts PerFilm Literature/ forming arts Fun History Sports Speakers The Art & Soul of Greensboro
January Arts Calendar
203 Elm Street, Greensboro. Info: www. familyservice-piedmont.org/bighairball.
•
ZAC BROWN BAND IN CONCERT. 7 p.m. Greensboro Coliseum Complex, 1921 W. Lee St., Greensboro. Info: www.greensborocoliseum.com.
•
SWING DANCE. 7:30 - 11:30 p.m. Introductory jitterbug lesson starts at 7:30 p.m., followed by live swing music. No partner or experience necessary. Members: $8. Nonmembers: $10. Oriental Shrine Club, 5010 High Point Road, Greensboro. Info: (336) 508-9998 or www.piedmontswingdance.org.
• POETRY MEET UP. 8 p.m. Tate Street Coffee House, 334 Tate St., Greensboro. Info: (336) 275-2754.
January 29
•
AFI TOP 100 FILM FESTIVAL. A Night at the Opera (#85). A sly business manager and two wacky friends of two opera singers help them achieve success while humiliating their stuffy and snobbish enemies. Not Rated, 96 minutes. Tickets: $6/adults; $5/students, seniors and military. Carolina Theatre, 310 S. Greene St., Greensboro. Info: (336) 333.2605 or www. carolinatheatre.com.
January 29–February 2
• ARTQUEST STUDIO PROJECT. 3:15 – 4:15 p.m. Make origami cranes,
butterflies, envelopes and more. ArtQuest at Green Hill Center for NC Art, 200 N. Davie St., Greensboro. Info: (336) 3337460 or www.greenhillcenter.org.
January 30
•
ART FOR LUNCH. 12 p.m. Thirty-minute talk on The Cones Sisters Collect with Elaine Gustafson, Curator of Collections. Weatherspoon Art Museum, 500 Tate St., Greensboro. Info: (336) 3345770 or www.weatherspoon.uncg.edu.
January 31
•
THINK TANK THURSDAY. 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. Discover the connections between seemingly unrelated ideas in a series that looks at contemporary culture by pairing scholars with community experts. Weatherspoon Art Museum, 500 Tate St., Greensboro. Info: (336) 334-5770 or www. weatherspoon.uncg.edu.
WEEKLY HAPPENINGS Tuesdays
•
LIVE MUSIC AT LUCKY 32 SOUTHERN KITCHEN. 6:30 – 9:30 p.m. Skillet Fried Chicken & Songs From a Southern Kitchen. Featuring Chef Jay’s skillet fried chicken, select beverage specials and live music by Laurelyn Dossett and friends. Lucky 32 Southern Kitchen, 1421 Westover Terrace. Info: (336) 370-0707.
• • • • • • • •
•
OPEN MIC COMEDY AT THE IDIOT BOX. 9 p.m. Local pros and amateurs take the mic. Admission: $4 (includes one drink). Idiot Box, 348 S. Elm St., Greensboro. Info: (336) 274-2699.
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Wednesdays
•
MUSSELS, WINE & MUSIC. 7 – 10 p.m. Mussels for $15, wines from $10 to $15 a bottle, live acoustic musice by AM rodeo. Print Works Bistro, 702 Green Valley Rd., Greensboro. Info: (336) 379-0699.
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Thursdays
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•
JAZZ NIGHT. 7 p.m. Tate Street Coffee House, 334 Tate St., Greensboro. Info: (336) 275-2754.
• We have a passion Fridays & Saturdays
WINTERFEST DISCO NIGHTS. 7 – 10 p.m. WFMY News 2 Piedmont Winterfest, outdoor ice skating with disco lights. Festival Park, Price Bryan Performance Place, 200 N. Davie St., Greensboro. Info: (336) Frames 207-5216 Exquisite or www.piedmontwinterfest.com/ Museum Quality Framing friday-night-disco.
for making things beautiful... Jewelry, art, & gifts Handmade & Fair trade to celebrate your spirit!
Photo Framing
• IMPROV COMEDY. 10 p.m. (Fri. and Sat.); 8 p.m. (Sat.). Actors create
Martin’s Frame & Art
352 S. Elm Street Downtown Greensboro 336.274.2212
scenes on-the-spot and build upon the ideas of others. Performances based on 251 N. Greene | 336-274-2426 suggestions given by theStreet audience; each show is one-of-a-kind. Saturday 8 p.m. www.MartinsFrameandArt.com show appropriate for the whole family. Tickets: $10/$7(students). Idiot Box, 348 S. Elm St., Greensboro. Info/RSVP: 336-274-BOXX.
www.onlyjustbe.com Heart of Downtown Greensboro
•
NIGHTMARES AROUND ELM STREET. 8 p.m. A 90-minute historical candlelit ghost walking tour of Downtown Greensboro. Open Year-Round. Cost: $15/adults; $13/children 8-12. Children 7 and under are free. Group rates and online discounts available. Info: www.carolinahistoryandhaunts.com/information.
Saturdays
•
JAZZ IN THE A.M. 11 a.m. Featuring saxophonist Alex Smith and friends. Tate Street Coffee House, 334 Tate St., Greensboro. Info: (336) 275-2754.
The Lofts at Greensborough Court
Prestigious lifestyle
Sundays
•
LIVE MUSIC AT TATE STREET COFFEE. NC Hot Club with Rex Griffin (11 a.m. – 1 p.m.) Irish Music (3 – 6 p.m.) Tate Street Coffee House, 334 Tate St., Greensboro. Info: (336) 275-2754. OH To add an event, e-mail us at ohcal@ohenrymag. com by the first of the month prior to the event.
Unique apartment homes 319 South Elm Street | Greensboro, NC 27401 336 274-8094 | www.greensboroughcourt.com
Key: Art Music/Concerts PerFilm Literature/ forming arts Fun History Sports Speakers The Art & Soul of Greensboro
Downtown Greensboro
Tate Street Coffee
January 2013
O.Henry 67
now playing. THEATRE ART MUSIC
January 24-27: A Children’s Production: The Short Tree and the Little Bird That Could Not Sing
(free performance!) A quirky fable about two unlikely forces of nature: a spunky unflappable bird and a stunted, loveable tree. Visit finearts.greensboro.edu for show times. Call for tickets.
January 25-February 28: “The Devil’s in the Details: Old Scratch.” Photography show with Becky Vanderveen & Ross Holt Reception on February 1, 5-7pm, Cowan Galleries January 27: Greensboro College Faculty Recital 4pm, Finch Chapel, free and open to the public.
February 8: Red Clay Saxophone Quartet
This performance is in partnership with Music for a Great Space and will feature a varied repertoire from classical to new music to tango. 7:30pm, Huggins Performance Center, Odell
February 20-24: Twelfth Night
This play, by William Shakespeare, invites one to share in its merry spirit of drink, dance and giving in to general self-indulgence. Visit finearts.greensboro.edu for show times. Call for tickets.
93
%
OF ENVISION® PLAN HOLDERS SAY THEY WILL RETIRE ON THEIR OWN TERMS*
38%
OF INVESTORS WITHOUT A PLAN THINK THEY HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO LIVE COMFORTABLY IN RETIREMENT.**
Which circle would you rather run in? Wells Fargo Advisors’ unique Envision planning tool helps us get to know your specific needs and goals in order to create your tailored investment plan. Monitoring your progress is easy. You’ll always know you’re on track to reach your financial goals. Find out how having an Envision plan can help you live the life you planned. Call today.
March 1 & 2: GC Live Extravaganza
The jazz ensemble and vocalists from the music and theatre departments collaborate on one of the most popular annual concerts of the year featuring well-known pop and jazz selections. 7:30pm, Huggins Performance Center, free & open to the public
March 5: Winter Concert
7:30pm, Finch Memorial Chapel, free and open to the public
March 8 & 9: On with the Show: Joey Barnes Concert Featuring Luna Arcade A native of Greensboro, Joey Barnes has released his solo debut EP, Always, through Nascent Republic Records. On breaks from his “day job” of drumming for the award-winning band Daughtry, Joey has been meticulously writing and recording songs that he released March 10, 2009. A full length LP will be released later this year. 7:30pm, Huggins Performance Center, $10 per person, Tickets: 336-217-7220
TICKETS
finearts.greensboro.edu & DETAILS (P) 336-217-7220
INVESTMENTS • PLANNING • RETIREMENT
Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC 3623 N. Elm Street, Suite 100A Greensboro, NC 27455 336-545-7100 • 1-800-545-1322 324 W. Wendover Avenue, Suite 301 Greensboro, NC 27408 336-272-0523 • 1-800-443-7128 Investment and Insurance Products: u NOT FDIC Insured u NO Bank Guarantee u MAY Lose Value
*RESULTS ARE BASED ON A SURVEY CONDUCTED BY HARRIS INTERACTIVE FROM JUNE-JULY 2011 AMONG1004 INVESTORS WITH FINANCIAL ADVISOR RELATIONSHIPS. **THESE FINDINGS ARE PART OF THE WELLS FARGO-GALLUP INVESTOR AND RETIREMENT OPTIMISM INDEX CONDUCTED FEBRUARY 3-12, 2012 FROM A SAMPLING OF 1,022 RANDOMLY SELECTED INVESTORS. NOT INDICATIVE OF FUTURE PERFORMANCE OR SUCCESS. NOT REPRESENTATIVE OF THE EXPERIENCE OF OTHER CLIENTS. Envision® is a brokerage service provided by Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC. ©2012 Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC. Member SIPC. Wells Fargo Advisors is the trade name used by two separate registered broker-dealers: Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC and Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network, LLC, Members SIPC, non-bank affiliates of Wells Fargo & Company. All rights reserved. Envision® is a registered service mark of Wells Fargo & Company and used under license. 0312-1323 [88511-v1]
All performances and exhibits are open to the public. Unless otherwise noted, tickets for music and theatre performances are available by contacting Greensboro College or at a first come, first served basis at the door. Admission is free for Greensboro College students, faculty and staff.
68 O.Henry
January 2013
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
GreenScene
The Greensboro Historic Preservation Society Holiday Party at The Blandwood Mansion Thursday, December 6, 2012 Photographs by Sam Froelich
Anne Daniel, Doris Kiser
Anne Bowers, Benjamin Briggs John Graham, Anita Schenck
Cassandra Liuzzo, Georgia Frierson
Cynthia Graham, Dr. Tiffany Quaye
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
Mose Kiser, Sherry & Bob Harris
T.G. Daniel, Bill Snyder
Barbara Hall, Joe Thompson
January 2013
O.Henry 69
GreenScene
Ellen & Tom Gilbert
Christmas Parade Saturday, December 1, 2012 Photographs by Sam Froelich
Elizabeth & Alec Gill w/Kelly & Trevor Bill; Claire Fredrick & Max Fredrick
Lee & Ashley Howard with Maggie and Libby Ninth & Tenth Calvary Association of “The Buffalo Soldiers” Litha & Alex Charles (rear), Chloe, Luke & Hannah Charles (front)
Katie, Jason & David Creighton Griffin Lowe, Carlyle Lowe & Eva Hecht
Emily & Mike Hamuka
Brittany North, Tiffany Galdany, McKenna Adams
70 O.Henry
January 2013
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
Treasures - Antiques - Consignments Antiques & Consignments
Happy New Year! Let us help find your dream home in 2013! 803 Hood Place Old Irving Park, Greensboro
8,500+ square feet at the corner of Main & Fifth in Downtown Burlington
4BR/5 Full Baths/3 Half Baths – This French Style home has been totally remodeled. It sits on a quiet street overlooking Greensboro Country Club’s Golf Course. It boasts large rooms with Master Retreat, Guest Quarters, 4 Car Garage and Spectacular Grounds. Price upon request.
January is Clearance Time @
8 Loch Ridge Ct Provincetown, Greensboro
6 BR/ 5 full and 3 half baths. Located on a private cul-de-sac overlooking Buffalo Lake. 11,400 plus sq. ft. High ceilings, custom moldings, hardwood/tile flooring. Master Suite on main with his & her closets. Heated pool, security system, generator. Price upon request.
2925 Battleground Ave. | (336) 288-8208 Mon. – Fri. 10:00 - 5:30 | Sat. 10:00 – 4:00
2206 Hawthorne Irving Park Estates, Greensboro
Brick family home on a no-thru street. Master BR on main. 2-story family room & entry, coffered ceiling. Kitchen with center island & granite counter tops offers private views of gardens & patio. Bonus Room on upper level. Large custom wine closet in 3-car garage with glass doors. Price upon request.
GIBSONVILLE ANTIQUES & COLLECTIBLES
306 Cornwallis Dr Irving Park, Greensboro
Full of History, Antiques & Charm
One acre, completely renovated. New kitchen with granite, stainless appliances, cabinets. Hardwood floors, oversized moldings, freshly painted. Master suite has walk-in closet, oversized shower & jetted tub. Heated saline pool with fountains and planters. Fenced yard. $585,000
Help Celebrate our 2nd Anniversary! Check our website for weekly events Appraisal Fair Sat. Feb. 23 10-6 106 E. Railroad Ave. Gibsonville, NC Downtown Gibsonville behind the Red Caboose Just minutes from Greensboro
GibsonvilleAntiques.com 336-446-0234 Mon-Sat 10-6, Sun 1-5
It’s Sa
“CLICK OR CALL… WE DO IT ALL”
le Tim
e!
English, Continental & American Furniture Vintage Costume Jewelry • Prints & Engravings 104 Barnhardt Street | Greensboro, NC Tuesday - Saturday, 10am - 5pm
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
Xan Tisdale Kay Chesnutt 336-601-2337 336-202-9687
Yost and Little Realty
Xan.Tisdale@pruyostandlittle.com Kay.Chesnutt@pruyostandlittle.com January 2013
O.Henry 71
Life and Home Style Our Family-Owned B u s i n e s Linda s i s CPalmer elebrating
Your financial goals. Our global resources.
—50 Years! — Realtor®, Broker
Phone 336.458.8433
John M. Aderholdt Vice President–Investments
Each project reSharon A. Swift Home Mortgage Consultant ceives our personal ID 589217 attention fromNMLSR a Office 336.510.4444 team of experienced craftsmen Cell 336.215.3260 email sharon.swift@hsl-nc.com
Licensed by the Department of Corporations under the California Residential Mortgage Lending Act. Georgia Residential Mortgage License Number: 32253. Kansas Licensed Mortgage Company, License Number: SL.0026321. 333 South 7th St. 27th Floor Minneapolis, MN 55402 (952)927-1154
We will not rest
4719 Pleasant Garden Road Pleasant Garden
©UBS 2012. All rights reserved. UBS Financial Services Inc. is a subsidiary of UBS AG. Member SIPC. 1.00_Ad_2.75x5.25_VU1207_AdeJ
©2012 HomeServices LLC. All Rights Re336-674-8839Lending, | www.mariontile.com served. NMLSR ID 490683 964600 09/12-12/12
s s i M r e NnevIssue! A
Food –&– —Dining Before
v
Our goal is towww.hslnc.com/sharon-swift provide the best 1103 N Elm St Ste 100 | Greensboro, NC 27401 finished project Prudentialpossible. Yost & Little Realty is an affiliate of HomeServices Lending. Please speak to your real estate agent for more information on this affiliation. All first mortgage products are provided by HomeServices Lending, LLC. HomeServices Lending, not and be available in your — We stand behindLLC whatmay we sell install — area. Wells Fargo Home Mortgage is a division of Wells — Serving Friends and Families for Generations — Fargo Bank, N.A.
ubs.com/fa/johnaderholdt
Food & Dining
We are proud to www.lindapalmer.pruyostandlittle.com offer a distinct, highquailty selection of products at a great value
v
UBS Financial Services Inc. 3200 Northline Avenue Greensboro, NC 27408 336-834-6952
Laura Redd Interiors has 12 years of experience as a full service interior design firm. Laura can transform your ideas into reality— call today so she can help you bring exceptional living to your home.
linda.palmer@pruyostandlittle.com
v
Basement
Waterproofing
After
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T! FRduleEyourEappoGintmIF ent TODAY Sche and receive a FREE copy of “Dry Basement Science,” “Crawl Space Science” ce”! or “Foundation Repair Scien$14.95) for (Full-color books that retail
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Insulation
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Look for a complete list of distribution points on the website w w w.ohenr ymag .com and click on the “Where’s O.Henry?” tab
Basement
Radon Mitigation
...and Nasty Crawl Spaces too!
Fall
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72 O.Henry
TarHeelBasements.com January 2013
ANY COMPLETE SYSTEM
EACH ENERGY EFFICIENT BASEMENT WINDOW REPLACEMENT
Must be present at time of inspection and can not be combined w/any other offer.
Must be present at time of inspection and can not be combined w/any other offer.
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
GreenScene The Charity Tree Event At Wellspring Tuesday, December 4, 2012 Photographs by Sam Froelich
Jennifer Gipp, Julie Longmire
Carol Davis, Eric Durham
Olena Bunn, Fred & Betty Williams
David Howard, Martha Kaley, Kara McBurney
Ayana Canady, Marian King Carrie Cummings, Steve Fleming
Leslie Conway, Rich Whittington
Tom & Elaine Wright
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
January 2013
O.Henry 73
Life and Home Style Linda Palmer
Teaching Studio
Realtor®, Broker
Phone 336.458.8433 linda.palmer@pruyostandlittle.com www.lindapalmer.pruyostandlittle.com
Sharon A. Swift
Home Mortgage Consultant NMLSR ID 589217
Office 336.510.4444 Cell 336.215.3260 email sharon.swift@hsl-nc.com www.hslnc.com/sharon-swift 1103 N Elm St Ste 100 | Greensboro, NC 27401
Prudential Yost & Little Realty is an affiliate of HomeServices Lending. Please speak to your real estate agent for more information on this affiliation. All first mortgage products are provided by HomeServices Lending, LLC. HomeServices Lending, LLC may not be available in your area. Wells Fargo Home Mortgage is a division of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.
Offering classes in “forgotten skills” such as bread baking, cooking and beginning sewing.
Licensed by the Department of Corporations under the California Residential Mortgage Lending Act. Georgia Residential Mortgage License Number: 32253. Kansas Licensed Mortgage Company, License Number: SL.0026321. 333 South 7th St. 27th Floor Minneapolis, MN 55402 (952)927-1154 ©2012 HomeServices Lending, LLC. All Rights Reserved. NMLSR ID 490683 964600 09/12-12/12
T! FRduleEyourEappoGintmIF ent TODAY Sche and receive a FREE copy of “Dry Basement Science,” “Crawl Space Science” ce”! or “Foundation Repair Scien$14.95) for (Full-color books that retail
24-Hour Peace of Mind Before
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Alzheimer’s and dementia care • No hourly minimum, 24/7 hourly care • Meal preparation, errands, personal care • CNAs are our employees and supervised by an RN
Basement
Radon Mitigation Carley Mann Realtor/Broker (336) 337-5672 carleymann@gmail.com www.carleymann.com
2731 Horse Pen Creek Rd. Greensboro, NC 27410
74 O.Henry
...and Nasty Crawl Spaces too!
Homewatch Caregivers of the Triad Visit our website to learn more about our resources and care services.
336-455-9967
877-512-5251
www.HomewatchCareGivers.com
TarHeelBasements.com
January 2013
Fall
Special .00 $30.00 $300OFF OFF ANY COMPLETE SYSTEM
EACH ENERGY EFFICIENT BASEMENT WINDOW REPLACEMENT
Must be present at time of inspection and can not be combined w/any other offer.
Must be present at time of inspection and can not be combined w/any other offer.
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
GreenScene
Rachel & Joe Scott
Geeksboro Grand Opening Friday, November 16, 2012 Photographs by Sam Froelich
Jennifer Taylor, Matthew Craig
Brock Loynab, Micah Baron Kayla Cavenaugh, Corey Cantaluppi
David Row, Asa Cooney Screening “Wild Zero”
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
Clair Wardlaw, Olivia Carteaux, Danni Brower, Sam Martin, Brian Jones
January 2013
O.Henry 75
Classic Education A Caring Community WWW.HPFS.ORG (336) 886-5516
High Point Friends School fosters academic excellence for students in Preschool through Eighth Grade. Using hands-on, experiential learning, students are engaged through innovative techniques that prepare them for challenges in higher education and equip them with enhanced problem solving skills. High Point Friends School offers advanced courses of study in the middle school curricula utilizing STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) investigations, and state of the art technology. CALL TODAY TO SCHEDULE A VISIT!
High Point Friends School 800-A Quaker Lane, High Point, NC 27262
(336) 886-5516 www.hpfs.org
Please Visit! Cookies & Cocoa Grades PreK-4 Sunday, January 13th 3:00-5:00pm
Meet the Middle School Grades 5-8 Thursday, January 17th 6:30-8:00pm
Canterbury School is Greensboro’s only PreK-8 Episcopal day school. Financial assistance and an extended day program are available. Please call for a tour today! Challenging the mind. Nourishing the spirit. 5400 Old Lake Jeannette Rd. www.canterburygso.org 336.288.2007
76 O.Henry
January 2013
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
GreenScene
Pam & Claire Carmody
Winterfest Skating Rink Downtown Greensboro Wednesday, December 19, 2012 Photographs by Sam Froelich
Tammy McElroy, Leigh Jones
Diane Roe with Georgia, Kelli Coley Kay, Kevin, & Kaley McCloskey
Drew Jones, Lynn & Mike Haley Catherine & Bobbi Martin
Marilee & Andy Ambro
Emmitt & Linda Morpheus
Jonny Kate, Mari Katherine Ambro, Maggie Ambro
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
January 2013
O.Henry 77
Area Schools Directory School Name Caldwell Academy
2900 Horse Pen Creek Road Greensboro, NC 27410 (336) 665-1161 www.caldwellacademy.org
Canterbury School
Focus Caldwell Academy is a K-12 college preparatory school grounded in Christian principles that emphasizes the classical liberal arts and sciences.
5400 Old Lake Jeanette Road Greensboro, NC 27455 (336) 288-2007 www.canterburygso.org
PreK-8, Episcopal school focused on scholarship and service. Challenges the minds and nourishes the spirits of a diverse student body.
The Elon School
Alamance County’s only college preparatory, independent high school with the mission to educate students by instilling personal integrity, stimulating intellectual curiosity, and developing social responsibility.
408 W. Davis Street Burlington, NC 27215 (336) 395-8550 www.theelonschool.org
Greensboro Day School 5401 Lawndale Drive Greensboro, NC 27455 (336) 288-8590 www.greensboroday.org
Greensboro Montessori School 2856 Horse Pen Creek Road Greensboro, NC 27410 (336) 669-0119 www.thegms.org
High Point Friends School 800-A Quaker Lane High Point, NC 27262 (336) 886-5516 www.hpfs.org
New Garden Friends School 1128 New Garden Road 2015 Pleasant Ridge Road Greensboro, NC 27410 (336) 299-0964 www.ngfs.org
Noble Academy
3310 Horse Pen Creek Road Greensboro, NC 27410 (336) 282-7044 www.nobleknights.org
The Piedmont School
815 Old Mill Road High Point, NC 27265 (336) 883-0992 www.thepiedmontschool.com
St. Pius X Catholic School 2200 N. Elm Street Greensboro, NC 27408 (336) 273-9865 www.spxschool.com
Students: Grades Enrollment Faculty K-12
A K-12 Independent School that specializes in working with students with an ADHD/LD diagnosis. Strong academics along with athletics, music, art, and drama are offered. Co-educational, non-profit organization dedicated to educating children who have learning differences and/or Attention Deficit (Hyperactivity) Disorder. Catholic elementary/middle school emphasizing Christian values and academic excellence in a nurturing environment.
$6,760– $8,990
$14,100 (Grades K-8); $4,500 (PreK)
391
8:1
9th–12th
78
6:1
Application, three letters of recommendations, SSAT.
8:1
Admission on a rolling basis. Begin accepting applications in the fall for admission to the following school year. For complete details, please visit www.greensboroday.org
Independent, authentic Montessori Toddler school with a child-centered focus (18 mo.) and a hands-on approach to learning. –8th grade
Seeks to be an inclusive, innovative educational community guided by Quaker beliefs and committed to honoring and developing each person’s gifts.
17:1
PreK–8th
Preschool –8th
880
260
150
Tuition
Open to all qualified students and is based on academic records, admissions testing, personal interview, and teacher recommendations. Requirements vary per grade level but include: application, teacher evaluation forms, developmental assessment or classroom visit, transcripts from current school.
At Greensboro Day School, learning is about helping students discover and th develop their unique talents and strengths PreK–12 through boundless opportunities and phenomenal resources.
Works to instill academic excellence, self-confidence and leadership abilities through experiential learning, extracurricular activities, and service learning opportunities.
705
Admission Requirements
Under 3 Meet with Admissions years 6:1; Director. Classroom visit Elementary and teacher assessment (for & Middle students ages 4 and above). School 10:1
14:1
$14,800
$5,500– $19,690
$5,016– $13,860
Submit previous report cards, a copy of most recent $1,440 – $2,340 standardized test scores, (Preschool); and teacher recommenda- $7,400 (Lower); tions. Classroom visitation $7,800 (Middle) required prior to admittance. Completed application,
Preschool –12th
284
Preschool parent and child visitation, 8:1; recommendations (for upper K–8 12:1; school students), previous 9–12 15:1 report cards or evaluations,
$4,510– $16,710
Students need to have an average to above average IQ score and a diagnosis of ADHD or another diagnosed learning disability and a current psych-ed evaluation.
$16,945– $17,700
signed contract.
K–12th
175
8:1
K–8th
40
Word study, Language Arts, Math 5:1; All other subjects 13:1
K–8th
457
15:1
Students must have a learning difference and/or ADHD to qualify.
Must participate in a standardized assessment conducted by ABC Educational Services, Inc.
$15,117 (Full-day); $9,461 (Half-day)
$4,740– $6,888
Special Advertising Directory
Life’s Funny
The End is Not Here Yet. But hands off my Suzy Q’s
By Maria Johnson
Photograph By Sam Froelich
W
ell, Happy New Year. If you’re reading this, I guess you survived December 2012, which, as you might know, was the month the world was supposed to end based on the observation that — and I’m pretty sure this is accurate — the Mayans stopped producing Dilbert desk calendars for the years after 2012. Maybe they thought the world would have had enough Catbert by then, though I personally cannot get enough of the evil feline H.R. director. Anyway, I was trying to explain to my 15-year-old son — who was slightly worried about how the end of the world might affect his Christmas — how these doomsday predictions come and go. For example, back in 1980, evangelist Pat Robertson promised the end of the world within two years — obviously a dud in the prophecy department, though I hasten to add that Joanie Loves Chachi was a top-rated television show in 1982, which counts as a major disaster in my book. In the 1990s, you might recall, some nut-job cult leader (she says, as if there’s any other kind) persuaded a bunch of folks on the West Coast to commit suicide because he believed aliens were about to destroy the world and that the souls of Earthlings would be whisked off by a UFO that would come to Earth trailing a comet. Which raises all kind of troubling questions: a) Where exactly would the UFO take those souls? An alien baggage carousel? And b) Why in the about-tobe-obliterated-world would you off yourself if you thought you had a chance to see anything as cool as a UFO drafting on a comet? And yes, with questions like these, I would be the most annoying cult member ever. Anyway, I explained to my son, as any responsible parent would, that you have two basic end-of-the-world scenarios. There’s your No-Deposit-No-Return situation where God is asked, “Are you sure you want to delete?” and He says, “Yes,” because — who knows? — maybe He’s sick of human sin or has had enough of Catbert. And then there’s your Sorta-Kinda-Apocalypse, where the world would be really messed up, but theoretically humans could survive. This could be caused by nuclear war, or an asteroid strike, or a massive computer crash, or the sickening possibility that no other bakery will pick up the snack cakes formerly made by Hostess — you know, something that would fundamentally change the way we live. And here, let me interject that I was ecstatic when my husband came home in November waving a box of Suzy Q’s that he scored at the grocery store because he had the presence of mind and the agility to get down on his hands and knees and reach to the back of the bottom shelf. So, let’s hear it for going to the gym. Well, we gloated for a while about being survivors, and then — you’re not going to believe this — he wanted to EAT the Suzy Q’s because he said they would go stale. I mean, who ever heard of such a crazy damn thing? You don’t eat what might be your last Suzy Q. You treasure it, you venerate it, you save it for a special occasion. Plus, I said, they are hermetically sealed and can’t go stale. Then, my
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
son — who was really in danger of losing his Christmas now — said that hermetically sealed means sealed without air, and there is clearly air inside a Suzy Q (no hyphen) package. Well, fine. And thank you public-school system for teaching him how to think. So, as usual, we compromised and agreed that the special occasion would be when our older son came home from college. Which was the next day. So, OK, we ate Suzy Qs, and they were fantastic, though truthfully I prefer the trans-fatty version of my youth. And lest you think I wimped out, I also swiped one Suzy Q, and I am keeping it in an undisclosed location for a super-rare occasion — like maybe the Panthers win a game. Or there’s a Sorta-Kinda-Apocalpyse. Because all this talk about the end of Hostess-as-we-know-it has got me thinking. It suggests that anything is possible. So I made up a quick list of things that I would need to survive in a Sorta-Kinda-Apocalpyse: Water Ghirardelli Intense Dark chocolate with sea salt and almonds A book of Jumble puzzles Pencil to work Jumble puzzles Batteries (on general principle) A radio, though I’m not sure why because I think everyone, even DJs — correction, especially DJs — will ditch work in a Sorta-Kinda-Apocalypse My secret Suzy Q, which will gain prestige as time wears on. You know that scene in The Road, where the guy and his son are starving, and they find this cache of food with canned peaches, and they go crazy on the peaches, whereas before they would have been like, “Big deal, canned peaches”? Well, it’ll be like that when I finally decide to share my Suzy Q, and my family will see the value of hoarding snack cakes. Just to make sure I was on the right track, I visited a survivalist website, which sells stuff like potassium iodate pills for your thyroid in case of a “nuclear event,” which makes it sound like something you might want to buy a ticket to. “Hey man, are you going to the nuclear event?” “Sure am. Got third row seats and a bottle full of potassium iodate. My thyroid is going to get blotto.” I was drawn to something more hopeful: seed kits, specifically the “salsa garden vault,” which includes seeds for tomatoes, peppers, onions and cilantro. This makes sense to me because when I am faced with a life or death situation, there’s nothing I enjoy more than a good salsa and maybe a glass of distilled water. Soooo, because I’m now getting bombarded with survivalist ads on my computer anyway, I think I’ll get the kit, plant the seeds, and celebrate the fact that we made it to 2013. Anyone for a Sicko de Mayans party? OH Maria Johnson is fortunately still with us. January 2013
O.Henry 79
O.Henry Ending
Tryst and Shout When public trust meets private interest
By JiM sChLossEr
B
efore the new session began, the North Carolina General Assembly leadership warned staff members against fooling around with lobbyists. This came after the N.C. house speaker’s chief of staff, a married man, resigned in 2012 after being caught in an intimate relationship with a married woman, who just so happened to also be a lobbyist. A female staff member resigned, too, because of involvement with a male lobbyist. What took so long for such a warning? Romancing in the legislature has a long history, particularly among lawmakers and their secretaries, or at least it used to be that way. Let’s not omit the press corps. A few scribes of my day were known to play around. I covered the N.C. General Assembly for the old Greensboro Record from 1969–79 and witnessed quite a bit of behind-the-scenes goings-on. One night, while working late, I went for coffee at an all-night Your House Restaurant. Seated in a booth nearby was a member of the Guilford County legislative delegation. He was with a secretary. Both looked embarrassed seeing me. The next day the legislator sought me out and made a point of letting me know that he was separated from his wife. The implication was that being out with the secretary in the wee hours was scandle-free. He didn’t say — and I didn’t ask — if the relationship with the secretary is what prompted the separation. During one legislative session, three of the ten members of the Guilford delegation wound up getting divorces. In addition to the legislator who was with the secretary, another married lawmaker took up with a secretary and later married her. Another Guilford legislator who was hitched fell in love with a woman who was his neighbor in a Raleigh apartment complex. If memory serves me, they later married. The seemingly easy affection women demonstrated toward the senators and representatives is easy to explain in the context of the times. Most legislators were men; all of the secretaries were women. Some secretaries — not all, by any means — viewed their bosses with admiration if not awe. The men had political clout. Their names appeared in the press. Wearing fine suits and blazers, they frequently stood for interviews before TV cameras set up in the indoor courts of the state legislative building. As for press going-ons, one rooster of a reporter was said to be going out
80 O.Henry
January 2013
with three women on different nights. Two, if memory serves me, were lobbyists. Oh, there was a fourth woman, his wife. One night, the press corps gave a party at a motel near the legislative building. Legislative secretaries and those in state government offices and lobbyists were among the invited. Three rooms were rented. Two were reserved for people to mingle, drink and chat. I was curious about the third room, across the hall. I peeked. It took a while for my eyes to adjust. The lights were off. Music from a radio or phonograph played soft, love-metender music. Men and women danced cheekto-cheek. It resembled a seventh-grade boy-girl party where lights stayed low and dancing was slow and cuddly. Of course times have changed in the legislature more than thirty years later. More women serve in the General Assembly, though men are still dominant. With additional women the question of romance between legislators arises. At least it would be a more egalitarian relationship than a legislator with a secretary or a lobbyist. How about Bev Perdue, who just left the governorship? Some would say she’s on moral high ground compared with others. Her divorce while a state legislator in 1994 apparently had nothing to do with anyone in the legislative building. In 1997, she remarried, to Robert Eaves. Never a legislator, he’s an award-winning member of the UNC-Chapel Hill faculty. Some of the lovey-dovey stuff that went on in the old days reportedly took place in the confines of the state legislative building while both chambers debated bills and resolutions. An auditorium on the top floor included a projection booth in the rear. Storing equipment was apparently the booth’s main purpose. But not the only one. One day, a reporter, wanting to fetch something from the booth, asked a sergeant at arms staffer for the key. The staffer wondered aloud if the reporter wanted to have a tryst — except he phrased it less delicately. He implied that the key was a much-soughtafter object. The projection booth, it turned out, was a legislative love nest. There ought to be a law against it, but who would have sponsored the necessary legislation? OH Illustration by Harry Blair The Art & Soul of Greensboro
It’s about time someone was able to say
“ b a n k i n g i n te g r i t y ” with a straight face.
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