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November 2019 FEATURES 51 Little Noise
Poetry by Stephen E. Smith
52 The Old-Fashioned Orchardist
By Maria Johnson What was Thomas Jefferson's favorite kind of apple? Ask science teacher David Vernon, who runs one of the top heirloom apple nurseries in the nation
58 Fungus Among Us
By Ross Howell Jr. Haw River Mushrooms literally strike paydirt with organic farming techniques
64 Follow the Yellow Brick Road
By Quinn Dalton To the 25th anniversary production of CTG’s The Wizard Of Oz
68 Rising From The Ashes
By Nancy Oakley Ravaged by fire and flood, High Point’s formerly “lost” Dalton-Bell-Cameron House is reborn as a resplendent designers’ showhouse
83 Almanac
By Ash Alder
62 Singing Tables
A poetic meditation By Jaki Shelton Green
DEPARTMENTS 17 Simple Life By Jim Dodson
22 Short Stories 25 Doodad By Grant Britt
27 Life’s Funny
By Maria Johnson
29 Omnivorous Reader By D.G. Martin
33 Scuppernong Bookshelf 35 Drinking with Writers By Wiley Cash
39 True South
By Susan S. Kelly
41 Gate City Journal By Billy Ingram
49 Birdwatch
By Susan Campbell
98 Arts Calendar 1 21 GreenScene 127 The Accidental Astrologer By Astrid Stellanova
128 O.Henry Ending
By Cheryl Capaldo Traylor
Photograph this page by Bert VanderVeen
8 O.Henry
November 2019
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
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CROSSROADS OF INFORMATION
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M A G A Z I N E
Volume 9, No. 11 “I have a fancy that every city has a voice.”
What matters to you, matters to us
336.617.0090 1848 Banking Street, Greensboro, NC 27408 www.ohenrymag.com PUBLISHER
David Woronoff Jim Dodson, Editor • jim@thepilot.com Andie Stuart Rose, Art Director • andie@thepilot.com Nancy Oakley, Senior Editor • nancy@ohenrymag.com Lauren M. Coffey, Graphic Designer Alyssa Rocherolle, Graphic Designer CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
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Mallory Cash, Lynn Donovan, Amy Freeman, Sam Froelich, John Koob Gessner, Bert VanderVeen, Mark Wagoner CONTRIBUTORS
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Our team of experienced professionals will work to help you reach your unique goals. We offer the dedicated attention of our local team backed by the strength, innovation, and resources of the larger Wells Fargo organization. To learn more about how your local Wells Fargo Private Bank office can help you, contact us: Ryan Newkirk Wealth Advisor NMLSR ID 589706 (336) 378-4108 ryan.newkirk@wellsfargo.com wellsfargoprivatebank.com
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Jack Andrews, Frank Daniels Jr., Frank Daniels III, Lee Dirks, David Woronoff ©Copyright 2019. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. O.Henry Magazine is published by The Pilot LLC
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12 O.Henry
November 2019
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
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Simple Life
Above It All The rewards of life’s upward climb
By Jim Dodson
Never lose the opportunity to see any-
thing beautiful, British clergyman Charles Kingsley once advised, for beauty is God’s handwriting, a wayside sacrament.
Because I rise well before dawn wherever I happen to be, I stepped outside to see what I could see from 4,000 feet. A fog bank was rolling silently down the side of the mountain like a curtain opening on the sleepy world, revealing 50 miles of forested hills in the light of a chilly quarter moon. The only other lights I saw were a few remaining stars flung somewhere over East Tennessee. The only sound I heard was the wind sighing over the western flank of Beech Mountain. An owl hooted on a distant ridge, saying goodbye to summer. In a world where it is almost impossible to get lost or find genuine silence and solitude, this moment was a rare thing of beauty. I stood there for probably half an hour, savoring the chill, an over-scheduled man of Earth watching the moon vanish and a pleated sky grow lighter by degrees, drinking in the mountain air like a tonic from the gods, savoring a silence that yielded only to the awakening of nature and first stirrings of birdsong. After an endless summer that wilted both garden and spirit down in the flatlands, a golf trip with three buddies to the highest mountain town in the eastern United States was exactly what I needed. A door opened behind me on the deck. My oldest friend, Patrick, stepped out, a cup of tea in hand, giving a faint shiver. “Beautiful, isn’t it? “ he said. “Hard to believe we’re not the only ones up here.” Such is the power of a mountain. The lovely house belonged to our friends The Art & Soul of Greensboro
Robert and Melanie, and though there were hundreds of houses tucked into the mountain slopes all around us, from this particular vantage point none was visible or even apparent, providing the illusion of intimacy— a world unmarked by man. “So what does this make you think about?” My perceptive friend asked after we both stood for several silent minutes taking in the splendor of a chilly mountain dawn. I admitted that, for a few precious moments, I felt as if I were standing on the deck of the post-and-beam house I built for my family on a hilltop of beech and birch and hemlock near the coast of Maine, our family home for two decades, surrounded by miles of protected forest. The skies, the views, even the smell of the forest were nearly identical. Sometimes I missed that place more than I cared to admit. “I remember,” said Patrick with a smile. “It was quite on a hill.” “The highest in our town. It felt like the top of the world. My sacred retreat for a transcendental Buddho-Episcopalian who has a keen fondness for good Methodist covered dish suppers.” Patrick laughed. He knew exactly what I meant. Old friends do. We’ve talked philosophy and gods and everything else sacred and profane for more than half a century. In every spiritual tradition, mountains are places where Heaven and Earth meet, symbolic of transcendence and a human need to elevate mind, body and spirit. As long as our types have walked the Earth, hilltops and mountains have provided a powerful means of escape and spiritual retreat, a way to literally rise above the demands and hustle of everyday life. Moses received the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai, which translates to mean “The Mount of God.” In Greek lore, it was believed that to spend a night on Mount Olympus would result in either madness or direct communication with the gods. Japan’s Mount Fuji is one of that nation’s three sacred mountains and a World Heritage site that has inspired artists and pilgrimages for centuries. “Being up here,” I added, “reminds me of an experience Jack had that I November 2019
O.Henry 17
Simple Life would like to have.” Jack is my only son, a documentary filmmaker and journalist living and working in the Middle East. He and his sister, Maggie, grew up with Patrick’s daughter, Emily. The three of them are all adults now, birds that have successfully flown the nest. We are proud papas. In January of 2011, though, as part of Elon University’s outstanding Periclean Scholars program, Jack and a few of his chums joined thousands of spiritual pilgrims for the five-hour night climb up Sri Pada — also known as Adam’s Peak — to see the sunrise from an ancient temple on Sri Lanka’s most holy mountain, a pilgrimage of 5,000 steps traveled annually by thousands of Hindus, Buddhists, Christians and Muslims for some 1,700 years. Jack had been asked by his advisor to go to Sri Lanka and make a film about the service work of the Periclean class ahead of his own class’ project with a rural health organization in India. The resulting 45-minute film, The Elephant in the Room, examined the environmental issues of Sri Lanka using the fate of the nation’s endangered elephants to tell a broader story about how the world’s natural system are under severe stress. Jack wrote, filmed, edited and narrated most of the film in partnership with two of his Periclean colleagues. As he reminded me the other day during one of our weekly phone conversations from Israel, his unexpected pilgrimage to the mountaintop came at a critical moment of his junior year when he had burned out from too much work and not enough rest. In addition to his studies, he was burning the candle at both ends, teaching himself to make films and working as an editor on the school newspaper. “When I look back, I realize I was getting pretty discouraged about both school and journalism at that moment,” he explained. “But the trip to Sri
18 O.Henry
November 2019
Lanka came at a good moment because it was the first time I got to make a film my own way about the things that struck me as important, just using my instincts about things we were seeing in our travels. It was a moment of real clarity and freedom.” The climb up Sri Pada in the pre-dawn winter darkness was one of the highlights of his Sri Lankan film odyssey, a surprisingly challenging climb even for a fit outdoor-loving kid from Maine who grew up climbing mighty Mount Katahdin with his mates. Jack and his fellow Pericleans paused on the ancient steps several times to catch their breath before pushing on to the summit. On the way up, they passed — or were passed by — the young and old, the healthy and feeble, men and women of all ages, shapes and sizes, rich and poor, trudging ever upward. He told me he saw young men carrying their grandmothers on their backs, others carrying torches, bundles and food — couples, families, pilgrims from the Earth’s four major faiths all seeking a common holy mountain top. “We arrived about 10 minutes after the sunrise,” he remembers. “But the whole mountaintop was bathed in this beautiful golden light. We stood in the courtyard of that temple sweaty and tired but also incredibly happy and at peace. It was very moving. I caught some of it on film. The view was incredible,” he recalled. “We were so glad we made the climb. It was just what I needed.” Though he’s gone on to make more than a dozen timely films about everything from debtor’s prison in Mississippi to the opioid crisis across America, my son’s earnest and charming little film about the fate of elephants in Sri Lanka — his first full-length effort — is probably his old man’s favorite to date, full of simple images that reveal his budding talents. It is filled with poignant
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
Opus 2019-2020
CONCERT SERIES
The City Arts Music Center proudly presents the Opus Concert Series, free of charge! The popular concert series showcases outstanding musical entertainment at exciting venues throughout our community. Join us!
ENSEMBLE
CONCERT DATE
TIME
Friday, November 8, 2019
7:30 PM
First Baptist Church 1000 West Friendly Avenue
Wednesday, November 13, 2019
7:30 PM
Van Dyke Performance Space 200 North Davie Street
Friday, November 15, 2019
7:30 PM
Christ United Methodist Church 410 North Holden Road
Saturday, November 16, 2019
7:30 PM
Dana Auditorium, Guilford College 5800 West Friendly Avenue
Sunday, February 16, 2020
3 PM
Van Dyke Performance Space 200 North Davie Street
Sunday, March 1, 2020
3 PM
Lindley Recreation Center 2907 Springwood Drive
Greensboro Concert Band Kiyoshi Carter, Conductor
Saturday, March 21, 2020
7:30 PM
Dana Auditorium, Guilford College 5800 West Friendly Avenue
Greensboro Tarheel Chorus Carol Stephenson, Conductor
Friday, April 24, 2020
7:30 PM
Christ United Methodist Church 410 North Holden Road
Greensboro Youth Jazz Ensemble Matt Reid, Conductor
Sunday, April 26, 2020
3 PM
Choral Society of Greensboro Jon Brotherton, Conductor
Friday, May 1, 2020
7:30 PM
Greensboro Brass Ensemble & Greensboro Trombone Ensemble Kiyoshi Carter, Conductor & Larry Porter, Conductor
Sunday, May 3, 2020
3 PM
Philharmonia of Greensboro Peter Perret, Conductor
Friday, May 8, 2020
7:30 PM
Dana Auditorium, Guilford College 5800 West Friendly Avenue
Wednesday, May 13, 2020
7:30 PM
Van Dyke Performance Space 200 North Davie Street
Friday, May 15, 2020
7:30 PM
Dana Auditorium, Guilford College 5800 West Friendly Avenue
Choral Society of Greensboro Jon Brotherton, Conductor Greensboro Percussion Ensemble with Special Guests: NC A&T University Percussion Ensemble
Mike Lasley, Conductor Philharmonia of Greensboro Peter Perret, Conductor Greensboro Concert Band Kiyoshi Carter, Conductor Greensboro Big Band - Sweet Sound Valentine’s Dance includes dancing and music
Mike Day, Conductor Philharmonia of Greensboro - Pillow Pops Concert with Special Guests: Dance Project: the School at City Arts
Peter Perret, Conductor
Greensboro Percussion Ensemble Mike Lasley, Conductor Greensboro Concert Band Kiyoshi Carter, Conductor
LOCATION
Trinity Church 5200 West Friendly Avenue Christ United Methodist Church 410 North Holden Road Trinity Church 5200 West Friendly Avenue
For details about the concert programs: www.gsomusiccenter.com 336-373-2549 • music@greensboro-nc.gov • www.facebook.com/gsocityarts New, unwrapped toys are being collected for FOX8 Gifts for Kids.
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Simple Life fleeting encounters with ordinary people and moments that have become familiar hallmarks of Jack’s homegrown filmmaking style. A year after he made Elephants in the Room, his more ambitious and technically refined film about a pioneering rural health care organization in India got shown at a World Health Organization gathering in Paris. His sophomore achievement ultimately landed him a job at one of the top documentary houses before he went on to graduate school at Columbia, met his wife and began a promising career as an independent filmmaker. I saw a nice change in my son after he came down from that sacred mountain: a fresh resolve, a clearer mind. During our recent phone chat from Israel, I asked if he ever thinks about his climb to the mountaintop on that winter morning in Sri Lanka. “I do,” he replied. “When I got back to Elon, I started to learn about meditation and developed a different attitude about what I was doing. I still think about that climb from time to time. It was an experience that stays with you.” We also talked about the last really challenging hike we took together, a grueling hike up Mount Katahdin with his Scout troop. I was 50 at the time. Jack was 13. Truthfully, I’d convinced myself that I was in excellent shape for a 50-year-old Eagle Scout. But I never made it to the top. My dodgy knees gave out a thousand feet below the summit, prompting me to rest my weary legs at the ranger station beside Chimney Pond while Jack and his teenage buddies scampered up Cathedral Trail to the summit. As I contentedly waited, a passage from James Salter’s beautiful novel Light Years came to mind. “Children are our crop, our fields, our earth. They are birds let loose into darkness. They are errors renewed. Still, they are the only source from which may be drawn a life more successful, more knowing than our own. Somehow they will do one thing, take one step further, they will see the summit. We believe in it, the radiance that streams from the future, from days we will not see.” Above it all, as we watched the chilly sunrise from the top of Beech Mountain, my old friend Patrick simply smiled and nodded when I mentioned this. OH Contact Editor Jim Dodson at jim@thepilot.com.
2511 Oakcrest Ave, Greensboro, NC 27408 www.gsodentist.com
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20 O.Henry
November 2019
You can see Jack’s work at www.JackDodson.net and The Elephant in the Room at: https://vimeo. com/30460629
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
Everyone here at Building Dimenions would like to give
Thanks to our amazing customers and hope you all enjoy this Holiday season!
By truly partnering with our clients for over 19 years, we’ve set a high standard for quality in everything we do. You can expect consistent, continuous, honest communications, and together, we’ll create a stunning and exceptionally sound home. With Building Dimensions, you’re always part of the team.
336-644-0028 BuildingDimensionsNC.com
Short Stories Fair Play
It wouldn’t be November in the Triad without the Piedmont Craftsmen’s Fair. Now in its 56th year, the fair celebrates the culmination of a year of creations by a selective group of craftsmen who are each juried by fellow artisans before being admitted to the guild. The event has grown to become one of the Southeast’s largest fairs — and one of the nation’s most respected venues for one-of-a-kind, handcrafted goods. So come out on November 23 and 24 to the Benton Convention Center in downtown Winston-Salem (301 W. Fifth St.) and peruse at the embarrassment of riches from homegrown talent: painting, sculpture, woodworking, jewelry, textiles, glass, among other media, not to mention demonstrations of wheelthrowing, paper cutting, basket weaving and more. For information: (336) 725-1516 or visit piedmontcraftsmen.org.
Yo! Ho! Ho!
“Fifteen men on a dead man’s chest . . .” Shiver me timbers! Grab your eye patch, polish your sabre — or it’s Davy Jones’ locker for you! — and head to Kernersville Little Theatre’s production of Treasure Island. All of the colorful, swashbuckling characters conjured in the Robert Louis Stevenson’s children’s’ classic — Jim Hawkins, Billy Bones, Israel Hands, Blind Pew, Anne Bonney and of course, Long John Silver — will thrill, frighten and delight in their quest to find buried loot. Performances take place at various times from November 15 through 24 at Fitzpatrick Auditorium, Kernersville Elementary School, 512 West Mountain Street, Kernersville. Tickets: (336) 993-6556 or brownpapertickets.com.
22 O.Henry
November 2019
Oy to the World!
Nosh on bagels with lox and schmear (cream cheese), “juicy” pastrami on rye, homemade matzoh-ball soup . . . with Moses, Abraham and other biblical characters as your hosts. As its organizers assert: “You don’t have to be Jewish to enjoy Temple Emanuel’s Jewish Festival.” And what Goy wouldn’t love and jewelry exhibits by artists and craftsmen, rousing music by the Sinai Mountain Ramblers and The Ruach (“The Spirit”), interactive Israeli dance sessions, not to mention a tour of the Temple and kids’ activities? So stop by 1129 Jefferson Road on November 3 between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. for some schmoozing — and a good time. Info: gsojfest.org.
Tea-ching Tool
Thanks to a near half-a-milliondollar grant from the National Park Service, the North Carolina Division of Natural and Cultural Resources will be able to restore the teahouse on the grounds of the Charlotte Hawkins Brown Museum, formerly the Alice Freeman Palmer Institute (6136 Burlington Road, Sedalia). From the time Brown founded it in 1902 until its closing in 1971, Palmer was highly regarded as a school for African-American youth. And the teahouse (the school’s popular canteen, bookstore and student hangout) was also ground zero for teaching all-important handson business skills. Each year it was run for a short stint by would-be student entrepreneurs. Appropriately, the renovated teahouse will sustain Brown’s pioneering tenet that education ought to result in a life long improvement in students’ lives. Info: https://historicsites.nc.gov/all-sites/ charlotte-hawkins-brown-museum.
Helping Hearts
Spread the love by attending Cone Health’s third annual Heart and Vascular Patient Care Fund Benefit, which will be held at 7 p.m. on November 8 at Cadillac Service Garage (304 E. Market St.). And no, the money raised at the gala doesn’t go toward a new hospital wing, administrative costs or esoteric fields of research — all worthy endeavors to be sure. Rather, it directly supports cardiac patients who lack the financial resources to cover the full costs of their care, whether food, shelter or prescriptions. To purchase a ticket, or donate to the fund please visit conehealth. com/givingheart. The Art & Soul of Greensboro
Food of the Gods
And for once, we’re not referring to beer or wine but something just as intoxicating: chocolate. Take a global tutorial on the planet’s varieties of this precious delicacy from Robert Wallace of Wonderland Chocolate, purveyor of bars sourced from India, Fiji, Tanzania and Bolivia. On November 18 at 6:30 p.m., he’ll be presiding over an Adult Cooking class (for ages 21 and up) at Greensboro Children’s Museum (220 North Church Street), teaching you how homely cocoa beans are transformed into the rich, gooey, melty, head-swimming, knee-weakening treat we all know and love. Best of all? You’ll get to pour your own chocolate bar to take home with you — presuming you don’t devour it en route. To register: gcmuseum.com.
Ogi Sez Ogi Overman
Strokes of Genius
By who else? North Carolina’s painter William Mangum. Ever experimenting, Mangum introduces a series of new acrylic landscapes, rendered in a softer, slightly more diffuse brush, as well as some contemporary works that have emerged from the artist’s imagination. Join him on November 20 at 4 p.m. or November 21 at 11 a.m. at William Mangum Studio (303 W. Smith St.) for a tour and a gander at more than 50 origninal paintings. Info: williammangumstudio.com.
Road Master
The esteemed editor of this magazine will be discussing the subject that’s been a lifelong obsession: the Great Wagon Road. That’s right: On November 18 at 10 a.m. Greensboro History Museum (130 Summit Ave.) hosts O.Henry’s own Jim Dodson, who will regale folks with tales of scholars, re-enactors and other characters familiar with the twists and turns, the hills and vales of the primary route taken by early settlers from the port of Philadelphia through Lancaster and York into the Shenandoah Valley down the Blue Ridge Mountains to the backcountry of Virginia and North Carolina — through our own backyard — ending at the Savannah River in Augusta Georgia. Info: (336) 373-2043 or greensborohistory.org.
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
Many of us try to give thanks year-round, but it doesn’t hurt to have an official annual celebration (this year on the 28th). Somewhere on my things-to-be-thankful-for list is always the plethora of musical happenings in our town and region. And this trip around the sun has been no exception, as you shall see.
• November 2, Piedmont Hall: The old Canada Dry bottling plant, now a part of the Coliseum Complex, is starting to pay big-time dividends, as in Elvis Costello, no less. Having another sweet venue in the neighborhood is cause for celebration in itself, but kicking it off with Elvis — OMG! • November 7, Blind Tiger: Would it be hyperbolic to call Eric Gales the greatest guitarist to come along since Hendrix? Well, he’s already been called that by many notable critics. And not just because he’s left-handed. Hold onto your hats, brothers and sisters, he’s the real deal and then some. • November 7, Carolina Theatre: If you could read my mind, you’d know how happy I am that Gordon Lightfoot’s show has been rescheduled. Take the carefree highway downtown and try to by get there by sundown, just in case there’s an early morning rain. • November 23, Greensboro Coliseum: If Miranda Lambert is not the hottest female country vocalist around, I’m not sure who is. And by “hot” we don’t mean just looks. Nine consecutive ACM Female Vocalist of the Year awards (passing Reba), two CMA Album of the Year awards (the first woman to do so), and two Grammys speaks for itself. • November 24, High Point Theatre: Some years ago I interviewed John Berry, as he was launching his first Christmas Tour. This year marks his 22nd. I also did a column on the Top Five Male Country Voices, in terms of pure operatic, classical quality. Among them was John Berry. Believe it.
November 2019
O.Henry 23
T H E N U TC R AC KE R Bringing the Holiday Spirit to Life
UNCSA Stevens Center Winston-Salem, NC December 13, 7:30 p.m. | December 14, Noon & 5:30 p.m. December 15, 2 p.m. | December 18-21, 7:30 p.m. December 21-22, 2 p.m.
uncsa.edu/nutcracker 24 O.Henry November 2019
(336) 721-1945
Experience a magical world where snow dances, angels appear and toys pirouette. Featuring a full symphony orchestra, world-class guest artists and UNCSA dancers, “The Nutcracker” is a Winston-Salem tradition you’ll never forget. Photo By Peter J. Mueller
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
Doodad
Great Leaps Forward NC Dance Festival brings innovative steps to its 29th season
W R I G H T S V I L L E
B E A C H
GOOD TIMES ON THE WATER
T
wenty-nine years ago, Jan Van Dyke wanted to broaden the horizons of her dance students at UNCG. With the help of colleagues from Duke University, she invited artists from outside Greensboro to launch the North Carolina Dance Festival. For the first couple of years, only UNCG and Duke participated, but interest in the project grew quickly, and the festival started expanding into other areas. “We had sites in Boone at Appalachian State, in Charlotte at UNCC, in Wilmington and Asheville, and [Raleigh’s] Meredith College became a site as well for many years,” says Anne Morris, executive director of Dance Project, Inc., presenters of the festival. A variety of artists representing a myriad of dance styles were selected, but by 2017, the presenters decided to change up the festival a bit to encompass the burgeoning dance scene developing outside the colleges. “We saw that the artists were starting to make works that were more suited for smaller venues or nontraditional performance spaces than just the large proscenium spaces we were presenting on in the colleges and universities,” Morris explains. “So in 2017, we worked the festival into all community sites and we’re self-producing all of our shows at this point.” Each of the nine choreographers at the two-day festival will have from seven to 15 minutes to strut their stuff in modern and contemporary dance. “It really is a snapshot of the dance activity all across the state,” Morris adds. Among the selected groups in this year’s festival (November 8 and 9) is Winston-Salem’s Kira Blazek Ziaii’s quartet for women, “Keep It Together,” touted for its humor and sweeping legwork. Morris interprets that as “slightly more literal ways of looking at [how] women are connected and keep things together.” The troupe incorporates humor and standup comedy into the performance. “They have athletic partnerings; they have moments where they’re dancing in high heels,” Morris notes. Greensboro’s Christine Bowen Stevens’ original presentation is a collaboration with a lighting designers. Hanging custom light fixtures from the top of the stage, the act achieves cutting-edge look. “It has an almost industrial futuristic feel to it, and the group work is very sharp, very tightly constructed,” Morris says. The fest will also do a free daytime performance in the Van Dyke performance space on November 8, inviting Guilford County dance educators to bring their students, with four choreographers presenting, with a Q and A afterwards. “We did it last year and had 250 students ranging from elementary to high school,” Morris says. She also points to another innovative twist, an art gallery as performance space: “It allows the audience to get really close to the dance, to have a different relationship to it than you can have in a more traditional theater setting.” OH — Grant Britt Info: danceproject.org The Art & Soul of Greensboro
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Life’s Funny
By Maria Johnson
They just kept coming, those ugly-as-sin, violence-prone Barbarians called Orcs. We’d chop down one wave of them, and before you knew it, here’d come another line, rushing our peaceful, law-abiding, walled-off village on a hill.
Then we — meaning my 22-year-old son and I, who were posted on towers — would rain arrows down on them while they hurled axes at us. It was all in good fun until one of their axes came helicoptering, thwap-thwapthwap, for my head. I hit the dirt. Hard. Right onto the padded floor of my booth at Dimensional Drop, a virtual reality arcade that opened in Greensboro earlier this year. Co-owner Christine Werner rushed over to help me up. She adjusted the headset that fed me the sights and sounds of the game Elven Assassin, and untangled me from the wired controller in each hand. “Did they get me?” I asked. “Yeah, I’m afraid so.” “Am I dead?” “Yeah.” “Dammit. Can I play again?” “Sure.” “Let’s go,” I said, brushing off an aching right hip. The next onslaught of Orcs didn’t stand a chance. “Whoa,” said my son through the headset. “You shredded them.” “Mama don’t play,” I said. Actually, I was playing because, as I learned years ago, when your kid asks you to join him in a game, you do it. Even if he dunks on you then accuses you of flagrantly fouling him, which, of course you did. Even if he aces you with the serve you taught him. Cold. Even if he knocks your block off in boxing. More on that later. My son already had tried virtual reality gaming with friends, and they’d had a blast. Plus, he said sweetly, VR gaming was easier than console gaming, a notso-veiled reference to my long-ago, wreckage-strewn experiment with the Grand Theft Auto. Too many buttons, not enough neurons. So off we went to Dimensional Drop, the brainchild of 34-year-old Brian Doyle, his wife Christine Werner, and Doyle’s childhood friend Marc Colaco, a urologist who figured there weren’t enough ways to scare the pee out of people. Just a guess. Actually, the trio figured that technology had finally caught up to VR gaming, an immersive experience that puts you inside the game as a character. Brian remembers going into a virtual gaming pod at Disneyland’s Epcot Center in the early 1990s. “It was glitchy, and there was a delay in the feedback,” he says. “If you tilted your head, it took a second for the picture to follow you. It made you nauseous.” Today, computer processors are a bajillion times stronger, which means that The Art & Soul of Greensboro
when you move your head in a virtual reality game, the scenery moves with you smoothly. “Graphics cards only recently became capable of this kind of bruteforce power,” says Brian, adding that VR parlors are mushrooming nationwide. Dimensional Drop, which opened in February, was Greensboro’s second virtual reality arcade. A third, VR Dimensions, opened shortly afterward. The pioneer shop, Shift, was open for three years before closing recently. To shore up its chances of survival, Dimensional Drop aims for a wide swath of customers, not just the young men that dominate console gaming. Christine, a digital project manager for Bassett Furniture, built a user-friendly website that explains the 65 games customers can chose from. She also called most of the design shots in the open-concept arcade, where playing booths are separated by fabric dividers, cutting down on possibility of injuries and drywall repairs. The team built the dividers themselves. “We MacGyvered the whole place,” says Brian, referring to the TV character who used resourceful fixes to carry out government missions. Brian says most of their customers are young couples looking for a fun date night. Kids’ birthday parties are starting to fill up the weekends, though the arcade waves off children younger than 6 years old. “We feel like under 6 has a hard enough time with reality anyhow,” says the website (dimensionaldrop.com). The best VR players tend to be hard-core console gamers and, because the games reward intuitive movement, people with no experience, Brian says. He recalls a family who came in recently: a grandfather, his son and two grandchildren. Pops, who’d held nary a controller but who’d been an archer in his younger days, outplayed everyone in Elven Assassin. Full disclosure: I’m that mom who loathes violent video games, especially shooter games. Training your mind to kill, even if it’s pretend, is still training your mind to kill. That’s what I always said, anyway, until my son and I moved onto Arizona Sunshine, which put us in an abandoned mine shaft with zombies that I promptly riddled with bullets. Like I’m going to stand there and be devoured by walkers. Finally, we played the boxing game Creed, based on the Rocky movies. We donned our virtual gloves. The kid was Creed. I was Mr. T. because I pity the fool who hits his mama. And yet, that’s what he did. I fought back furiously. “Mom,” my son said calmly through his headset. “What?” I said, panting. “Kicking doesn’t work in this game,” he said. OK, fine. I went toddler on him, both fists churning like paddle wheelers. For some reason, he won. That’s OK. It was a good time. I’m virtually sure I’d go back. OH Maria Johnson is a contributing editor of O.Henry. She can be reached at ohenrymaria@gmail.com. November 2019
O.Henry 27
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The Art & Soul of Greensboro
The Omnivorous Reader
The Transformation of a University Two presidents elevate an institution
By D.G. Martin
Looking back 100
years to the situation at the University of North Carolina at the end of World War I might give a little comfort to current-day supporters of its successors, the University of North Carolina System and the campus at UNC-Chapel Hill.
The system is looking for a new president to replace former President Margaret Spellings, who left March 1, and for the acting president, Bill Roper, who plans to step down not later than the middle of next year. Meanwhile, UNC-Chapel Hill is searching for a new chancellor to replace Carol Folt, who departed Jan. 15. Both Spellings and Folt had been unable to work out a good relationship with the university system’s board of governors and the legislature. In 1919, the university’s situation was, arguably, even more severe. It was reeling from the recent death of its young and inspirational president, Edward Kidder Graham, and facing the challenges of dealing with an inadequate and worn-out set of campus buildings, along with a post-war explosion of enrollees. Meeting those challenges became the responsibility of Graham’s successor, Harry Woodburn Chase. Graham had been UNC’s president from 1913, when he was named acting president, until his death in 1918, a victim of the flu epidemic that scorched the nation at the end of World War I. The Coates University Leadership Series published by UNC Libraries recently released Fire and Stone: The Making of the University of North Carolina under Presidents Edward Kidder Graham and Harry Woodburn Chase. The book’s author, Greensboro’s Howard Covington, explains how the “fire” of Graham and the “stone” of his successor, Chase, transformed UNC from a quiet liberal arts institution into a respected university equipped to provide an academic experience that prepared students to participate in a growing commercial, industrial, and agricultural New South. At the time Graham became president, approximately 1,000 students were enrolled. The campus consisted primarily of a few buildings gathered around the South Building and Old Well. Classrooms and living quarters were crowded and in bad condition. In his brief time as president, the youthful and charismatic Graham pushed the university to reach out across the state. Speaking at churches, alumni gatherings, farmers’ groups and wherever a place was open to him, he preached
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that universities should help identify the state’s problems and opportunities, and then devote its resources to respond to them. He coined the phrase “The boundaries of the university should be ‘coterminous’ with the boundaries of the state.” These words came from a University Day speech by Graham, although he used the term “coextensive” rather than “coterminous.” Leaders and supporters of the university often use this language to embrace a wider partnership with the entire state. He traveled throughout the state and delivered moving speeches about the role of education in improving the lives of North Carolinians. Graham’s ambitious plans to transform the university were interrupted by World War I when the campus and its programs were, at first, disrupted and then commandeered by the military. His death shortly after the war ended left the university without a magnetic and motivational figure to carry out his plans and vision. That task fell upon Henry Chase, a native of Massachusetts, who had gained Graham’s trust as a teacher and talented academic leader. Although he did not have Graham’s charisma, Chase had something else that made him an appropriate successor to the visionary Graham. He had an academic background, and a talent for recruiting faculty members who supported Graham’s and Chase’s vision for a university equipped to serve the state and gain recognition as a leading institution. Chase had the plans, but lacked sufficient resources from the state. However, he had an energetic organizer in the form of Frank Porter Graham, a cousin of Ed Graham and a junior faculty member. In 1921, Frank Graham helped mobilize the university’s friends that Ed Graham had inspired. Covington writes, “The campaign had been flawless. The state had never seen such an uprising of average citizens who had come together so quickly behind a common cause. Earlier rallies around education had been directed from the top down, with a political figure in the lead. This time, the people were ahead of their political leaders, who eventually came on board.” Chase took advantage of the public pressure on the legislature to secure the resources to expand the campus. He organized and found support for university programs that included the graduate and professional training needed to serve the public throughout the state, as Ed Graham had hoped. By 1930, when Chase left UNC to lead the University of Illinois, the UNC campus had more than doubled in size, and the student body approached 3,000, including 200 graduate students. His successor was Frank Graham. Chase’s ride to success had been a bumpy one. For instance, in 1925, about the time of the Scopes-evolution trial in Tennessee, Chase faced a similar uprising in North Carolina from religious leaders who attacked the university because some science instructors were teaching Darwin’s theory of evolution. The state legislature considered and came close to passing a law to proNovember 2019
O.Henry 29
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Omnivorous Reader
hibit teaching of evolution. During the hearings on the proposal, one such professor, Collier Cobb, planned to attend to explain and defend Darwin’s theories. Covington writes that Chase told Cobb to stay in Chapel Hill because “it would be better for me to be the ‘Goat,’ if one is necessary on that occasion than for a man who is known to be teaching evolution to be put into a position where he might have to defend himself.” Chase respectfully told the committee that he was not a scientist. Rather, he was an educator and he could speak on the importance of the freedom of the mind. He also countered the proposal by emphasizing the point that Christianity was at the university’s core. His strong defense of freedom of speech gained him admiration of the faculty and many people throughout the state. But his defense of freedom was not absolute. He could be practical. When Cobb wrote a book about evolution and the newly organized UNC Press planned to publish it, Chase vetoed the idea. He explained that the book “would be regarded by our enemies as a challenge thrown down and by our friends as an unnecessary addition to their burdens.” Chase explained, “The purposes for which we must contend are so large, and the importance of victory so great, that I think we can well afford for the moment to refrain from doing anything, when no matter of principles is involved, that tends to raise the issue in any concrete form, or which might add to the perplexities of those who will have to be on the firing line for the University during these next few months.” Chase’s pragmatic handling of a delicate situation showed how academic leaders, perhaps all leaders, sometimes have to temper their principles in the interest of achieving their goals. Covington writes that Chase “took the flame that Graham had ignited and used it to build a university and move it into the mainstream of American higher education.” Without Ed Graham’s fire and Chase’s stone, UNC would not have become what it is today, one of the most admired universities in the country. Robert Anthony, curator of the North Carolina Collection at UNC-Chapel Hill’s Wilson Library, asserts that there is a wider lesson. He writes, “In this thoughtful, skillfully written examination of the University and its two leaders during the earliest decades of the 20th century, Howard Covington reminds us that individuals with vision and determination can make a difference.” OH D.G. Martin hosts North Carolina Bookwatch Sunday at 11 a.m. and Tuesday at 5 p.m. on UNC-TV. The program also airs on the North Carolina Channel Tuesday at 8 p.m. To view prior programs go to http:// video.unctv.org/show/nc-bookwatch/episodes/ The Art & Soul of Greensboro
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O.Henry 31
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Scuppernong Bookshelf
Hey, Good-Lookin,’ Whatcha Got Cookin’? ’Tis the season for cookbooks
Compiled by Brian Lampkin
Country Living magazine published a
study a few years ago that tried to measure which country does the most home cooking. At the top of the list with over 13 hours a week were India and Ukraine. (It’s so good for Ukraine to have some positive publicity every once in a while.) The United States wound up just below the average of 6.5 hours with a total of 5.9 hours each week. Perhaps the books below will help you find your way to more time in the kitchen. It’s cheaper, healthier, and, with the right amount of wine, probably more fun than eating out every night. And the tips are better. November provides a bounty of new cooking books:
November 5: Lateral Cooking: One Dish Leads to Another, by Niki Segnit (with an introduction by Yotam Ottolenghi) (Bloomsbury, $40). Niki Segnit used to follow recipes to the letter, even when she’d made a dish a dozen times. But as she tested the combinations that informed her previous work, The Flavor Thesaurus, she detected the basic rubrics that underpinned most recipes. Lateral Cooking offers these formulas, which, once readers are familiar with them, will prove infinitely adaptable. November 5: Pastry Love: A Baker’s Journal of Favorite Recipes, by Joanne Chang (Houghton Mifflin, $40). James Beard award–winning baker Joanne Chang is best known around the country for her eight acclaimed Flour bakeries in Boston. Chang has published two books based on the offerings at Flour, such as her famous sticky buns, but Pastry Love is her most personal and comprehensive book yet. Nothing makes Chang happier than baking and sharing treats with others, and that passion comes through in every recipe, such as Strawberry Slab Pie, Mocha Chip Cookies and Malted Chocolate Cake. The recipes start off easy such as Lemon Sugar Cookies and build up to showstoppers like Passion Fruit Crepe Cake. The book also includes master lessons and essential techniques for making pastry cream, lemon curd, puff pastry, and more, all of which make this book a must-have for beginners and expert home bakers alike. November 5: The Pacific Northwest Seafood The Art & Soul of Greensboro
Cookbook: Salmon, Crab, Oysters, and More, by Naomi Tomky (Countryman Press, $27.95). For thousands of years, the abundance of fish and shellfish in the Pacific Northwest created a seafood paradise for the indigenous peoples hunting and gathering along the region’s pristine waterways, and, later, for the Chinese, Scandinavian, Filipino and Japanese immigrants (along with many others), who have made this region home. Drawing on these diverse influences, the region fostered a cuisine that is as varied as its people, yet which remains specifically Northwestern. November 5: Jubilee: Recipes from Two Centuries of African-American Cooking: A Cookbook, by Toni Tipton-Martin (Clarkson Potter, $35). Toni TiptonMartin, the first African-American food editor of a daily American newspaper, is the author of the James Beard Award–winning The Jemima Code, a history of African-American cooking found in the lines of three centuries’ worth of African-American cookbooks. Tipton-Martin builds on that research in Jubilee, adapting recipes from those historic texts for the modern kitchen. What we find is a world of African-American cuisine — made by enslaved master chefs, free caterers, and black entrepreneurs and culinary stars — that goes far beyond soul food. It’s a cuisine that was developed in the homes of the elite and middle class; that takes inspiration from around the globe; that is a diverse, varied style of cooking that has created much of what we know of as American cuisine. November 12: Joy of Cooking: 2019 Edition Fully Revised and Updated, by Irma Rombauer, et al. (Scribner, $40). I know, I know: AGAIN! The 75th Anniversary edition came out in 2006, and this new edition promises “an expansive revision based on the celebrated 1975 edition, restoring the voice of the original authors and returning the focus to home-style American cooking.” I was recently at an estate sale at which the deceased collector had over 30 Joy of Cooking editions, so I know there’s no stopping you. You’ll get the new one. November 26: An Unofficial Harry Potter Fan’s Cookbook: Spellbinding Recipes for Famished Witches and Wizards, by Aurélia Beaupommier (Racehorse, $19.99). From cauldron cakes and chocolate frogs to everyday meals in the Weasley household, one of the most spectacular aspects of Harry Potter is the food. Now with this fantastical cookbook, you can create breakfast, entrees, desserts and drinks inspired by some of your favorite aspects of the Harry Potter universe. And then bring your creations to the Scuppernong Yule Ball Harry Potter Party on Saturday, December 14 at 7 p.m.! OH Brian Lampkin is one of the proprietors of Scuppernong Books. November 2019
O.Henry 33
ANTA S FOR SENIORS PROGRAM
DONATION DROP OFF Donations of canned foods, toiletry items, puzzle books, blankets, hats, scarves and gloves can be dropped off at Senior Resources of Guilford’s main office at 1401 Benjamin Parkway in Greensboro. Donations will be accepted until December 23rd.
This program provides Christmas gifts to older adults throughout Guilford County who participate in Senior Resources of Guilford’s Meals on Wheels, Community Nutrition, Refugee Outreach and Case Assistance Programs.
MEALS ON WHEELS PORTABLE PET PROVISIONS PROGRAM Provides pet food to Meals on Wheels clients with either a pet dog or cat. Donations of Purina brand dog and cat food, as well as monetary donations are needed. Volunteer opportunities are also available to help bag and distribute the pet food. Contact (336) 373-4816 for more information. 1401 Benjamin Parkway Greensboro, NC 27408 336-373-4816 Fax: 336-373-4922
EVERGREENS Lifestyle Center All events are held at 1401 Benjamin Parkway in Greensboro.
Cardio Drumming- Every Wednesday at 12:45 Kindermusik Bridges Program- First Thursday of each month at 9:15 Day trips, clubs, volunteer opportunities and more are available each day. Contact us today to find out how you can get involved!
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34 O.Henry
November 2019
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
Drinking with Writers
Full Circle
In praise of the underdog, screenwriter Nick Basta takes on the charmed life of legend Yogi Berra
By Wiley Cash • Photographs by Mallory Cash
In the fourth grade, Nick Basta
loved two things: Yankees baseball and making his buddies laugh. While he enjoyed being on the diamond, he caught the acting bug when he made his friends laugh by impersonating the woman in the Enjoli perfume commercial (“I can bring home the bacon/Fry it up in a pan.”).
Flash-forward a few decades and he is walking the red carpet alongside movie stars like Cynthia Arivo and Janelle Monáe. “I started out just wanting to make people laugh, to make them feel good,” Nick says. “And I kept going.” Nick has kept going over the years, and he is a long way from the snickers of his fellow Catholic schoolboys back in upstate New York. We are sitting at a corner table at Slice of Life in downtown Wilmington, drinking Pinner IPAs and eating pizza in the middle of a Monday afternoon when Nick lists all the cities where he has lived and worked over the years: New Orleans, Boston, New York, Wilmington, places just as diverse as his acting roles, but in each city Nick has managed to carve out a career on stage and on the screen. He attended college at SUNY Alfred, where he majored in ceramics and where acting kept getting in the way. He appeared in plays like Our Town and worked with an improv group. After college he moved to New Orleans to pursue a music career, but the stage called him there too. He met his wife, Joey, when they appeared opposite one another in a play titled Once in a Lifetime.
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
“Was it scandalous?” I ask. “The two leads meeting on set, dating, getting married?” Nick laughs. “No, it wasn’t scandalous,” he says. “Nobody noticed. There were 25 people in the cast, and some nights there weren’t even that many people in the audience.” He found his way to the big screen in New Orleans as well, and he received his Screen Actors’ Guild card after a speaking part in his first feature film, Tempted, starring Burt Reynolds. Ceramics, music: Nick had done his best to pursue something other than acting, but now he decided to focus on it. He and Joey moved north to Boston, where he enrolled at Harvard. “What was it like being in acting school after being on the stage for so many years?” I ask. Nick smiles, takes a sip of his beer. “It was the hardest thing I’d ever done,” he says. “Seventy hours a week of speech, movement, Shakespeare, appearing in several shows at once.” He pauses for a moment as if recalling the grueling years of graduate school. “At least it was the hardest thing I’d ever done until I moved to New York City.” After six years in New York, where Nick worked as an actor and Joey worked as an agent, they decided to look south after giving birth to their daughter. They heard about a small coastal city in North Carolina where Hollywood had taken root. They moved to Wilmington, where Nick’s first role in a feature film was as “Impatient Bus Customer” in Safe Haven. “The role called for a guy with a Boston accent,” Nick says. “I’d spent all that time at Harvard, so I thought I’d put that Boston accent to use.” Since moving to North Carolina, Nick has worked steadily in film and on television shows like Queen Sugar, True Detective and Under the Dome, November 2019
O.Henry 35
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but he cannot help but be disillusioned by the fact that the industry that brought him to Wilmington now exists as a ghost of itself. “I haven’t shot a movie or a show in North Carolina in six years,” he says. “The industry is what brought us here. A lot of great people left the area and moved to Atlanta and New Orleans. It’s too bad.” While the film business in Nick’s adopted hometown has slowed over the years, the same cannot be said for his acting career. Next year he will appear as Gloria Steinem’s editor in the biopic The Glorias, starring Julianne Moore, Bette Midler and Alicia Vikander. This month he appears in the Harriet Tubman biopic Harriet alongside Cynthia Arivo, Janelle Monáe and Joe Alwyn. As excited as he is to share the screen with such incredible talent in service of such an important historical figure, Nick admits that he is a little nervous about his onscreen persona. “I play a slave trader named Foxx,” he says. “I’m a really bad dude in this movie, and it was hard.” “What do you mean?” “It was just an emotionally tough movie to shoot,” he says. “There were a lot of tears on the set, and I’m not just talking about the actors. Assistant directors and production assistants were crying because of the things that were happening in front of them. But that made it all feel real, and it’s an important film.” Perhaps it is the heaviness of Nick’s last two films and their focus on the lives of heroic, iconoclastic women that has steered him toward the craft of screenwriting, and in the direction of one of the most beloved figures in sports history. Last year, Nick completed a screenplay based on the life of Yankees great Yogi Berra, and he has already secured the rights from the Berra family. “We’re focusing on the 1956 World Series perfect game when Yogi was catching for Don Larsen,” he says. “And we’re calling the movie Perfect, not only because of Larsen’s perfect game, but all because of Yogi’s life; it was perfect.” I ask him if was difficult to write a story about a man who faced very little conflict in what seemed to be a charmed life. “No”, Nick says. “Yogi was the consummate underdog, and no one looked like him or played like him or spoke like him. But he made people feel good. I think we need a movie like that right now.” I picture Nick as that young boy back in New York, doing his best to make his friends feel good. New York, New Orleans, Boston, Wilmington, and now, with the story of Yogi Berra, back to New York, where it all began. OH Wiley Cash lives in Wilmington with his wife and their two daughters. His latest novel, The Last Ballad, is available wherever books are sold.
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The Art & Soul of Greensboro
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O.Henry 37
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November 2019
336. 337 . 5 2 33
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The Art & Soul of Greensboro
True South
Candy Hierarchy All sweets aren’t born equal
By Susan S. Kelly
Did you come by my house on
Halloween? You know, the one with no pumpkin on the stoop, no lights on, and a Grinch upstairs watching Netflix behind the shutters? I loathe Halloween, and with grown children, am now able to confess as much.
I do, however, love candy, and since you’re still picking Nestlé Crunch wrappers from your children’s pockets or out of your dryer lint trap, now seems as good as time as any for a little treatise on the topic. Blaming a parent for obsessions — never mind neuroses — is always convenient. I grew up in an era when mothers thought nothing of buying six packs of candy bars for dessert, the same way they thought nothing of serving syrupy pineapple slices straight from a Del Monte can. Hence my first true love: Black Cow suckers, which, tragically, are nearly impossible to find these days. I like Common Candy. By “common,” I mean common to convenience store aisles. Caramel Creams. Tootsie Rolls. Tootsie Roll Pops. Sugar Daddies. BB Bats. Kits. I like the cheap stuff, the fake stuff. And while my preferences are common, they’re not as common as my husband’s, who’ll actually buy and eat those jellied things called Orange Slices. Again, blame the previous generation. As a child among a dozen first cousins at their lake house, my husband’s grandfather took the passel of them each day to the gas station and let them pick out a piece of candy. If that ain’t cheap entertainment, I don’t know what is, and I plan to do the same thing with my grandchildren as soon as they get enough teeth in their head to rot. One friend has a candy drawer in her kitchen especially for her grandchildren. Now, that falls in the Great Grandparent category, beating Tweetsie Railroad or some old butterfly garden like a drum. Plus, I know where the drawer is. Like Mikey in the old Life cereal advertisements, my husband will eat anything even slightly candy-like, including peppermints. The only people who consider peppermints candy and not breath mints are children with candy canes at Christmas. I had a boarding school friend who ate Mentos like popcorn. I can still see her putting her thumb in the roll and wedging one out. Mentos are not candy. They were precursors to Tic Tacs. Peppermints are desperation candy in the same way that my sister thinks meatloaf is Depression food. Then again, I absolutely love meatloaf, which means that I keep a bowl of peppermints available for my husband. Each to his own tastes. Has anyone ever even eaten a Zero bar but me? It’s a personal process. You peel The Art & Soul of Greensboro
off the waxy white coating with your front teeth, then the fake chocolate nougat, and finally, the peanuts, or almonds or whatever they are, after you dissolve the caramel they’re embedded in. This process may explain why I can’t eat M&Ms. The way I eat M&Ms, after about a dozen, my tongue has started to get raw and cracked, the way it did as a child with Sweet Tarts. Plus, milk chocolate. Eh. Higher up on my candy food chain: Snickers. Milky Way. Mounds. Rolos. 3 Musketeers. Yup. Beneath discussion: marshmallow peanuts and Peeps. Easter candy is a bust in general. Sweet Tarts = not candy. Also not candy: Reese’s cups. Butterfingers. Paydays. Junior Mints. Too much peanut butter, peanuts, and, again, peppermint. Still, in a pinch I’ll eat most of those, the same way you’ll settle for a Fig Newton if there are no real cookies around. Red Hots don’t really qualify as candy either, but they definitely qualify as common. Where else but the place where I get my tires rotated could I find a vending machine that cranks out a handful of Hot Tamales for a quarter? Not a fan of Pixie Stix — why not just buy a packet of Kool-Aid, sprinkle some powder in your palm, and lick it off? — but I’ve always loved those disgusting four-packs of Nik-L-Nips and the oversized wax lips only available at (you guessed it) Halloween. Seeing a pattern here? Clearly, I favor candy with taffy, teeth-pulling textures. Caramels, nougats, taffy itself, fudgy chocolate like a Tootsie Roll, Laffy Taffy. Milk Duds. Bit-O-Honey. Starburst in a pinch. For one birthday, a friend gave me a 12-pack of Sugar Daddys — vastly preferable to Sugar Babies — which I take to the movies. That (literal) sucker lasts the whole movie, especially if you eat the paper stick too, as I do. Nothing better than a spit-and-sugar soaked stick. I totally do not get Skittles, but I’ll buy a Costco jar the size of those things pink pickled eggs are usually found in if it’s filled with Jelly Bellys. But Jolly Ranchers? I’m not much on hard candy. Hard candy is for colonoscopy prep. Fancy-pants products from “chocolatiers” are trying too hard. Just keep your Toblerone and Godiva. Riesens are as upscale as I get. Nor have I ever understood Necco wafers, Pez, or Valentine hearts. Why not just eat chalk? Same thing for those elastic band necklaces strung with pastel candy discs that you eat while wearing it, though I admire the concept. You know that friend with the candy drawer? She keeps all her Halloween candy corn that’s gone rock hard for me. I love the stuff, and candy just doesn’t get any more common. So don’t think poorly of my October 31 antipathy. My attitude concerns the costumes, not the candy. Besides, I just love All Saints Day on November 1. Almost as much as I love Cow Tales. OH Susan S. Kelly is a blithe spirit, author of several novels, and a proud grandmother. November 2019
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November 2019
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The Art & Soul of Greensboro
Gate City Journal
Staying Power in the City
A surprising number of Greensboro’s most beloved restaurants are three decades old and counting . . . and remain choice spots for exceptional food and great conversation
By Billy Ingram
PHOTOGRAPHS BY SAM FROELICH
Looking back 30 years, many of us can recall dining experiences with friends and family at venues that are visited only in unforgettable memories: Jordan’s Steak House, Laredo’s Neon Cactus, Market Street West, The Nicholas, Amalfi Harbour, Equinox, Cellar Anton’s, Saltmarsh Willie’s and Madison’s.
In more recent times, we’ve lost old favorites like Your House, Bill’s Pizza Pub on Gate City Boulevard, Jan’s House and Green’s Supper Club but, if you happen to be in the mood to dine at a restaurant steeped in local history, your choices are surprisingly abundant. Each of these beloved dining rooms has been around for 30 years or more in the same building serving signature dishes prepared the way they were three decades ago. Keep in mind, some are only The Art & Soul of Greensboro
open for two meals a day and others close on weekends. There are many more than worthy candidates in Greensboro that, for limited page space in this magazine, we didn’t get to —Frosty’s Barbecue on Summit, Acropolis, Mayberry Ice Cream on Summit, New York Pizza on Tate, Fisher’s Grill, among others — but be patient; we’ll get to them eventually. For now, bon appétit!
Brightwood Inn
Our area’s oldest eatery sits just outside Greensboro near Whitsett on U.S. Highway 70. The Brightwood Inn is the only place around these parts where Elvis dined, pulling up front in his pink Cadillac on February 15, 1956, a pause between gigs in Burlington and Winston-Salem, and ordering a hamburger with lettuce and tomato and a tall glass of milk. It won’t be hard to locate the booth where The King held a brief but historic audience. It is preserved as a holy shrine. This, by the way, would be one of the last weeks Elvis could relish any sort of anonymity. By summer he was topping the pop charts with songs like “Heartbreak Hotel,” “Blue Suede Shoes” and “Hound Dog.” Brightwood Inn served its first burger in 1950. November 2019
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Gate City Journal Bernie’s Bar-B-Q
Off the beaten path, Bernie’s Bar-B-Q also began life in 1950 — as Beverly’s Bar-B-Cue on Winston-Salem Road (West Market today) before moving to a nondescript cinder block diner built in 1962 at 3002 East Bessemer. When Bernice Truitt purchased the business in 1983, she updated the sign out front and little else. Everything is freshly prepared daily with the kitchen lights flickering on at midnight. The menu is unapologetically spare, concentrating on what they do best in no-nonsense surroundings. Joining me for lunch is photo-illustrator Joe Bemis, who just got back from France where he participated in the momentous 75th anniversary commemoration of D-Day. He was there to chronicle the re-enactment of 82nd Airborne paratroopers descending on the town of Sainte-Mère-Église. T hey accidentally dropped in on a German-occupied town, Joe says of that fateful firefight in 1944. R emember the movie The Longest Day where Private Steele’s parachute gets caught on the church steeple? That’s where I was, in that square.” The service is fast at Bernie’s. Our traditionally prepared “Lexington-style” barbecue arrived in a flash. The tangy pulled pork was paired with some of the best sweet hushpuppies I’ve ever tasted. Between bites, Joe tells me about what he describes as one of the most beautiful sounds he’s ever heard: A column of Sherman tanks rumbling towards him. “One of the soldiers pointed me out saying, ‘C’mon up.’ So I got to sit on one of the Sherman tanks while it was moving through town. With crowds of people all around, it looked like the town was being liberated all over again.” And talk about old-fashioned: Bernie’s Bar-B-Q opens at 6 a.m. every morning, to get the full-working man’s dining experience eat at the lunch counter. 2603 East Bessemer Avenue, Greensboro (336) 274-1256
Brown-Gardiner Fountain
Speaking of lunch counters, in the 1950s and ’60s almost every drug and variety store had one. There’s only one I know of remaining today, inside Brown-Gardiner Drug on North Elm. Their staff has been plating old-fashioned flat-top burgers, breakfast plates loaded with sizzling bacon and sausage and, of course, classic toasted cream-cheese-and-olive sandwiches since 1965 when W. C. Brown and Paul L. Gardiner relocated from a corner spot on East Northwood. Brown-Gardiner’s sprawling luncheonette almost instantly became a favorite neighborhood hangout right from the start. The cafe portion of the store was expanded a decade ago to accommodate new generations seeking comfort food and fountain sodas. As a little girl in the early 1970s, my cousin Berkley fondly recalls her father Berk Ingram carrying her on his shoulders to Brown-Gardiner from their home in nearby Browntown for buttery grilled cheese sandwiches slathered with mayo. You can still get one just like it. 2101 North Elm Street, Greensboro (336) 275-3267 or browngardiner.com
Stamey’s Barbecue
Stamey’s High Point Road (now Gate City Boulevard) was brought to Greensboro in 1953 by C. Warner Stamey, who smoked the competition with what he learned from Lexington’s legendary pitmasters Jess Swicegood and Sid Weaver. The barbecue is and was roasted for hours over a glowing pit of hickory coals then served with a distinctive and rich sweet’n’sour Lexington-style sauce. Warner Stamey, an innovator, was one of the first restaurateurs to offer drive-in, car-hop service, which took a back seat in 1979 when the dining room was modernized and expanded. Warner’s son, Chip, stokes the coals nowadays
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The Art & Soul of Greensboro
Gate City Journal and the barbecue is one of the few for miles around that’s still cooked low and slow over hickory. 2206 West Gate City Boulevard, Greensboro (336) 299-9888 or stameys.com
Lucky 32 Southern Kitchen
Like a comfy pair of slippers, Lucky 32 is always a nice fit for whatever occasion. Or no occasion. Serving familiar favorites with a Southern accent and sourcing local produce and artisanal products, Lucky 32 features a rotating seasonal menu that includes, for fall, Brunswick stew, shrimp and grits, cornbread with pot licker and their renowned collard greens all tangled up with country ham. My noontime mate is Margaret Underwood who, well into her 80s, has retired from a long and varied career spent, for the most part, in the medical science field — nanotechnology technician at Cone Hospital, biologist at Chapel Hill at North Carolina Memorial and serving as a med tech for Dr. Charlton Harris among many other unrelated pursuits. Diving into a divine-looking grilled salmon salad, she paints a picture of a more distant Southern landscape of the early-50s. “I had a science background and I wanted to study medicine at Carolina,” she says. “I talked to the dean of the medical school, Dr. Berryhill, and he said, ‘Margaret, If you do this you’ll be taking the place of some young man who will one day have a family and children to support. And I can see you starting your practice for a few years, then you’ll have a husband and children and you’ll quit the practice. You really shouldn’t do this.’” Undaunted, Margaret ventured over to Cone Hospital to talk with one of their pathologists, Dr. Lund. “He said ‘I’ll tell you what. If you go to UNCG and sign up for my class, if you make one of the top two grades, I’ll let you into our school of nanotechnology at Cone.’” Margaret was class valedictorian. “There was just a small group of us,” she says of the nanotechnology department at Cone in the 1950s. “My picture is still up there in the lab,” she said, savoring the last bit of chocolate chess pie. 1421 Westover Terrace, Greensboro (336) 370-0707 or lucky32.com
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Yum Yum Better Ice Cream
This Greensboro institution began as a downtown pushcart in 1906 operated by founder W. B. Aydelette Sr., who once told his children (who have kept the business going for more than a century), “I dream about ice cream.” Success led to a full-service operation in 1922, called West End Ice Cream Company, which rounded the northwest corner of Spring Garden and Forest. The bargain-priced, ohso-red hot dogs and handmade ice cream quickly became a Woman’s College and neighborhood The Art & Soul of Greensboro
Greensboro Day School Academic Excellence since 1970. Age 2 - grade 12 greensboroday.org | 336.288.8590
November 2019
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Find your Fall FASHION STYLE
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Gate City Journal favorite. Rechristened Yum Yum Better Ice Cream after UNCG expansion forced them to relocate in 1973, the Aydelette family moved across Spring Garden Street, next door to Old Town Draught House. Still stuffing buns with Carolina-style red hots topped with slaw, chili and onions for less than two bucks, Yum Yum entices most folks to finish off their meal with one of its many flavors of ice cream, made on the premises the way it was a century ago. Some things never change. Nor should they. 1219 Spring Garden Street Greensboro (33) 272-8284 or facebook.com/ yumyumbettericecreamandhotdogs/
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November 2019
Burgers are all the rage in Greensboro with Hops Burger Bar and BurgerIM leading the pack when it comes to over-the-top gourmet ground beef concoctions loaded down with exotic toppings such as goat cheese, habanero aioli, sunnyside-up fried eggs, jalapeño bacon and fried green tomatoes. And then there s Beef Burger . . . This funky anachronistic burger joint opened in 1961, originally part of the Biff (Best In Fast Food) Burger chain. While competitors like McDonald’s and Burger Chef were charging 20 cents, Biff Burger sold their standard burger for a penny less. After Biff Burger nationwide went under in the mid-1970s, Ralph Havis decided not to close his franchise. But to be on the safe side, in 1981 he modified the Biff to Beef on the signage, then expanded the menu board to include dozens of unlikely options like zucchini sticks, fried okra, chicken livers and a pretty darn good ribeye sandwich that keeps me coming back. One of only two surviving Biff Burgers preparing a 100 percent authentic Super Burger on one of the chain’s proprietary and original “Roto-Red” rotisserie broilers. When I pointed out to Gavan Holden, lead singer of the rock band Basement Life, that the owner of Beef Burger has won the lottery multiple times with big money payouts, Gavan asks, “Then The Art & Soul of Greensboro
Gate City Journal why doesn’t he spend some of that money fixing this place up?” Heaven forbid! 1040 W. Gate City Boulevard, Greensboro (336) 272-7505 or biff-burger.com/beefburger.htm
The Pavilion
My lunch companion at Pavilion, preparing Italian, Greek and traditional Southern dishes for 35 years on Vandalia, is none other than Joey Barnes, original drummer for the rock band Daughtry, who later enjoyed a successful solo career. He’s currently jamming on tour with The Dickens, this time on keyboards. The guy can literally play any instrument. Coincidentally, Joey’s grandmother lived in the Pinecroft neighborhood when he was a youngster and, like myself, Joey hadn’t dined at Pavilion in two decades. “I’m about to go into the studio to record,” Joey tells me as I pause from popping one after another of the onion straws with ranch dressing appetizer into my mouth. “So all my time outside of The Dickens has been spent in preproduction, doing demos and trying to figure out the sound, the way I want to hear the record.” After years of playing pickup gigs, “I’m exhausted, I’m kinda worn out,” he confesses. “Being creative is the only thing that really keeps me going. The Dickens do so well that I can afford to take a week and focus on being inspired.” And tucking into a plate of the Pavilion’s spaghetti pepperoni. Joining the conversation, Manager Phillip Nixon to discusses the history behind Pavilion. “My Dad [Steve Nixon], in the ’60s, started with a little place called The Flamenco at Golden Gate Shopping Center,” he explains. “It got very popular so he grew that location. Next thing you know he has two or three more locations and a little frozen food company.” Expansion happened a little too quickly, “Eventually we found this location here and we kind of started over again. Mom has passed away, but myself, Mom and Dad worked together here and it clicked.” Steve Nixon remains involved with the day-to-day operations. The menu is expansive with everything from roast leg of lamb to flaming shish kebab. Fans of the old Flamenco may recognize many of the entrees. Me, I couldn’t resist the ribeye steak (amazing seasoning) with a side of lima beans. Service is personal and attentive thanks to our waitress Sophie. A lot of things in this world aren’t like what they used to be, including the music business, Joey says. “Nobody buys CDs anymore, vinyl has actually surpassed CD sales, but the numbers still aren’t great,” he points out. “And the digital download is probably going to go away too. With every advance in technology musicians get paid less and less.” Meanwhile, at the Pavilion, you can still experience the essence of mid-century Greensboro family dining, one firmly rooted in Greek culture. 2010 W. Vandalia Road, Greensboro (336) 852-1272 or pavilionrestaurant.com
23rd Annual Holiday Benefit
K&W Cafeteria
If there were an antonym for haute cuisine it would be K&W on Northline Avenue. Opening in 1977 to anchor the troubled Forum VI shopping mall (now Signature Place), it was an immediate success. In those days, both lanes leading to the serving line would be packed. Today, one lane snakes down a hallway with nostalgic photos featuring the cafeteria’s storied history. The decor and dedication to serving home-style fare with little flair has barely changed in 42 years. And the prices and value are hard to beat, not to mention dozens of cakes and pies calling your name as you near the check out. And where else can you find both Waldorf and Watergate salads? 3200 Northline Ave., Greensboro (336) 292-2864 or kwcafeterias.biz
Lox Stock & and Bagel and First Carolina Deli Holding down their cozy nook at the Oakcrest Shopping Center off Battleground since 1977, Lox Stock & Bagel is known for extraordinary
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
November 2019
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Jewelry with
CELEBRATE LIFE
Gate City Journal concoctions like the Belmar (grilled prosciutto, with Swiss and spicy mustard), Double Devil Dogs (Kosher dogs, smothered in melted American cheese, grilled onions and peppers with, of course, spicy mustard), and my fave the Rutherford (rare roast beef, Muenster, horseradish, mustard and tomato on a bialy). Because it’s walkable for me, my go-to delicatessen lately has been First Carolina on Spring Garden, the very embodiment of a genuine New York deli, both in decor and authenticity, since making their first pastrami and rye back in 1985. And did I mention draft beer, an eclectic wine selection and fresh-baked cookies? Lox Stock & Bagel 2439 Battleground Avenue, Greensboro Phone: (336) 288-2894 or loxstockandbagel.net First Carolina Deli 1635 Spring Garden Streew, Greensboro (336) 273-5564 or firstcarolinadeli.com
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November 2019
For reasons unknown to me, it’s been a decade since I’ve been back to Cafe Pasta, it pleases me to say their Italian feasts are as sumptuous and delicately prepared as ever; the ambience thankfully barely altered. Very much like coming home. My dinner guests are musical chanteuse Jessica Mashburn and singer-songwriter Evan Olson, celebrating their upcoming 10th anniversary performing as a duo every Wednesday evening from 7 until 10 p.m. at Print Works Bistro adjacent to Proximity Hotel. They started dating in 2005. “We knew each other for a couple of years through music before we started dating,” Jessica says as she sips a glass of iced tea. “Back when Evan was playing for Walrus and Bus Stop.” They were married in 2009. “Now, our Print Works gig is totally a part of the rhythm of our week,” Jessica tells me as she dips a bite of three-cheese ravioli into savory marinara sauce. A recording artist with eight albums under his belt, Evan has written jingles for a number of commercials. “I wrote one for Hershey’s,” Evan says. “That was my first big one. There was Mercedes Benz M Class when they came out with the SUV.” Now he focuses more on composing songs that get inserted into TV shows and movies like Sex and the City, Law & Order, The Young and the Restless, even Scooby-Doo. Shortly before our tasty antipasto and scrumptious hors d’oeuvres arrive, Cafe Pasta owner Ray Essa stops by to demand curtly, “Sorry sir, we need this table. Goodnight. Thank you for coming.” Turning his furrowed brow into a wide grin, he lets us know he is just kidding and launches into a little history: “We’ve been here 35 years, my brother and I started it,” Ray says. “This used to The Art & Soul of Greensboro
Gate City Journal be two-thirds of the old Star Theatre, the ceiling goes up another 12 feet.” Because the original concrete floor was slanted downward, it had to be built up and leveled. The upper deck at the front of the place was once the movie palace’s balcony. Two things about the food, when Cafe Pasta says their cuisine is classic, creative and fresh, they mean it. And they couldn’t be more accommodating to guests: “We’re one of the few places, you want something cooked special, we’ll do it whether it’s on the menu or not.” “Not only is Ray a restaurateur, he’s an entertainer,” Evan tells us. “You know, he was on The Ed Sullivan Show.” Ray performed as a youngster in a family band not unlike The Partridge Family. “There were eight of us altogether, I was 5 years old,” he recalls. “When I was backstage and saw that little Topo Gigio puppet lying flat, I was devastated. I thought he was dead!” Fender was impressed; they gave young Ray two guitars after the taping. “Then they discovered I wasn’t really any good,” he says. “So they took them back.” Who knows whether he’s kidding or not? As for contemporary entertainment, “We play a little bit of everything from the last 50 years and beyond [at Print Works],” Evan says. “We’ll do anything from The Beatles to Marvin Gaye,” Jessica adds. “I believe people come to see what Jessica is wearing and I’m just the guitarist,” Evan says half joking. “She’s always being creative with her hats, that adds a lot of flair.” 305 State Street, Greensboro (336) 272-1308 or cafepasta.com
Together, we will discover what it means to capture the moments that really matter.
336.621.2500
www.hospicegso.org
2500 Summit Avenue | Greensboro, NC 27405
Remember a loved one in a special way this holiday season.
Church Street Cafe
The oldest continuously run restaurant inside city limits would be Church Street Cafe, formerly known as Church Street Drive-In, a.k.a. What-aBurger. Under new ownership since last year, one wonders if they changed the name of the place after at least two vehicles took the “Drive-In” concept just a little too far by actually plowing directly into the diner, leading to months of repairs. Now they’re back with loyal patrons on Facebook raving about the signature What-A-Burger, served off a flat-top griddle, and the bargain-priced hot dogs. “I’ve been enjoying What-A-Burgers for 56 years,” says one of them, “and I still consider it to be the best burger available anywhere!” 3434 North Church Street, Greensboro (336) 285-7960 or facebook.com/ Church-Street-Cafe-featuring-the-What-ABurger-503610379718988/ OH Billy Ingram would like to point out that, while it’s true that Libby Hill Seafood, Southern Lights, Bill’s Pizza Pub, Tex & Shirley’s, and Darryl’s were all around three decades ago, and remain top-tier, they’re no longer in the original locations.
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
Make a gift of $10 or more to Hospice and Palliative Care of Greensboro’s Light Up A Life program, and your honoree will receive
this beautiful notification card.
Hospice Foundation
of Greater Greensboro
Learn more at www.hospicegso.org/light or call 336.621.2500.
Supporting Hospice and Palliative Care of Greensboro
November 2019
O.Henry 47
THRIVING at Harmony!
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angie.wilkie@allentate.com
www.allentate.com/AngieWilkie
Allen Tate Company’s Top 5% | 2018 Allen Tate Company’s Legends Club
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www.meridithmartens.com The Art & Soul of Greensboro
Birdwatch
Sneaky Beak The street-smart American crow
By Susan Campbell
The crow is an oft-maligned bird, even
feared by some. It is both smart and sneaky. Historically, crows were considered a bad omen: a common familiar of witches. Groups are still referred to as “murders.” Today the species remains the bane of farmers, being a large bird with a big appetite that tends to arrive with “murderous” intent when it comes to their crops.
Our common, year-round crow is the American crow. However, for a good part of the year we also have fish crows in the area. They, too, breed here but move east (and probably south) in the fall in large groups. Interestingly, they are often one of the first migrants to return to the Sandhills by early February. Although not noticeably different, fish crows are a bit smaller than their American cousins and have not a one- but a two-syllable call that is a very nasal “a-ah.” And as their name implies, these birds are drawn to wetter environments where they may feed upon the remains of fish and other aquatic creatures. (Ravens are a bird of a different feather and deserve a whole column of their own one of these days.) Crows are more scavengers than they are predators. Without hesitation, they will take advantage of defenseless young birds and animals, but are more likely to be found picking at prey left by others or feeding on roadkill. They lack talons and the raptorial grip of hawks and owls. Their bills are very strong, however. Crows can bite, tear and dig through a variety of materials. Vision is the one of the sharpest of their senses. In wet habitat, they will seek out female turtles laying eggs and lie in wait until the nest is complete. Even The Art & Soul of Greensboro
though the turtle may carefully rearrange the vegetation or leaf litter to disguise the nest’s location, the crows aren’t fooled and after the female turtle has crawled off, they’ll make a meal of the eggs buried in the soil. Not only do they possess tremendous visual acuity, crows have demonstrated the ability to remember familiar patterns, such as the faces of people who feed them, or, conversely, torment them. In feeding experiments, not only were American crows able to remember where food was hidden, but in what order investigators left a series of treats. They have also been observed using tools: deliberately manipulating sticks with their bills to pry insect prey from cracks and crevices. For large birds, crow nests are well-concealed. In our area, they often use abandoned hawk or squirrel nests. When they do create a nest from scratch, it is most likely a stick-built affair, hidden at the very top of a tall pine. The only hint of its location tends to be parents chasing away intruders. Watch for a soaring hawk that is being harassed or a squirrel being pursued as it makes its way from tree to tree. But finding a nest’s exact spot requires the sharpest of eyes and may take some time, especially after the arrival of the young, prompting parents to make frequent trips in and out of the nest. American crows often gather in loose aggregations to breed. Two or three nests may be close to one another. That results in not only better protection but more eyes on the lookout for food resources. Also, adolescents — young from the previous year — may act as helpers during their first spring. It comes as no surprise that crows tend to be rather successful breeders. With our gardens, henhouses, bird feeders and compost piles, humans are a major source of food for crows. Given their patience and perseverance, they have figured out how to take advantage of us. Maybe the time has come for us to step back and appreciate them for the amazing creatures that they are. OH Susan would love to hear from you. Send wildlife sightings and photos to susan@ncaves.com. November 2019
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THE BURLINGTON SCHOOL PRESENTS IN CONCERT
The Phantom of the Opera’s
BEN CRAWFORD December 14th 7:00 p.m. Whitley Auditorium at Elon University
Ben Crawford • The Phantom of the Opera - Phantom • Shrek, The Musical - Shrek • Les Miserables - JeanValjean • Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Mr. Salt • Big Fish - Don Price • BFA - University of Arizona Mr. Crawford will be performing selections from The Phantom of the Opera as well as Broadway and Holiday repertoire.
For sponsorships and tickets, please visit www.theburlingtonschool.org or contact Marshall M. Qualls at 336-228-0297, ext. 203.
November 2019
Little Noise
Not the involuntary shudder released when wakening or the deeper sigh escaping the reposing soul forsaking sleep, more a humph in the back of the throat but absent contempt, regret, arrogance or anger, pulsing the inner ear, the bony labyrinth of semicircular canals where it resonates with disquiet: it’s the little noise we make when a heart stops.
— Stephen E. Smith
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The Art & Soul of Greensboro
The Old-Fashioned
Orchardist
What was Thomas Jefferson’s favorite kind of apple? Ask science teacher David Vernon, who runs one of the top heirloom apple nurseries in the nation By Maria Johnson • Photographs by Bert VanderVeen
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D
avid Vernon is an apple guy. Not an Apple guy as in, he prefers Apple phones and computers to, say, Android products. He’s an apple guy in the pre-Steve Jobs way: a man who knows his way around the edible fruit. Bitten with passion for his subject, he is one of the country’s top growers and sellers of heirloom apple trees, varieties that have flowered and flourished in the United States for generations. At his relatively small Century Farm Orchards in Caswell County, about 20 miles due north of Burlington, Vernon specializes in cultivating old Southern apple trees, which grow well in the heat and humidity of the lower right quadrant of the country. Many of the varieties carry names just as colorful and inviting as the fruit they yield. Virginia beauty. Smokehouse. Aunt Rachel. Carolina red June. Black twig. Magnum bonum. “The vast majority of what we have is rare or unique,” says Vernon, who celebrates the nursery’s 20th anniversary this year. “We’re horticultural artists, if you want to call it that.” The artistry involves grafting cuttings of scarce trees onto rootstock to produce clones of the parent trees, a necessity if you want to produce apples of a certain variety. Sitting on the front porch of his farm house in a metal fan-back chair that’s painted — what else? — apple red, Vernon explains the genetics of his success. A customer buys a grafted tree, say a Virginia beauty. To produce fruit, that tree must pollinate with a different kind of apple tree — even a
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crabapple will do — within a quarter mile or so. No worries. Bees do the work. The grafted tree bears Virginia beauty apples. But the seeds of those apples will not grow up to be Virginia beauty trees. The saplings will be genetically unique. Just like children. The upshot: If you want to grow guaranteed Virginia beauty apples, you have to start with a grafted Virginia beauty tree. Therein lies the heart of Vernon’s business, which ships about 10,000 heirloom trees annually. “We do have a niche,” says Vernon, who also teaches Advanced Placement chemistry and physics at Western Alamance High School. He considers both jobs — science teacher and nurseryman — closely related. “A farmer is a kind of scientist, whether he wants to admit it or not,” says the 49-year-old Vernon, who grew up in the country, a few miles from where he sits. His parents were schoolteachers, but Vernon spent summers helping neighbors and uncles in the tobacco fields. “It was labor intensive,” he says. “I came to know the value of hard work.” He started dabbling in apples after buying half of his grandparents’ 400-acre tobacco farm in the mid-1990s. Vernon noticed that five lone apple trees grew in scattered spots on his land. With the help of his grandmother, mother and aunts, he identified the trees as varieties that had been planted in the 1880s and 1890s. Sweetnin’, for example, produces a crisp sweet apple, a favorite snack during the fall tobacco harvest. Yellow June yields a soft cooking apple, one of the first of the season to ripen. Another variety, Summer banana, generates a small, flavorful yellow apple. Mary Reid gives a dry, tart irregularly-shaped apple that’s popular in the Reidsville area while Rockingham Red, developed in the Ruffin area, produces an acidic fruit suited for cider. The Art & Soul of Greensboro
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The next step, in Vernon’s mind, was to plant an orchard based on those trees. “I said, ‘I gotta learn to graft,’” he says. That’s how he became friends with Lee Calhoun, who literally wrote the book on the subject, Old Southern Apples, now in its third printing. A career Army man, Calhoun took up apple growing in retirement, after buying a plot of land near Pittsboro. He remembers talking to an older man in town. “He said, ‘When I was a boy, we had apples you don’t see anymore. They just sort of disappeared,’” says Calhoun, now 85. “That piqued my interest.” Calhoun and his wife, Edith, started collecting cuttings from all over the South. “If we heard about an old apple tree we’d been looking for, we got in the car and drove off,” says Calhoun. They built a nursery with 426 varieties of known Southern apples, which Calhoun defines as fruit grown in the region before 1920. “They’re survivors,” says Calhoun, noting that all apples are easier to grow in cooler climates. Many can withstand Southern summers, but they do produce smaller fruit that matures faster and is more vulnerable to disease and pests. “At lower altitudes, it’s more of a struggle,” says Calhoun. “You have to sort of lower your sights.” Calhoun taught Vernon how to graft. He was thrilled to know a younger person who was eaten up with old Southern apples, too. “Heirloom apples needed somebody, and David turned out to be the one,” Calhoun says. “David is the classic example of a student who surpasses his professor.” As their friendship grew, Calhoun supplied Vernon with cuttings from his orchard. Vernon also received cuttings from Tom Brown of Clemmons, an apple sleuth who has tracked down over 1,000 varieties of old Southern trees and passed along more than 60 to Vernon. In 1999, Vernon launched his own nursery business. He figured he could make more money by growing and selling apple trees than he could by getting a master’s degree in teaching and relying on
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that to pay off his farm mortgage. He remains, however, a teacher at heart. His website is heavy on education, with how-to videos and helpful links alongside a catalog of available trees. Though he has collected more than 500 varieties over the years, Vernon grafts only 100-plus types for sale every year. Go ahead, call him a modern-day Johnny Appleseed, the nurseryman who introduced apple trees to the upper East Coast around the turn of the 19th century. Like his predecessor, Vernon wants people to appreciate the trees that have supported people and wildlife for centuries. He outlines a quick history: Apples, as we know them, sprang up in mountains of Central Asia, in the area now known as the Republic of Kazakhstan, a former Soviet state. Roman conquerors took the fruit back to Europe, and immigrants schlepped the trees and seeds to the American colonies, where the indigenous apples looked more like crabapples. The newcomer apples were a full-service fruit, good for snacking, cooking, drying, pressing into juice and cider, both hard and soft, and eventually fermenting into vinegar. Ruined fruit went to hogs and horses. Deer and other game were attracted to the trees. Prior to the early 1900s, most apples were consumed close to where they were grown. Then, around 1915, refrigerated train cars appeared, which meant apples could be transported long distances. Commercial apple production followed. Aided by pesticides and fungicides, the industry focused on growing large unblemished fruit that kept for a long time. That standard persists today. Sometimes Vernon takes homegrown apples to school as snacks for his students. Many of them won’t touch fruit that’s misshapen, soft or spotted with harmless fungus; Vernon sprays the bare minimum of chemicals in his personal orchard. When students do sample the apples, they’re shocked. “The flavor is so intense,” Vernon says. He sells the majority of his trees — 3-foot tall, bare-root plants packed in
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
boxes custom-made by Box-Board Products in Greensboro — to individuals and hobbyists eager to try heritage fruit. He also ships trees to historical gardens looking for period plantings. His customers include Colonial Williamsburg; Monticello, the home of Thomas Jefferson; and Mount Vernon, the estate of George Washington. Vernon does custom grafting, too. Historical properties pay him to propagate their stock. Sometimes, he keeps a few grafts with their permission. “This is Thomas Jefferson’s favorite cider apple,” Vernon says, pulling a The Art & Soul of Greensboro
Hewe’s crab from a tree in his orchard. He walks down the row. “This is his favorite eating apple,” he says, plucking an Esopus Spitzenburg. “It has exceptional flavor.” You don’t have to be a former president to get Vernon’s attention. Individuals hire him to graft grandma’s apple tree, and universities use him to get reliable, healthy trees for horticultural research, “That tells you how much trust they put in us,” Vernon says, counting his mother and father, Janice and Cy, his cousins and high school students as helpers. They open the farm to the public on the first three Saturdays in November. On those days, they offer free cider and apple tastings. They also sell trees and baked goods. His aunt Grey provides fried apple pies that she makes from scratch. She sets up shop in the farm’s original 1790 homestead, down the hill from Vernon’s home. “I’ve seen people go, buy one pie, come outside, eat it, then go back in and buy 20 more,” Vernon says. “We have people who drive up and bring a blanket and have a picnic.” Especially in the fall, Vernon visitors drop in on Century Farm Orchards thinking it’s a pick-your-own operation. No such luck, but people can buy as much picked fruit as they want on open-house days, as Vernon explained to a young man who drove up in vain on a recent Saturday afternoon. “Come back in November!” Vernon hollered to the guy from his porch. “We’ll have a lot of apples.” He added a footnote under his breath. “And I’ll shave that day.” OH Maria Johnson is a core contributor to O.Henry. She can be reached at ohenrymaria@gmail.com. For more information about Century Farm Orchards, go to centuryfarmorchards.com. Open houses are scheduled for November 2, 9 and 16. November 2019
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Fungus Among Us Haw River Mushrooms literally strike paydirt with organic farming techniques By Ross Howell Jr. • Photographs by Sam Froelich
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F
or many, mushrooms are the Rodney Dangerfield of the plant world. They get no respect. Heck, they aren’t even called plants anymore. Up to the mid-19th century, scientists categorized fungus as nonchlorophyll-producing plants. But German botanist Heinrich Anton de Bary (1831–1888), who spent much of his career studying plant blights, slime mold, wheat rust, and the like, realized that what he was observing wasn’t plant material at all, but something different. In the process, de Bary was able to show that potato blight was spread by fungus. This was a big deal, since hundreds of thousands of Irish a few years earlier had perished in the Great Famine. For his discovery, de Bary would be recognized as the father of mycology, a branch of biology devoted to the study of fungi. Mushrooms differ from plants in that they secrete digestive enzymes to process food, which makes them more closely related to animals than to the vegetables we buy at farmers’ markets. To me, that’s a little creepy. So you have to respect any farmers’ market grower who opens an online presentation with the words, “I’m Laura Stewart, and I grow fungus for a living.” And Laura Stewart — along with her husband Ches — is the reason I’m turning into the gravel drive of Haw River Mushrooms, an organic farm outside Saxapahaw, a town on the banks of the Haw River. The town’s name was influenced by a Native American tribe first chronicled as the “Sauxpa” by Spanish explorers in the 16th century. The Art & Soul of Greensboro
Along the driveway some pickups are parked. To the right I can see a couple semitrailers. Next to them stands a low cinder-block skirt and a metal superstructure for what looks like a soon-to-be-completed growing house. I park by a big oak tree and step out of the car. Two men are working in front of a big shed at a substantial piece of equipment I don’t recognize. A woman drives up in a dark minivan. She pulls a lock of auburn hair behind an ear as she gets out, gathering items from the front seat. She closes the driver’s door with a hip. Her hands are full of keys, mail, a cup of coffee and a half-eaten muffin. She smiles, looking at me quizzically. “You must be Laura Stewart,” I say. “Oh, my goodness,” she says. “We’ve been so busy I forgot! I just did a mushroom growing program at my daughters’ day care. Have you been waiting long?” “Just got here,” I answer. We walk toward a pretty farmhouse with a vegetable garden by the porch. Inside, I’m greeted by a big, friendly shepherd dog named Isaac. Laura introduces me to her husband Ches, a compact, powerfully built man who’s just about to head out the door with an interviewee for a full-time job at the farm. Ches and I shake hands. He tells me he’s from South Carolina and was interested in horses when he was younger. “My background’s agricultural,” Ches says. He attended Middle Tennessee November 2019
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State University Auburn University, and received a master’s degree at Clemson University. “All I ever wanted to do was farm,” he adds. Ches and the interviewee head out the door, Isaac trotting along behind them. Laura and I sit down at a thick-legged dining table. She tells me she and Ches founded Haw River Mushrooms in 2012, when each of them still had full-time jobs. Ches was working for a company as a crop adjuster and she was education director at the Carolina Farm Stewardship Association, a nonprofit organization in Pittsboro that encourages people in the Carolinas to grow and eat local, organic food. Like Ches, Laura has seen a good bit of the country, too. She studied at Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois, and received a master’s degree in management at Antioch University in Seattle, Washington. The couple met in Columbus, Ohio. “Our first date we went to Polyface Farm,” Laura says. My initial thought is, well, maybe that’s the name of a fancy restaurant in Columbus. Was I ever wrong. Polyface Farm — the “Farm of Many Faces — is located in the Shenandoah Valley near Swoope, Virginia. For anyone deeply interested in sustainable, organic agriculture, the farm is a place of pilgrimage, offering a variety of educational tours, programs and seminars. Back in 1961 William and Lucille Salatin purchased a worn-out, eroded property and settled there with their young family. Rather than follow the conventional principles of farming at the time, they used nature as a pattern and began the long process of organically restoring the land. The Salatins planted trees, built compost piles, dug ponds and moved grazing livestock daily using electric fencing. They were pioneers in grass-fed beef production. Along the way they invented portable sheltering systems for cattle, chickens and rabbits, and introduced sustainable methods for raising pigs in woodland areas. One of the Salatins’ sons, Joel, is the spokesman for Polyface Farm. Considered by his fans to be “the most eclectic thinker from Virginia since Thomas Jefferson,” he is sometimes labeled a “charlatan” by his detractors. Whatever Joel Salatin is, he’s inspirational. He’s written 12 books and delivers inspiring educational presentations around the country. “Ches and I read Joel’s book, You Can Farm,” Laura says. “And it had a big impact on us. We started thinking even more seriously about how farming could earn us the living we wanted for ourselves and our children.” So the couple moved to our part of North Carolina — for the climate and the close access to local urban markets. “This is a great area to locate a small, sustainable family farm,” Laura says. In addition to climate and markets, there are excellent resources, like Laura’s former employer, the Carolina Farm Stewardship Association, and the Rural Advancement Foundation International-USA(RAFI), also headquartered in Pittsboro. RAFI’s mission is to cultivate markets, policies and communities that support thriving, socially just and environmentally sound family farms. In the end, though, it all comes down to hard work and good dirt. And mushrooms are about as efficient at making good dirt as any living thing you can think of. The vegetative part of a fungus is called the mycelium, a system of fine, branching filaments. Think of the mycelium as the “roots” of a mushroom, and the edible part as its “fruit.” Mycelium may form a colony too small to see with the naked eye, or one that can spread for thousands of acres. Secreting enzymes that are remarkably effective at breaking down plant material, these colonies add essential organic material to the soil. They also enhance nutrient and water absorption by the roots of plants, increasing their resistance to disease. And the mycelium colonies release carbon dioxide into the environment. And carbon dioxide is just what green plants need. By photosynthesis, they use carbon dioxide and water to produce sugar and oxygen, vital to sustaining their life and growth. Of course, the oxygen green plants manufacture is fairly important to us human beings, too. “We’re surrounded by an amazing system of abundance,” as Laura likes to
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put it. She suggests we head outside so I can see how they grow fungus at Haw River Mushrooms. As we walk toward the machine where the two men are working, Laura points out a raised bed in the garden by the house. She explains that it’s an example of what the Germans call Hugelkultur, a technique using compost materials to build beds where plants can be grown. Here the bed is underlaid with mushroom-inoculated logs covered with straw. Atop the bed grows a squash vine. “We harvested more than 40 yellow squash,” Laura says. “And there are healthy mycelium developing on the logs under the straw.” She stops by an enormous oak tree near the garden. There’s a mulched bed surrounding the tree. Laura reaches into the mulch, carefully exposing the white tendrils of mushroom mycelium with her fingers. “In the wild, mushrooms often grow at wood’s edge, so we thought we’d give this a try,” Laura says. She tells me she and Ches have farmer friends who are trying to grow mushrooms between rows of sweet corn. She calls all these growing experiments — the squash bed, the mulched bed around the oak, the corn row mushrooms — “citizen science.” Now we’ve reached the machine in front of the shed. It’s used to inject substrate — the material in which the mushrooms will grow — into clear bags. After the substrate, a splash of water is injected. The tops of the bags are folded over. Then they’re placed into a galvanized livestock watering trough that has been outfitted with propane burners on the bottom. “The substrate is a mix of mulch, soybean hulls, straw and oak sawdust,” Laura says. “There’s a sawmill in Liberty where we especially like to get our sawdust,” she adds. Once the trough is filled with bags, a lid is put over the top and the burners The Art & Soul of Greensboro
ignited. Since they are so rich in organic materials, the bags have to be sterilized. “Otherwise, any sort of bacteria or fungus could start growing inside,” Laura says. Once they’re sterilized, the bags are transferred to racks in the cooled shed behind us. There they’ll be inoculated with the spores of the various types of mushrooms that are the farm’s specialties. We walk across the drive to one of the semitrailers, or “grow houses.” Laura closes the door behind us. Inside the space is dimly lit. Laura explains the growing houses could be lit with blue light only, since that’s the range of the spectrum the mushrooms respond to. “We thought one Halloween we might hang blue lights when we do tours, just for effect,” she says. It’s cool and damp. The only sound is the whirring of air-moving equipment. Clear bags now removed, blocks of substrate with mushrooms emerging at various states of development rest on racks running the length of the trailer. As I’m making notes, I look up, befuddled to see I’m suddenly shrouded in fog. Laura smiles. “The misters come on every six minutes,” she says. Outside I blink in the sunlight. Laura points out the new growing house with the metal superstructure. “We’re going to plant blackberries,” she says. “The native soil is poor, so we’ll compost. When the blackberries are growing, we’ll pipe in carbon dioxide from the mushroom growing houses.” An amazing system of abundance, indeed. Haw River Mushrooms now has six full-time employees, counting the Stewarts, and several part-timers. They organically grow lions mane, oyster mushrooms, shiitake, cinnamon caps and reishi, supplying mushrooms to several restaurants in the Triangle and Triad. Haw River also sells mushrooms at the Eno River Farmers Market in Hillsborough, the Chapel Hill Farmers’ Market, the Durham Farmers’ Market, and the Greensboro Farmers Curb Market. They ship mushroom vegan jerky to customers throughout the country. The farm offers classes on mushroom cultivation and tincture-making. “Mushrooms have amazing medicinal powers we are just beginning to understand,” Laura says. While they’ve long been studied for their curative and culinary value, there’s a great deal that remains unknown. With more than 600,000 known varieties on Earth, only about 44,000 have actually been studied. “The lions mane we grow here at the farm is a North Carolina native,” Laura says. “It’s recently been studied to see if it might have value in treating dementia.” Or consider the cordyceps mushroom, a species native to the North Carolina mountains. Like its nearly 400 cousin species around the world, our native cordyceps is an endoparasitoid, meaning that it’s parasitic, feedThe Art & Soul of Greensboro
ing primarily on insects. But it gets way weirder. Once cordyceps invades the body of a host insect, its mycelium begins to grow, replacing the bug’s innards. In the process, the cordyceps somehow gains control of its host’s brain, so that the insect climbs to the highest point of whatever bush or tree it might be inhabiting. There, it dies. Since Laura has told me about maybe using the blue lights in the growing houses for Halloween, I ask her if she’s pulling my leg. “Oh, no,” Laura assures me, “You can Google it.” In fact, cordyceps reproductive strategy is very effective. There are a plenty of insects on which it can hitch a ride, and when its fruit appears, it’s perfectly perched for its spores to achieve their widest geographical distribution. Maybe this one can be researched for its psychedelic powers? A perennially popular class at Haw River Mushrooms is “log inoculation,” offered in fall, winter and spring. Hardwood logs three to six inches in diameter that have been harvested by local farmers — typically in annual field brush-clearing, since sustainability is so important to the Stewarts — are cut into roughly four-foot lengths. “After leaf fall, the logs have a high concentration of sugar,” Laura says. The concentration of sugar lengthens the amount of time that the logs will sustain mushroom growth. Students then drill holes in individual logs, inoculate them with mushroom spawn, then take their logs home to enjoy the fruits of their labor. Actually, it’s a bit more complicated than that, which is why you’ll enjoy taking one of the classes. For those of you who’d like to forage for wild mushrooms and avoid poisoning yourself in the process, the farm also offers field trips. Laura is a certified mushroom forager for North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia. There are also programs on mushroom growing for kids, using mushrooms in raising other crops and soil building in the garden. Laura, Ches and staff regularly welcome groups to the farm for tours. With all the interest, the Stewarts are looking for a larger farm nearby. “Long-term, we’d love to be able to convert everything to solar power,” Laura says. I’d say mushrooms are finally getting the respect they deserve. Cue Aretha Franklin.. OH If you have a garden or landscape topic you’d like Ross Howell Jr. to write about, email ross.howell1@gmail.com (don’t miss the number 1 in the address). For more information on Haw River Mushrooms programs or products, visit its website, hawrivermushrooms.com, or follow on Facebook and Instagram at the handle @hawrivermushrooms, or check out the farm’s Pinterest page. November 2019
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Singing Tables A poetic meditation By Jaki Shelton Green
I
’m never cooking alone, even at my most solitary moments. I am surrounded by generations of cooks, their wisdom, laughter, and their flawed and perfect recipes lifting my hands and heart savoring each ingredient as I realize that each ingredient represents all the joys, sorrows, healing and restoration of my life’s journey. These unseen hands hold me in passionate surrender to generosity as family and friends gather at my table reminding me that food creates community, holds my sense of identity, and conjures sensory surprises over and over again. The ghosts of other tables, other kitchens remind me that we are all just ingredients, and what matters is the grace with which I cook the meal. My food odyssey is a soundtrack re-mix like the texture of an autobiography offering a throw-back to prayer-song, dance, birth, death, sex and rock and roll. The backyard chicken coops, vegetable gardens and mini orchards are long gone like my elders and the neighborhood of my childhood. What remains is me . . . the brown woman-child writing down the sizzle of cast iron skillets, the bold of the beet, the hot of the pepper pot, the earthiness of walnuts, the bitter of arugula. Food helps me to express my past and present. Food helps me to create communal ties and honor my ancestral roots. “Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine! Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine! Heir of salvation, purchase of God, Born of his Spirit, washed in his blood” — Frances Crosby
My grandmother, Eva White Tate, hosted the Ora Shanklin African Methodist Episcopal Missionary meetings, which gathered monthly on first Monday evenings during the springs and summers of my youth. An agenda of devotions, song, prayer and Scripture segued into Old and New Business, projects to raise money for their many charitable activities, missionary dues, and a “love offering” for the sick. My grandmother, mother and aunts raced around all day preparing food and setting an elegant table for the elaborately coiffed church ladies in their flawless pristine summer linen, pastels, crepe de chine, patent leather and sexy slingbacks that made ticky-tacky squeals across the glistening, freshly waxed wood floor. This monthly soiree featured milk glass vases holding peony globes and arrangements of snapdragons, Queen Anne’s lace and foxgloves strategically placed on the crisp white linen tablecloth adorning the antique oak dining table, monogrammed linen napkins, and the heirloom silverware that was left to my tiny hands to polish on a monthly basis. I was impressed that the deviled eggs required their own unique platter, designed especially for — deviled eggs. Mounds of homemade chicken salad garnished with apples, pecans and grapes, potato salad, pear walnut salad, canapés of cucumber-dill cream cheese, pimento cheese, stuffed olives, and perfectly browned chicken legs were presented on sparkling crystal and carnival glass serving platters. The inlaid glass sideboard was majestic with a centerpiece of magnolia, camellia and gardenia blossoms fresh cut from my grandmother’s flower garden and hosting cut glass pedestals of scrumptious coconut cake, petit fours, homemade (pink, green, yellow) mints, fresh strawberries, chocolate-
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covered peanuts, and my grandmother’s famous secret recipe egg custard. Pitchers of brewed mint tea and punch bowls bearing icy rainbow sherbet flanked both sides of the dessert display waiting to be admired and devoured by the white-gloved missionaries. This pageantry of memory continues to feed my upper-crust soul. This pageantry was the backdrop for all the whispered gossips and secrets of uppity church women in between “a piece of this and a little dab of that.” “Summertime, and the livin’ is easy Fish are jumpin’ and the cotton is high Oh, your daddy’s rich and your ma is good looking So hush little baby, don’t you cry.” — Dubose Heyward The smell of coffee brewing, bacon frying and hot biscuits browning were the only summer alarm clocks in our house. The first few weeks following school vacation, my brother and I spent lazy days playing between our house and Aunt Alice’s house or hanging out at Uncle Ervin’s Service Station pretending to be proprietors behind the counter taking money for gas, candy, milk, bread, but never the cigarettes. That fun would be interrupted when “the garden came in” with lima beans, snap beans, wax beans, okra, peas, squash, cucumbers, tomatoes, cantaloupe, cabbage, lettuce, watermelon and corn. The litany from porch to porch throughout the neighborhood addressed to our bored little brown bodies was, “Shut up whining, your little bellies will be glad to get this food come wintertime. Don’t put those hulls in that bowl.” So we pouted in-between snapping, shucking, peeling and rinsing so the grown folks could can, freeze, stew and preserve. These were the summers when our “Up South” Northern kin folks took a notion to jump in a car or hop a bus or train and show up unannounced, usually with five or six children in tow. Our family had abundant land and food, so this uncouth behavior never daunted my mom, grandmother and aunts. They knew how to “hold their mouths right” and bring forth their best masks of civility so refined that no one ever read their furious annoyance hidden beneath the labor of love they laid out for two or three weeks presenting daily breakfast, lunch and supper smorgasbords of cured smoked ham and red-eye gravy, scrambled cheese eggs, grits, salmon croquettes, biscuits, bacon, sausage, homemade peach, strawberry, blackberry, pear jelly and preserves, stewed apples, potato cakes, cinnamon rolls and toast. The “guests” would feast and then retreat to the front porch, into the yard, watch television, or return to bed to sleep away their city blues. With the guests “out of the way,” the women folks washed dishes, swept crumbs, cleared the table and talked in hushed ridicule and dismay about their hungry citified relatives. After they caught their breaths and a few of the leftover table scraps, they started the operation for lunch or “just a little something to tide them over,” which was usually homemade egg, tuna or chicken salad, the optional ham and cheese sandwich, tossed salad, chilled watermelon and cantaloupe, iced tea and fresh lemonade served outside on the porch.
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Fried chicken, fried fish, turnip salad, chicken and dumplings, stewed tomatoes, potato salad, rice pudding, fried okra and squash, pound cake, apple pie and yeast rolls made the “Up South” folks remember where home really was. They never suspected by our good manners how their unannounced visits interrupted our summer explorations, building camps and forts in the woods, fishing, skinny-dipping, catching tadpoles, making June bug whistles, chasing lightning bugs and baking mud-pies all day in the sun. “If you want to know Where I’m going Where I’m going, soon If anybody ask you Where I’m going Where I’m going soon I’m going up yonder I’m going up yonder To be with my Lord” — Tremaine Hawkins Death often disrupts my family and community. We gather with food because food is the ultimate and final expression of how we love and the culture of our community. Feasting with the dead even now and in my past continues to provide me a way to reconnect and maintain connections with my ancestors and my daughter. My family and extended tribes have never needed a copy of “Being Dead is No Excuse: The Official Southern Ladies Guide to Hosting the Perfect Funeral.” It’s in our blood . . . we know what we know about the power of fried gizzards, leftover meat loaf, turkey necks, fried croakers, okra gumbo and moonshine. The laying out of the dead and the laying out of the food pulls me closer and closer to that vortex of all things familiar and comfortable. These are forever images imbedded in my mind’s rolling video screen of the deaths of my father, grandmother, aunts, uncles, cousins and my daughter. When my precious daughter Imani died, people came with their stories of her life neatly folded in the corners of picnic baskets. They delivered their stories of her whimsy, her sass and her bravado rolled inside a fresh loaf of sourdough bread, slithering across roasted vegetables laced with slow-drizzling balsamic, baked inside a piping hot strawberry rhubarb pie. The stories were alive inside the food. Imani loved food. Imani loved to feed people, so her stories became the food itself … roasted with superfluous green garlic, cilantro, cumin, basil, a rack of lamb Imani threatened to throw at her brother one Easter, the duck medallions I cooked for the last Christmas meal of her life with us, or the wild salmon steaks she’d hide in the freezer. What I know that I know is food heals. Food covers the wounded heart. Food holds the raging storm and invites Spirit to the table. “I will love you anyway Even if you cannot stay I think you are the one for me Here is where you ought to be I just want to satisfy you Though you’re not mine I can’t deny you Don’t you hear me talking baby? Love me now or I’ll go crazy” — Chaka Khan Appearance. Taste. Texture. Symbolism. Succulence. The Interaction of Colors. The Dance Behind Oven Doors. Edible Metaphors. Velvety. Heavy Cream. Spice Jars. Simmer. Pan Fry. Cold Wash. Knead. Roll. Curl. Caramelize. Braise. Soak. Stir. Roast. Open Fire. Hot Oil. Blend. Fold. Mortar and Pestle. Pine Nuts. Raspberries. Almonds. Champagne Grapes. Mango Preserves. Muscadines. Tomatoes. Expresso. Le coq au The Art & Soul of Greensboro
vin. Charred Romaine. Mousse. Rose Water. Artichokes. Truffles. Butter. Candied Ginger. Chocolate. Dirty Rice. Brie. Cherries. Figs. Saffron Threads. Cinnamon. Nutmeg. Chutney. Parfait. Hazelnuts. Orange Peel. Lime Zest. Gar-licky Collards, Ambrosia, Chow Chow. Red Rice. Rosemary Sea Salt. I love the way these words, sounds and ancient cooking rhythms sing inside my mouth . . . and honey chile’ don’t forget the Honey. “If you really want to make a friend, go to someone’s house and eat with him. The people who give you their food give you their heart.” — Cesar Chavez I remember the first meal I ever prepared for my husband. Lots of talking and long glances over a table full of lush sensuality. Mango gazpacho. Grilled salmon with a black bean-ginger-garlic glaze. Roasted asparagus. Brussels sprouts, beets, feta and walnuts drizzled with fig balsamic vinaigrette. Basmati rice. Yeast rolls. Arugula salad. Sparkling pear cider. Mixed berries dusted with coriander. Once upon a time, I prepared a “last supper” for a lover I was kicking to the curb. It seemed best to leave a taste of me on his lips. Filet of beef in puff pastry and Madeira cream sauce. Caramelized shallots, carrots and mushrooms. Roasted lemon-garlic artichokes. Grand Marnier cheesecake. My first memory of a romantic meal was sharing a tomato sandwich made with tomatoes I’d grown in a small bucket as a child with a little boy visiting my grandmother with his grandparents. I was mesmerized by his seersucker plaid shorts and matching bowtie. Crisp white shirt. White crew socks. White bucks. Magic happened between us when the juicy tomato dripped down his long elegant hands and he slowly licked the essence of my first harvest. My husband and I love to cook. Our food landscape is forever changing, moving, reinventing itself, but what remains always is “sauce” so rich and soulful that it requires the licking of fingers, eyelids, noses, jelly-roll laughs, and oceans of soft fluttery kisses. Our food adventures continue to awaken our passion . . . “Your stature is like that of the palm, and your breasts like clusters of fruit. ‘I said, ‘I will climb the palm tree; I will take hold of its fruit.’ May your breasts be like the clusters of the vine, the fragrances of your breath like apples, and your mouth like the best wine. May the wine go straight to my lover, flowing gently over lips and teeth. I belong to my lover, and his desire is for me.” — Song of Songs 7:7-10 We stroll into each other’s perfumed gardens gathering wild honeycomb. Whether dining by candlelight in our intimate dining room or sitting at a makeshift table in the woods with dandelions my love has picked on the way, we savor the bread between us. The anticipation of a romantic meal is oftentimes aphrodisiac enough. We can’t stop smiling and casting knowing glances at each other the whole time we are preparing the meal. Late at night I flow through celestial whipped dreamy clouds trailing the scents of rose and lavender as I fold gently into the crevices of pillows stuffed with crushed rosemary*. *According to ancient scribes, rosemary was a love potion for engaged or married couples, symbolizing remembrance and fidelity. OH Poet and teacher Jaki Shelton Green is North Carolina’s ninth poet laureate and is the recipient of a Poets Laureate Fellowship from the Academy of American Poets. This piece was previously published in The Carolina Table: North Carolina Writers on Food (2016); Eno Publishers.
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Follow the Yellow Brick Road To the 25th anniversary production of CTG’s The Wizard Of Oz By Quinn Dalton 64 O.Henry
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PHOTOGRAPHS BY MICCICHE PHOTOGRAPHY
J
ustice Reeves-Burke, a sophomore at Weaver Academy and one of two Dorothys cast in Community Theatre of Greensboro’s production of The Wizard of Oz, knows what it’s like to grow up in the theater. At 15, and now in her seventh year in the production, she’s been acting for literally half a lifetime. She credits her mother, Adriane Reeves-Burke, for her start. “My mom had been the stage manager in Oz the year before,” Reeves says. Her first role? A munchkin. “I was in the Lullaby League, and I was also a crow,” Reeves recalls. That was the first three years. The second three she spent in the Women’s Chorus — they are on stage when Dorothy makes her first entrance running down the aisle. She auditioned for the Dorothy role at age 12, 13 and 14 before being offered the role this year. “I finally got it,” she says. The excitement is clear in her voice. So is the confidence. She has followed her passion and she’s kept coming back year after year — for the joy of it, mainly — and she’s ready to make her own run down that aisle. Reeves-Burke’s story echoes the story of so many actors, stage crew mem-
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bers, volunteers and family members who, over 70 seasons, have formed the family that is the Community Theatre of Greensboro. CTG executive director Roz Fulton came to Greensboro as a student at N.C. A&T, graduating in 2000 with a B.S. in family and consumer science education. CTG was the only place she applied to, hired as an administrative assistant. When she joined, the annual Wizard of Oz production was only in its fourth year, and it was also the only CTG production that provided an abundance of roles for children. Over the next few years, she saw so many talented young people play their hearts out as a munchkin, poppy or crow. But there weren’t many opportunities for kids in other CTG productions. “I wanted to see all the kids shine.” In 2005 the education director role came available and she asked the CTG board to consider her. “I always had a creative side to me,” she says. “They gave me the chance.” Their first youth production kicked off in 2008 with High School Musical. Many other famous musical productions adapted for younger audiences November 2019
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have found their way onto the stage through Music Theatre International’s Broadway Junior series. With all of this developing talent, Fulton launched CTG’s Centerstage Youth Performing Group and began adapting those performances to compete in the Junior Theater Festival, a national competition held in Atlanta in which youth theater programs perform 15-minute versions of full-length performances. To be clear, these short versions are not simply a selection of scenes. They are in fact a 15-minute version of a full-length production. The youth actors help with selection, and Fulton scripts each one. The actors practice under a tight schedule to prepare. In 2020, Fulton and her talented troupe will also attend Junior Theater Festival West in Sacramento for the first time. “It’s the most exciting thing we do,” she says.
Passing the Wand
This year, 19 years after newly graduated Fulton decided CTG was the only place she wanted to apply, she became CTG’s executive director, stepping smoothly into the role formerly held by Mitchel Sommers, who still directs Oz as he has every year since the first production in 1995. Which means Fulton and Sommers have been taking us down the yellow brick road for longer than many of the cast members have been alive. And this is a big year — it’s CTG’s 70th season and the 25th production of The Wizard of Oz. “It’s the longest continuously running Wizard of Oz production in the world,” Sommers says, and he’s put in the time to know. He is always looking for other longer-running productions as he’s worked year after year to keep this classic production fresh. This involves frequent changes to sets, choreography, costumes and even
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adding to the cast. Last year for example, the newly minted Emerald City Ensemble added dance and comic sparkle, and this year some major set design updates will wow audiences. The scale of CTG’s Oz is in and of itself dazzling. Because of its popularity, it’s the one show staged at the historic Carolina Theatre. The roughly 100person cast is only a sliver of the picture. Backstage, two sets of 25 volunteers work in different teams, one on each production weekend, assisting with props, set and costume changes, with lighting and sound crews hired in. Then there are the parents, bless them, who get their munchkin or flying monkey to practice every afternoon and on weekends as the show dates near, and may volunteer as well. Often, it’s truly a family effort. In Roz Fulton’s case, daughter Morgan did a munchkin/poppy turn while husband Jevon was one of the Fly Guys — the volunteers who run the rigging that puts the air under the Wicked Witch’s broom. All told, between cast, crew, professional technicians, volunteers and of course CTG staff, each production directly involves around 220 people. That’s, of course, not including the thousands of audience members — multiplied by 25 years. That’s a lot of people coming together to share the wonder of one of the most famous stories in the world, one that happens to be not just about going home, but knowing where your home really is.
There’s no Place like Home
Mitchel Sommers has seen first-hand how thousands of young and adult actors have found their home in theater. “Many people who perform with CTG, and not just with The Wizard of Oz, their lives may not be ideal,” Sommers says. “This lifts them up to a better place. Sometimes it’s just a
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matter of learning basic life skills — how to dress themselves or how to read or how to just have a conversation.” Often, he says, it’s as simple as walking into a world they wouldn’t know otherwise. “Some of our actors come to practice from a shelter and they live for being part of this production. When they come here they’re on the same stage and singing the same songs as people who have grown up in a mansion and had every advantage.” And the stories. Too many to count. Too many to mention. The grandmother who’s brought her granddaughter to every production for 20 years. The mother who, as a little girl, was in the cast of Annie, the first production Mitchel directed, and years later performed in Oz with her daughters. The friendships and even families that found their start on that stage. The people he runs into everywhere he goes, locally and in far-flung places, who tell him about their own experience in the show, or about their child’s, or how it was the first play they ever saw, made possible by CTG’s free school performance during the week before opening night. Mitchel found his home too — in CTG, in Oz, and the theater, always the theater. Every story is another reason he stays with it. “This is how we share what it’s like to be human,” he says. “We are all transformed on the stage.” Justice Reeves-Burke, who shares the role of Dorothy this year with High Point’s Penn-Griffin School for the Arts’ junior Mackenzie Mullins, agrees. The two Dorothys split their performances over the two weekends — partly so there is an understudy in case of sickness, and partly to allow more opportunity for actors to shine. She says she might never have found her passion if both of her moms hadn’t suggested she try it. So she wants to pay that favor forward to anyone wondering if there might be a place on stage for them. “Try it,” she says. “It’s taught me so much. And when it comes together it’s the best feeling in the world.” OH Quinn Dalton is the author of two story collections and two novels, most recently Midnight Bowling. She also co-authored The Infinity Of You & Me under the pen name JQ Coyle with fellow UNCG M.F.A. grad Julianna Baggott. For information on showdates: November 16 - 24. https://www.facebook.com/pg/ communitytheatreofgreensboro/events/?ref=page_internal The Art & Soul of Greensboro
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Rising From
The Ashes
Ravaged by fire and flood, High Point’s formerly “lost”Dalton-Bell-Cameron House is reborn as a resplendent designers’ showhouse By Nancy Oakley • Photographs by Amy Freeman
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Soothing blues punctuated with whites create a sense of calm in the cozy den designed by Leslie Moore. Board games and books take the place of laptops and iPhones, making this the perfect perch to spend a lazy afternoon recharging the oldfashioned way.
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F
or Margaret Bell Lewis, it is a symbol of an idyllic childhood; for Benjamin Briggs, a “miracle” of historic preservation; for Ray Wheatley, a challenge that had to be met. For High Point at large, the Dalton-Bell-Cameron House is a crucial link to the past — and a rallying point for the community. The Craftsman structure, says Wheatley, co-owner, along with his brother, Steve of Spruce Builders, is a house that “everybody knows.” Situated on 1013 Johnson Street just back of the iconic J.H. Adams Inn, it is, as Preservation Greensboro’s Briggs confirms, the earliest example of the Craftsman style in High Point. “It has Mount Airy granite foundations with grapevine mortar, indicative of the Craftsman style — and of craftsmanship,” he says. It is a cleaner style — a reaction to the fussiness of earlier Victorian confections — that favored The Art & Soul of Greensboro
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San Francisco designer Scot Meacham effects an equestrian theme in a blue-and-green palette — replete with blue ribbons, trophies . . . and a convenient cubbyhole for Fido.
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A study of contrasts defines Allen and James’ sleek kitchen, consisting of dark, glass-paneled cabinetry by Marsh Kitchens accented with white countertops, white octagonal subway tiles for the backsplash, white light fixtures and white ceramic pieces. The floating wood shelves above the farmhouse sink bind 20th-century Craftsman architecture with 21st-century sensibility — especially when topped with a dab of greenery and gold-accented glassware.
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hand-wrought details and furnishings over those that were mass-produced. Briggs points out other architectural details such as the Asian-inspired, wide overhanging eaves and sawn rake boards and “an amazing” living room mantel flanked by two pilasters that were fashioned with a technique called stop fluting, which infills the cavity of the flute. “The top,” he adds, “is decorated with an egg and dart motif.” Even rarer: the absence of a mantel shelf around the firebox.
S
uch details were revolutionary in 1913, the year that a young attorney and rising politician, Carter Dalton, began construction on the house, but over the ensuing two decades, the Craftsman bungalow would influence residential building throughout the city. It would also become a fulcrum for the neighborhood. “Johnson Street,” Briggs observes, “reads like a sentence. This is the middle of the sentence.” The Prairie-style, BurnettMcCain House across the street, and the aesthetic of the Dalton-Bell-Cameron Craftsman create what he calls an “a nice conversation between these two houses.” Margaret Bell Lewis, whose family lived in the house during the postwar years, knows a thing or two about the interplay of neighborhood residents. “Johnson Street was full of young families,” she says of her childhood during the late 1950s and early ’60s. “We all played together and had a great time,” she recalls. “We all had big backyards. We could run across the street, because people didn’t tear up and down like they do now.” She remembers the Craftsman’s large rooms, including a playroom upstairs and a laundry room that her parents added to the original structure. “When they did that, they paved the concrete walkway,” she says, recalling how she and her siblings, Irene and Ted, “put our hands in the cement.” The Art & Soul of Greensboro
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She would relay this detail to Ray Wheatley, who was initially skeptical that the children’s imprints would be buried beneath a heap of burnt and rotting timbers when, a year and a half ago, he was enlisted to restore the house that he deemed “a lump of coal.”
F
The bold design of the white and metallic wallpaper in Kristen McCoy’s bedroom (aka “Bedroom No. 4”) echoes some of the Craftsman-era’s Asianinspired architectural details, while green accents bring in a bit of nature just outside the window.
or not once, but twice, the Dalton-Bell-Cameron house fell victim to fire. In the mid-1990s, shortly after it avoided demolition to accommodate a proposed parking lot, a group of vagrants lit a fire in the middle of a side room. The damage from the fire was relatively contained, as Briggs affirms, and another savior of the property appeared in the form of Mary Powell Young DeLille, a rising young Realtor, who bought and restored the house. “I was single when I bought it, got married and had two kids,” she recalls of the 10 years she lived there. Under subsequent ownership in 2013, a second fire occurred. It could have easily spelled total destruction of the Craftsman jewel. Speculating that the conflagration started in the master bedroom, Wheatley says the flames spread between the deck and the kitchen “and took about half the roof of the house.” Preservationists appealed to representatives of the house’s owner, but a full-scale restoration was out of reach. The roofless structure exposed the interior to the elements. “For six years it was open to rain,” Wheatley recalls. “It basically rotted.” Many, including city officials, considered the house a lost cause — except for Margaret Lewis and her husband, Rick. “People think I’m crazy, but I don’t think I am,” she says, pausing. “I didn’t want to see it torn down. It was a very important street for me growing up, my siblings and my friends.” The Lewises bought the house from the High Point Preservation Society, which had raised money over a five-day period to purchase it, a “fun, but nerve-racking,” endeavor as Briggs recalls, but a testament to High Point’s “can-do spirit.” The couple then appealed to the Junior
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Deep blues will put you into a deep sleep in the master bedroom, as imagined by Meg Caswell, who has wisely contrasted the dark shade with white walls and linens that catch the morning light just when you’re ready to rise and shine.
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League of High Point, for which Margaret had once served as president, to stage a designers’ showhouse, along with Aspire Design and Home magazine. But first, they engaged the Wheatleys’ Spruce Builders to tackle the structural damage. “I was honored they asked me to,” says Ray Wheatley. “I said, ‘I can fix it . . . I don’t know how much it will cost, but I can fix it.’” Framing was the biggest challenge. The years of water damage had taken a toll such that Weeks Hardwood Flooring had to replace almost all of the flooring systems (only the originals in the dining room were intact). “The staircase was sinking, plaster was falling off the walls,” Wheatley recalls. Most of the house — molding, doors, for example — couldn’t be salvaged. But the foundation of Mount Airy granite held. And once the charred debris was cleared away, a surviving slab beneath the deck of the house revealed three signatures: “Margaret,” “Irene” and “Ted.” The names of the Bell children, written in wet concrete years ago remained.
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The Art & Soul of Greensboro
This primrose path leads to Happy Hour! The stones that Tim Lynch and Javier Gonzalez used to line the walkway leading to Sally Williams’ convivial She Shed have been repurposed from a chimney lost in one of the fires that consumed the Dalton-BellCameron House. The interior of the tiny outbuilding, with faux greenery covering the ceiling and cocktail-themed accents, invite you to plop down, put your feet up and raise a glass among friends.
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The art of any deal would take inspiration from Andrea Monath Schumaker’s bright red-orange office with Asian motifs in the papered ceiling, objets d’arts and animal-hide rug. Go get ’em, Tiger!
W
heatley and his subcontractors worked on the house for about a year until it was ready to be gussied up last month by 21 designers, many of them familiar local names — Allen and James, Leslie Moore of L.Moore Designs, Nicole Culler, Libby Langdon — while others, such as David Santiago and Courtney McLeod brought a New York flair to the interiors. Surveying the final preparations just prior to the opening of the fall High Point Market, Briggs expressed his delight with the house’s transformation, standing on its second floor, looking out at the rebuilt raking eaves at the surrounding cityscape. “I can see the four-pointed steeple of the First Presbyterian Church. It’s a great layering of history.” He recalls being in the house some 20-odd years ago, as a young preservationist taking its measurements. “I’m from High Point,” he reflects. “This one is special.” Ray Wheatley concurs: “I hope it stands for another hundred years,” he says of the house that he literally raised from the ashes. Both men give credit to its new life to Margaret and Rick Lewis, and she, to the community that initially doubted her mission. “I’m thrilled that so many people have said, ‘I’m so glad you did this,’” she says. “I just wish Mom and Dad were alive to see it, but . . . they may just be up in heaven, watching us.” OH For more information: jlhp.org/showhouse2019/ or highpointishome.com
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The Art & Soul of Greensboro
A L M A N A C
November n By Ash Alder
November is cold mornings and cashmere. Before the earliest skein of geese break the silence of the day, you unearth your winter wardrobe, rediscovering the ageless sweater that, despite its annual reappearance, always feels brand-new. When the geese trumpet across the sky, you are cradling your coffee by the kitchen window, watching the backyard squirrels zigzag like pinballs as they unearth their own buried treasures. November is time to take stock. On the back porch, there is kindling to split. And back in the kitchen, one dozen Bartlett pears resemble a Claude Monet still-life. What will you bring to the table this month? One dozen Bartlett pears now peeled, cored, and chopped, simmer on the stovetop with three pounds of cranberries, two cups of dried cherries, one cup of sugar. November is equal parts sweet and bitter. Your bones seem to know that winter is near, yet your skin sings in cashmere. Even as the autumn leaves descend, the Earth continues to give, give, give. Pastel sunrises. Winter squash and rainbow chard. Murmurations of starlings. And camellia blossoms which, despite their annual reappearance, always feel like tiny miracles.
What Will You Create?
Thanksgiving is celebrated on Thursday, Nov. 28. As you craft your Thanksgiving plate with the zest of a landscape architect, consider what you are creating on a larger scale. Are you building a life that is savory? Bitter? Sweet? Or does it offer a little bit of everything — bursting at the seams with color and flavor, yet with enough space for gratitude and magic?
Looking Up
According to National Geographic, three of the top sky-watching events of 2019 happen this month, beginning with the Transit of Mercury on Nov. 11. Of course, you won’t be able to witness what will look like a tiny pinhole traveling across the sun with the naked eye, nor should you attempt this without safety precautions (eclipse glasses, solar binoculars, solar filters, etc.). According to the article, “This will be the last transit of Mercury available to North Americans until May 7, 2049.” On Sunday, Nov. 24, don’t miss brilliant luminaries Venus and Jupiter close as ever in the southwest horizon — just 1.4 degrees apart. And on Thanksgiving Day, 45 minutes after sundown, take another look low in the southwestern sky and see what National Geographic calls the “celestial summit meeting” of Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, and a hairline crescent moon.
The Power of Gratitude
The correlation between gratitude and happiness was common sense long before it was research material. And yet, time and again, psychologists’ findings support what poets and sages of the ages have long been conveying: Gratitude is good for you. Moreover, it can radically change your life. A recent article by Harvard Medical School’s Harvard Health Publishing offers six simple practices for cultivating gratitude: 1. Write a thank-you note. 2. Thank someone mentally. 3. Keep a gratitude journal. 4. Count your blessings. 5. Pray. 6. Meditate.
Two sounds of autumn are unmistakable, the hurrying rustle of crisp leaves blown along the street or road by a gusty wind, and the gabble of a flock of migrating geese. Both are warnings of chill days ahead, fireside and topcoat weather. — Hal Borland
And while we’re on the subject, here are three powerful quotes on gratitude that suggest its utter potency: “Acknowledging the good that you already have in your life is the foundation for all abundance.” — Eckhart Tolle “We need to learn to want what we have, not to have what we want, in order to get stable and steady happiness.” — Dalai Lama “Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.” — Oprah Winfrey Happy Thanksgiving! OH
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NOVEMBER
EVENTS 11/ 5
Italian: The Piedmont Cooking class Reto’s Kitchen 6:00 pm
11/ 8
Macaron Workshop Cooking class Chez Genese 6:00 pm
11/ 9
MGS presents KAIA String Quartet Concert GreenHill Gallery 7:30 pm
11/ 10
MADE 4 the Holidays November Early Bird
Craft show and sale GSO Farmers Curb Market 10:00 am
11/15
The Art of Giving Featuring Ashley Vanore
Dinner and Artist Talk The Griffin Room at Grandover 6:00 pm
11/8
Holiday Tasting Wine Tasting 1618 Midtown 2:00 pm
11/20
Ravioli and Crepes, Dinner + Dessert! Cooking Class Reto’s Kitchen 6:00 pm
11/ 10
Jessica Vosk in Concert Concert The Well*Spring Theatre 7:30
Coming in December! The 10th Annual Junior League of Winston-Salem Boutique: A Shopping Extravaganza! December 6 and 7 at the Benton Convention Center Want TicketMe Triad to sell your tickets? With local technical support and local marketing, TicketMe Triad is your LOCAL source for tickets. Call us at 336-907-2113!
TicketMeTriad.com is powered by
Giving GUIDE TO
O.Henry magazine is pleased to present the 2019 Guide to Giving. As you begin planning for the holidays, please give some thought to how you can help those that are making our community a better place to live. The O.Henry magazine Guide to Giving is a sampling of charitable organizations in our area that rely on annual fundraising. With your help, be it monetary or hands-on, we can support their missions and have a hand in bettering Greensboro.
We thank the local businesses that made our Guide to Giving possible through their sponsorship. To learn how your business can sponsor the 2020 edition, please call 336-617-0090.
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MISSION STATEMENT ArtsGreensboro serves our community by providing resources to elevate, amplify, and support our local arts community.
Established 1962
200 N. Davie St. Suite 201, Greensboro, NC 27401 336.373.7523 www.artsgreensboro.org
WHO WE SERVE
KEY FACTS:
Thanks to contributions through the annual ArtsFund Campaign, ArtsGreensboro provides dollars required to fund its grant programs, provide technical assistance, and promote the vibrant art scene in Greensboro.
• ArtsGreensboro is the largest alliance of public and private resources dedicated to supporting the entire arts sector. • Collectively, the arts are an economic driver, contributing over $162 million annually to our City’s economy. • An annual donation to the ArtsFund has a wide impact on thousands of our citizens every year.
HOW TO DONATE Donations to the ArtsFund can be made online at artsgreensboro.org/donate, text ARTSGSO to 44-321, mail a check to ArtsGreensboro, P.O. Box 877, Greensboro, NC, 27402, or call our office at 336.373.7523. Together we can make a difference!
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He’s an artist. He’s a dreamer. He’s the future. As a longtime supporter of public education, arts and cultural organizations, we believe that a vibrant arts community starts when you give a child the opportunity to be creative.
Asheboro | Burlington | Greensboro | High Point | Oak Ridge Summerfield | Winston-Salem Cherry Street | Winston-Salem Hanes Mall Blvd. | Winston-Salem Vest Mill Blvd.
1-800-210-0321 86 O.Henry
November 2019
For Over 20 Years The Art & Soul of Greensboro
MISSION STATEMENT The mission of A Simple Gesture is to provide a regular, sustainable supply of food to local pantries by replenishing their food every other month, all year long. Since 2015, A Simple Gesture has collected over 1,000,000 meals for children and families across Guilford County. Established 2011
3825 W Market Street, Greensboro, NC 27407 336.547.7000 www.asimplegesturegso.org
This ad made possible by Greensboro Hamilton Lakes Lions Club
WHO WE SERVE
KEY FACTS:
A Simple Gesture serves ten food pantries • Children who experience hunger, are throughout Guilford County. Last year, our more likely to have poorer outcomes in partners distributed food in 90 schools school, more likely to be incarcerated and every Head Start and Early Head Start and to have chronic illnesses. All of this is program. totally preventable. • Over 1,000,000 pounds of food has been donated to local food pantries to end childhood hunger.
HOW TO VOLUNTEER
HOW TO DONATE
Volunteers are needed to pick up donation bags filled with food one Saturday a month and deliver them to our food pantry partners. Sign up on our website.
Sign up on our website, receive a green bag, fill it up with food, leave it on your porch on the designated day. We pick it up, leave a new bag and deliver the food to local food banks. Can’t shop? Donate on our website!
Greensboro Hamilton Lakes Lions Club
We Serve A Mission to Care, to Enrich, and to Serve Our Community.
Our specific areas of Service are: HUNGER: Partnering with A Simple Gesture
LITERACY: Providing books to Wiley Elementary Students
VISION: Providing eye screening for children in Guilford County schools Are you ready to serve our community? Call Ron McKinney at 336.820.0390 or come to a meeting on the 2nd & 4th Tuesday’s at 6:30 pm at Sarah’s Kabob Shop, 5340 West Market St., Greensboro, NC 27409 (336.355.9260) The Art & Soul of Greensboro
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MISSION STATEMENT To promote the right of every child to a permanent, safe, and loving family.
Established 1902
P.O. Box 14608, Greensboro, NC 27415 800.632.1400 www.chsnc.org
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WHO WE SERVE
KEY FACTS:
Children and families in all 100 North Carolina counties in need of foster care, adoption, family preservation, and education services so that children can thrive. CHS helped more than 18,000 clients last year, with a statewide staff and offices in 10 cities across North Carolina.
• Since our founding in 1902, CHS has placed more than 16,000 children with nurturing adoptive families. • We help parents be the best that they can be by providing critical tools and resources for them to build stronger families. Whether that means doing whatever we can to keep families intact and healthy, or finding the right match to create new ones through foster care and adoption.
HOW TO VOLUNTEER
HOW TO DONATE
www.chsnc.org/about/volunteer
• 800.632.1400 • www.chsnc.org/donate-today • Contact Caitlin Stay, cstay@chsnc.org, 336-369-3781
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
MISSION STATEMENT The mission of Communities In Schools is to surround students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life.
WHO WE SERVE
Established 1988
122 North Elm, Suite 301 Greensboro, NC 27410 336-691-1268 www.cisgg.org
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KEY FACTS:
Communities in Schools serves students in • We have served 41,684 students at 22 schools grades K-12 at participating Title 1 schools. • 99.15% of students in our program We serve over 2500 students remain in school • 96% graduate from high school • CISGG is a United Way Strategic Partner
HOW TO VOLUNTEER
HOW TO DONATE
Call us at 336-691-1268 or sign up at cisgg.org or find us on FaceBook
Donations are received at our website or directly at Communities In Schools 122 N. Elm St., Greensboro, NC 27401
Making a difference Investing in education for Greensboro's children John M. Aderholdt Vice President--Wealth Management 336-834-6952 john.aderholdt@ubs.com
Mark Aderholdt, CFP® Wealth Strategy Associate 336-834-6918 mark.aderholdt@ubs.com
Ann Roberts Client Service Associate 336-834-6961 ann.roberts@ubs.com UBS Financial Services Inc. 3200 Northline Avenue Suite 100 Greensboro, NC 27408-7600 336-854-7000 800-821-0355 ubs.com/fa/johnaderholdt Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP®, Certified Financial Planner™ and federally registered CFP (with flame design) in the U.S., which it awards to individuals who successfully complete CFP Board’s initial and ongoing certification requirements. ©UBS 2019. All rights reserved. UBS Financial Services Inc. is a subsidiary of UBS AG. Member FINRA/SIPC. D-UBS-0189F782
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MISSION STATEMENT Eastern Music Festival’s mission is to promote musical enrichment, excellence, professional collaboration, innovation, and diversity through a nationally recognized teaching program, music festival, concerts and other programs which will enhance the quality of life, health, and vitality of our region.
WHO WE SERVE Established 1961
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 22026, Greensboro, NC 27420 Office: 200 N. Davie St., Suite 303, Greensboro, NC 27401 336.333.7450 easternmusicfestival.org
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KEY FACTS:
Over 1,000 Young Artists compete for the • Each summer, EMF hosts over 265 265 seats at the highly prestigious summer talented, dedicated Young Artists (ages study program. In 2019, over 21,000 from 14-23) from across the U.S. and the across the country attended EMF’s 65-plus globe to study and perform for five ticketed performances, special events, weeks with its 75-plus faculty musicians and community outreach performances in led by music director Gerard Schwarz. Greensboro and across the Triad. • EMF’s 59th season is June 27 – Aug. 1, 2020.
HOW TO VOLUNTEER
HOW TO DONATE
Call EMF at 336-333-7450 x224 for seasonal volunteer opportunities.
Contributions to EMF can be made online at easternmusicfestival.org/support/donate, by phone at 336-333-7450 x223, or by mail at P.O. Box 22026, Greensboro, NC 27420.
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
MISSION STATEMENT Prematurity is the #1 killer of babies in the United States. We are working to change that and help more moms have full-term pregnancies and healthy babies. From polio to prematurity the March of Dimes has focused on researching the problems that threaten our children and finding ways to prevent them.
Established 1938
353 Jonestown Road #178, Winston-Salem, NC 27104 336.723.4386 www.marchofdimes.org
This ad made possible by Triad Financial Advisors
WHO WE SERVE
KEY FACTS:
• 1 in 10 babies is born prematurely, we are March of Dimes improves the health of working to change that! mothers and babies through five programming areas: medical research, education of • March of Dimes Central NC has 6 events throughout the year raising awareness and pregnant women, community programs, critical funds to support our mission. government advocacy, and support of • North Carolina ranks as a D on the pregnant women and mothers. Premature Birth Report Card indicating an above average 10.5% preterm birth rate.
HOW TO VOLUNTEER
HOW TO DONATE
Sara Coleman Development Specialist scoleman@marchofdimes.org
Sarah Petty Director Corporate Community Engagement spetty@marchofdimes.org
TFA Proudly supports the March of Dimes Havana’s Story
In 2011, Patrick Rush (CEO of TFA) and his wife, Christina, welcomed their first child, Havana. Unfortunately, Havana was severely premature, born at 26 weeks weighing only 1.5 pounds. She would spend the next 124 days in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) fighting for her life. Today, Havana is thriving, and the Rush Family and TFA feel it’s important to support the research being done by the March of Dimes on prematurity. Their research helps provide a greater likelihood of successful pregnancies and healthy babies. TFA has proudly sponsored the annual fundraiser, Signature Chef Auction for four years. TFA also participates annually in the March for Babies.
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MISSION STATEMENT New Garden Friends School seeks to be an inclusive, innovative educational community guided by Quaker beliefs and committed to honoring and developing each person’s gifts. Established 1971
1128 New Garden Road Greensboro, NC 27410 336.299.0964 www.ngfs.org
This ad made possible by The Carolina Weddings Show
WHO WE SERVE
KEY FACTS:
Students in Preschool, Kindergartengrade 12
• At NGFS students experience the joy of inquiry and serious scholarship within a culture of kindness and respect. • Our students are known, cared for, and thoughtfully advised. • Experiential hands-on learning opportunities for preschool-grade 12 • We approach teaching and learning from a growth mindset.
HOW TO VOLUNTEER
HOW TO DONATE
Call Hanna Hobson 336-299-0964 ext.2376
www. ngfs.org/support-us
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92 O.Henry
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The Art & Soul of Greensboro
MISSION STATEMENT Noble Academy empowers students with learning differences to pursue their highest potential within a comprehensive, supportive educational environment. Established 1987
3310 House Pen Creek Road Greensboro, NC 27410 336.282.7044 www.nobleknights.org
This ad made possible by After Hours Veterinary Emergency Clinic
WHO WE SERVE
KEY FACTS:
Students diagnosed with ADHD and learning differences in grades 2-12 who meet our admission criteria.
• 8:1 student/teacher ratio • 100% graduation rate • 1/3 of families receive tuition assistance or grants/scholarships from NCSEAA. • Accreditations from SAIS-SACS, IDA, and a Wilson® Accredited Partner.
WHY WE MATTER
HOW TO DONATE
We develop self-advocacy skills. We develop reading and math confidence. We develop social skills and we bring back a student’s love for learning.
Donations are received at our website, www.nobleknights.org or directly at Noble Academy to the attention of Chere Flowers.
Recommended by 95.7% of reviewers on Demand Force
Experience convenient, around-the-clock
veterinary care at our highly competitive general practice prices. 5505 West Friendly Ave. Greensboro, NC
Call: 336-851-1990 24 HOUR Veterinary Care on Your Schedule The Art & Soul of Greensboro
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MISSION STATEMENT The mission of Out of the Garden Project is to nourish families with food, to grow, learn and thrive. Feed a Child, Change a life!
Established 2008
WHO WE SERVE
KEY FACTS:
Families in need with school age children or grand-children living in their household. We distribute food through nearly half the 127 schools in Guilford County.
• We have distributed more than 11 million meals in the past 10 years and are the largest provider of food to children in the region. • We are the only organization with 19 Fresh Mobile Markets monthly distributing more than 100,000 pounds of fresh product to area food deserts.
HOW TO VOLUNTEER
HOW TO DONATE
Simply check out our website at https:// outofthegardenproject.org/volunteer-opportunities/volunteer-sign-ups/ like us on Facebook or call 336-430-6070 ext. 1.
You may go to our website outofthegardenproject.org and click the donate button, send a check to P.O. Box 4331, Greensboro, NC 27404, or call 336-430-6070 ext. 5.
P.O. Box 4331, Greensboro, NC 27404 336.430.6070 ext. 5 www.OutoftheGardenProject.org
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FEED A CHILD & CHANGE A LIFE. Kick off this giving season by giving the gift of food & hope. 94 O.Henry
November 2019
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
MISSION STATEMENT We build thriving communities by protecting and renewing our historic and architectural treasures. Established 1966
P.O. Box 13136, Greensboro, NC 27415 336.272.5003 www.preservationgreensboro.org
This ad made possible by Melissa Greer
WHO WE SERVE
KEY FACTS:
Greensboro and surrounding communities • Blandwood Mansion features an original mid-19th century decorative arts collection. in Guilford County • Architectural Salvage recycles vintage building elements such as mantles and hardware. • Explore history and architecture on neighborhood walks, open houses, or Tour of Homes!
HOW TO VOLUNTEER
HOW TO DONATE
Simply call our office or email us from our website to help with gardening, salvages, or events!
Visit our “Donate” page on our website
Our city has so many gems worth preserving. Historic homes have a graciousness and story all their own. As a Greensboro native, I’m proud to support Preservation Greensboro — a voice for revitalization and conservation in our city — and to work with clients who share my appreciation for our oldest and finest residences.
Chairman’s Circle Diamond Award 2014, 2017, 2018 Chairman’s Circle Platinum Award 2013, 2015 and 2016 Chairman’s Circle Gold Award 2010, 2011 and 2012
336. 337. 5233 MELISSA@MELISSAGREER.COM
The Art & Soul of Greensboro OH-half-brandad-Oct19.indd 1
MELISSA
GREER
REALTOR tm / BROKER, GRI, CRS
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MISSION STATEMENT Our mission is to provide food assistance through a network of partners, while educating and engaging our communities in the elimination of hunger and its causes.
Established 1982
3655 Reed Street Winston-Salem, NC 27107 336.784.5770 www.SecondHarvestNWNC.org Facebook.com/FoodBank.NWNC #FeedingCommunity
This ad made possible by an anonymous donor
WHO WE SERVE
KEY FACTS:
Second Harvest is a vital community resource providing food and support services for non-profit agencies serving Guilford County and 17 other counties from Boone to Burlington.
• 59 on-the-ground partners provide over 100 food assistance programs in Guilford County. • 25% of the all of the food Second Harvest distributes goes to Guilford County families. • More than 9.8 million pounds of food provided to Guilford County families last year.
HOW TO VOLUNTEER
HOW TO DONATE
Opportunities include helping to inspect and sort donated food; preparing meals for kids; assisting in our teaching garden. Learn more and sign up on our website.
This holiday season, honor and remember special people in your life with a gift that brings food to families. Give safely and securely on our website or send a check.
At Second Harvest, we believe...
Learn more about our mission and impact at SecondHarvestNWNC.org Honored to serve as a vital source of food and support services for our network of partners throughout Guilford County-from the many small, faith-based food pantries to our larger partners, including Backpack Beginnings, Greensboro Urban Ministry, Helping Hands, Open Door Ministries, One Step Further, Out of the Garden Project, Triad Food Pantry, and others.
96 O.Henry
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The Art & Soul of Greensboro
MISSION STATEMENT The mission of United Way of Greater Greensboro is to improve lives and create thriving communities by mobilizing and uniting the caring power of Greensboro, North Carolina.
Established 1902
1500 Yanceyville Street, Greensboro, NC 27405 336.378.6600 www.unitedwaygso.org
This ad made possible by The United Way
WHO WE SERVE
KEY FACTS:
• We serve families and individuals living with low incomes in the greater Greensboro community. • Through our network of strategic partners and at our Family Success Centers, people receive a unique, unbroken chain of services that help them get on a path out of poverty.
• Did you know? In Greensboro 57,000 people are living in poverty, including 1 in 4 kids and 1 in 5 adults. • The federal government defines poverty as a family of four earning $25,750/year. Many fourmember households need to earn around $60,000 to meet only their most basic needs without assistance. • Because of the generous support of donors, we have delivered almost 650,000 services with the $53 million raised in the last five years.
HOW TO VOLUNTEER
HOW TO DONATE
To learn about volunteer opportunities, follow us on social media, drop by our office, give us a call, or visit unitedwaygso. org/volunteer.
It’s so easy to make a big difference. Check, cash, over the phone, online at unitedwaygso.org/donate or on Cash App at $UWGG—we accept it all!
ONE GIFT • MULTIPLE LIVES LIVE UNITED
®
You can help: Jordan and Alex learn to read • Kevin graduate and go to college Patricia and Mariah develop careers • Brian overcome homelessness • James and Betty stay in their home
Our nationally recognized programs and community-wide network of partners are working together to END poverty.
END
POVERTY.
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
GIVE • ADVOCATE • VOLUNTEER Local impact for 97 years and counting Visit UnitedWayGSO.org to learn more
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November 1 MEX CINEPLEX. 6 p.m. Watch a family-friendly movie under the stars, related to Mexico’s Day of the Dead. High Point Museum, 1859 E. Lexington Ave., High Point. Info: (336) 885-1859 or highpointmuseum.org. MILES-STONE. 8 p.m. Under the handle of Voodoo Orchestra, Bobby Previte, Charlie Hunter and local jazz musicians perform Miles Davis’ groundbreaking album Bitches Brew. The Crown, Carolina Theatre, 310 S. Greene St., Greensboro. Tickets: (336) 333-2605 or carolinatheatre.com. HOT FOOTIN’ IT. 10 p.m. Dance your cares away at Pop-Up Dance Club with DJ Jessica Mashburn. Print Works Bistro, 701 Green Valley Road, Greensboro. Info: (336) 379-0699 or printworksbistro.com.
November 1–15 WAR AND REMEMBRANCE. Personal and col-
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lective histories are interwoven in Gesche Würfel’s haunting photographs on view at What Remains of the Day: Memories of World War II. Catch an artist’s talk at 6 p.m. on 11/1. GreenHill, 200 N. Davie St., Greensboro. Info: (336) 333-7460 or greenhillnc.org.
November 1–December 8 ART OF THE STATEMENT. Art mixes with politics in the exhibit Mary Kelly: Selected Works. Weatherspoon Art Museum, 500 Tate St., Greensboro. Info: (336) 334-5770 or weatherspoonart.org.
November 1–December 22 CREASED. In the exhibit Un/Folding, artist Alyson Shotz explores the act of folding through various artistic media. Weatherspoon Art Museum, 500 Tate St., Greensboro. Info: (336) 334-5770 or weatherspoonart.org.
November 2 CUE THE ’CUE. Noon. Load your fork with so
Fruit Feast
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much pork, and a side of beer and bluegrass at Pigstock, Rotary Club of Greensboro’s fundraiser for Children of Vietnam and Rotarians Uniting to Stop Hunger. Shooting Star Farms, 5624 Davis Mill Road, Greensboro. Tickets: https://pigstock2019tix.eventbee.com/. SKULL & BONES SOCIETY. Noon. Check out Day of the Dead altars and learn more about Mexico’s Dia de los Muertos courtesy of YWCA Latin Family Center. High Point Museum, 1859 E. Lexington Ave., High Point. Info: (336) 885-1859 or highpointmuseum.org. AUTHOR, AUTHOR. 2 p.m. Meet Nicole Gulotta, author of Wild Words: Rituals, Routines, and Rhythms for Braving the Writer’s Path. Scuppernong Books, 304 S. Elm St., Greensboro. Info: (336) 763-1919 or scuppernongbooks.com. CUPPA JOVIALTY. 7 p.m. Enjoy heavy hors d’oeuvres, live music, silent and live auctions and a dessert chefs’ competition at Community in a Cup first annual gala. The event supports the misThe Art & Soul of Greensboro
Arts Calendar
Onstage Piracy
11/
15-24 sion of A Special Blend to employ and train those with intellectual and developmental challenges. Starmount Forest Country Club, Sam Snead Drive, Greensboro. Tickets: aspecialblend.org. PRICELESS PAULA. 7:30 p.m. Standup comic Paula Poundstone will leave you rolling in the aisles with laughter. Carolina Theatre, 310 S. Greene St., Greensboro. Tickets: (336) 333-2605 or carolinatheatre.com. LATIN LAGAMORPH. 8 p.m. Bad Bunny, delivers beats and tunes of Latin trap music. Greensboro Coliseum, 1921 W. Gate City Blvd., Greensboro. Tickets: cmnevents.com. ELVIS WON’T LEAVE THE BUILDING. 8:30 p.m. Until he’s taken a jab at peace, love and understanding. New Wave rockers Elvis Costello and the Imposters take the stage. Piedmont Hall, Coliseum Complex, 2411 Gate City Blvd., Greensboro. Tickets: (800) 745-3000 or ticketmaster.com.
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
Oz-Mosis
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16-24 November 3 SHALOM! 11 a.m. Enjoy Jewish food, history, arts, music and more at the Joyous Jewish Festival. Temple Emanuel, 1129 Jefferson Road, Greensboro. Info: gsojfest.org. AUTHOR, AUTHOR. 3 p.m. Meet Jennifer Renee Blevins, author of Limited by Body Habitus: An American Fat Story. Scuppernong Books, 304 S. Elm St., Greensboro. Info: (336) 763-1919 or scuppernongbooks.com. SWAN SONG. 6 p.m. Marvel at hand-painted sets and 150 hand-sewn costumes, not to mention great music and dance as Russian Ballet Theatre performs Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake. Stevens Center, 405 W. Fourth St., Winston-Salem. Tickets: russianballettheatre.com.
November 5 THE CRADLE WILL ROCK. 11 a.m. Or swing anyway, at “Nursery Song Swing,” a broadcast from
Fab-Feast
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Jazz at Lincoln Center exploring nursery rhymes set to a jazz beat. High Point Public Library, 901 N. Main St., High Point. Info: (336) 885-1859 or highpointmuseum.org. MANGIA! 6 p.m. Il Sancarlin and Chicken Marengo can be yours at Italian: The Piedmont. Reto’s Kitchen, 600 S. Elam Ave., Greensboro. Tickets: ticketmetriad.com. AUTHOR, AUTHOR. 7 p.m. Meet Sci Fi Writer Sonya Deulina Williams, author of Mirrors. Scuppernong Books, 304 S. Elm St., Greensboro. Info: (336) 763-1919 or scuppernongbooks.com.
November 6 CHEF SHOW & TELL. 7 p.m. (doors open at 5 p.m.) Chef Brian Morris dishes on dishes and gives holiday entertaining tips at The Taste of the Gate City Cooking Show. Carolina Theatre, 310 S. Greene St., Greensboro. Tickets: (336) 333-2605 or carolinatheatre.com.
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Arts Calendar November 6–9 WATERWORKS. Catch the first-ever stop in the Gate City of the TYR Pro Swim competition (a long-course event). Greensboro Aquatic Center, Greensboro Coliseum Complex, 1921 W. Gate City Blvd., Greensboro. Tickets: (800) 745-3000 or ticketmaster.com.
November 7 SHOO, FLU! 6:30 p.m.’ Tis the season for ragin’ contagions. If you’ve caught a bug — or want to avoid catching one, learn how to strengthen your body’s defenses with botanicals and good eats from the garden at Adult Cooking: At-Home Cold and Flu Remedies. Greensboro Children’s Museum, 200 N. Church St., Greensboro. To register: gcmuseum.com. AUTHOR, AUTHOR. 7 p.m. Meet Debra Diamond, author of Diary of a Death Doula. Scuppernong Books, 304 S. Elm St., Greensboro. Info: (336) 763-1919 or scuppernongbooks.com. RAINY CHECK PEOPLE. 8 p.m. Catch the rescheduled performance by folk legend Gordon Lightfoot. Carolina Theatre, 310 S. Greene St.,
Greensboro. Tickets: (336) 333-2605 or carolinatheatre.com.
November 8 AUTHOR, AUTHOR. 7 p.m. Meet Christopher McDougall, author of Running With Sherman: The Donkey with the Heart of a Hero. Scuppernong Books, 304 S. Elm St., Greensboro. Info: (336) 763-1919 or scuppernongbooks.com. OPUS CONCERT. 7:30 p.m. Jon Brotherton conducts members of the Choral Society of Greensboro in raising their voices in song. First Baptist Church, 1000 W. Friendly Ave., Greensboro. Info: greensboro-nc.gov. JONI JAM. 9:30 p.m. Chad Eby Quintet performs “Both Sides Now: A Tribute to Joni Mitchell.” The Crown, Carolina Theatre, 310 S. Greene St., Greensboro. Tickets: (336) 333-2605 or carolinatheatre.com.
November 8–9 STEP UP! 8 p.m. NC Dance Festival, presented by Greensboro Dance Project, celebrates its 29th year (see page 25). GreenHill Gallery (11/8) an Dyke
Performance Space (11/9), Greensboro Cultural Center, 200 N. Davie St., Greensboro. Tickets: danceproject.org.
November 9 FRUIT FEST. 8 a.m. Or more specifically apple pancakes. Snarf down a stack at Apple Pancake and Celebration Day. Greensboro Farmers Curb Market, 501 Yanceyville St., Greensboro. Info: gsofarmersmarket.org. TAKING SIDES. 10 a.m. Let your tykes (ages 3 and up) learn how to prepare simple side dishes at Family Cooking: Thanksgiving Sides. Greensboro Children’s Museum, 200 N. Church St., Greensboro. To register: gcmuseum.com. BOOK TALK. 2 p.m. Join the WFDD Book Club discussion of Maybe You Should Talk to Someone. Scuppernong Books, 304 S. Elm St., Greensboro. (336) 763-1919 or scuppernong.com. STRINGY. 7:30 p.m. Classical, Latin and World music meet on the strings and bows of KAIA String Quartet, performing for Music for a Great Space. GreenHill Gallery, 200 N. Davie St., Greensboro. Tickets: ticketmetriad.com.
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The Art & Soul of Greensboro
Arts Calendar OLD KING COAL. 10 a.m. His coals are stoked and so are we! The Blacksmith strikes again! High Point Museum, 1859 E. Lexington Ave., High Point. (336) 885-1859 or highpointmuseum.org.
November 10 MARKET MAKERS 11 a.m. Pottery, jewelry, textiles, soaps and more . . . get a jump on your Christmas shopping at Made 4 the Holidays. Greensboro Farmers Curb Market, 501 Yanceyville St., Greensboro. Tickets: ticketmetriad.com. AUTHORS, AUTHORS. 2 p.m. Meet Tar Heel scribes at the North Carolina Arts Council 2019 Literary Fellows Reading with Jennie Maria Malbeouf, D.M. Spratley, Dr. Mylene C. Dressler, Sarah Bryan, Emilia Aynne Phillips, Marianne J. Erhardt and Paula Martinac. Scuppernong Books, 304 S. Elm St., Greensboro. Info: (336) 763-1919 or scuppernongbooks.com. VET FÊTE. 2 p.m. WACs, WAVEs, Army Nurses and Red Cross volunteers are the focus of the musi-
cal review Star-Spangled Girls, a salute to Veteran’s Day. GreenHill, 200 N. Davie St., Greensboro. Info: greenhillnc.org.
November 11 AIDE DE CAMP. 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Keep the kiddoes (ages 6 to 14) occupied on Veteran’s Day at the daylong School’s Out Camp, featuring cooking, coding and other constructive activities. Greensboro Children’s Museum, 220 N. Church St., Greensboro. To register: gcmuseum.com.
speak at Guilford College Bryan Series. Greensboro Coliseum, 1921 W. Gate City Blvd., Greensboro. Tickets: guilford.edu/life/bryan-series.
Nov. 12–Dec. 31
PEACE OFFERINGS. High school students exhibit works of art centered around the theme Visualizing Peace. Blue Nook Studio, Greensboro Cultural Center, 200 N. Davie St., Greensboro. Info: greenhillnc.org.
November 13
OOH LA LOIRE! 6 p.m. Chef Reto takes you on a culinary tour of his native Loire Valley region. Reto’s Kitchen, 600 S. Elam Ave., Greensboro. Tickets: ticketmetriad.com.
BUZZWORTHY. 11 a.m. The Greensboro Swarm is back in town. The Fieldhouse, Greensboro Coliseum Complex, 1921 W. Gate City Blvd., Greensboro. Tickets: (336) 907-3600 or gsoswarm.com.
VET FÊTE, PART DEUX. 7:30 p.m. Attend a Veteran’s Day Reading and North Carolina Writers Network open mic with poet Ray Whitaker. Scuppernong Books, 304 S. Elm St., Greensboro. (336) 763-1919 or scuppernongbooks.com.
AUTHOR, AUTHOR. 7 p.m. Meet poets Donna Masini and Catherine Barnett. Scuppernong Books, 304 S. Elm St., Greensboro. Info: (336) 763-1919 or scuppernongbooks.com.
November 12 HISTORY BUFF. 7:30 p.m. That would be author and historian Doris Kearns Goodwin, who will
OPUS CONCERT. 7: 30 p.m. Get a bang out of Greensboro Percussion Ensemble, with Mike Lasley conducting. Van Dyke Performance Space, Greensboro Cultural Center, 200 N. Davie St., Greensboro. Info: greensboro-nc.gov.
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Arts Calendar November 14 GO-TO GARDENER. Noon. Toby Bost, horticulturalist and retired Forsyth County extension agent and author shares pearls of wisdom at “Ask a Garden Expert.” Paul J. Ciener Botanical Garden, 215 S. Main St., Kernersville. To register: (336) 996-7888 or cienerbotanicalgarden.org. AUTHOR, AUTHOR. 7 p.m. Meet poet Matt Hart author of Everything Breaking/For Good. Scuppernong Books, 304 S. Elm St., Greensboro. Info: (336) 7631919 or scuppernongbooks.com.
November 15 ART FROM THE HEART. 6 p.m. Enjoy hors d’oeuvres and a harvest dinner while artist Ashley Vanore discusses “The Art of Giving.” Literally true to her words, she’ll send you home with a piece of her artwork. The Griffin Room, Grandover Resort, 1000 Club Road, Greensboro. wTickets: ticketmetriad.com.
Arts & Culture
JOYFUL NOISES. 7 p.m. Casting Crowns, Hillsong Worship and Elevation Worship bring faith-based tunes to town. Greensboro Coliseum,
1921 W. Gate City Blvd., Greensboro. Tickets: (800) 745-3000 or ticketmaster.com. OPUS CONCERT. 7:30 p.m. Philharmonia of Greensboro fills the air with sweet harmonies. Peter Perret conducts. Christ United Methodist Church, 410 N. Holden Road, Greensboro. Info: greensboro-nc.gov. BE-BOP-A-LULA. 8 p.m. Lula Wiles, that is. The trio brings its pop-inflected folk sounds to the stage. The Crown, Carolina Theatre, 310 S. Greene St., Greensboro. Tickets: (336) 333-2605 or carolinatheatre.com.
November 15 & 17 CLOWN SHOW. And you thought Pennywise was scary! Check out Greensboro Opera’s production of Pagliacci by Ruggero Leoncavallo. UNCG Auditorium, 408 Tate St., Greensboro. Tickets: (336) 272-0160 or greensboroopera.org.
Little Theatre’s production of Treasure Island. Performance times vary. Fitzpatrick Auditorium, Kernersville Elementary School, 512 W. Mountain St., Kernersville. Tickets: (336) 993-6556 or brownpapertickets.com.
November 16 HARVEST HOME COOKING. 10 a.m. Or open hearth cooking anyway. Watch costumed interpreters prepare a harvest meal, old-school style. Hoggatt House, High Point Museum, 1859 E. Lexington Ave., High Point. Info: (336) 885-1859 or highpointmuseum.org. AUTHOR, AUTHOR. 5 p.m. Meet Jeremy Griffin, author of Oceanography. Scuppernong Books, 304 S. Elm St., Greensboro. Info: (336) 763-1919 or scuppernongbooks.com.
November 15–24
OPUS CONCERT. 7:30 p.m. Conductor Kiyoshi Carter strikes up the Greensboro Concert Band. Dana Auditorium, Guilford College, 5800 W. Friendly Ave., Greensboro. Info: greensboro-nc.gov.
ONSTAGE PIRACY. The whole gang of the gangplank — Jim Hawkins, Billy Bones and Long John Silver, among others — comes to life in Kernersville
A BOWLFUL OF JELLY. 7:30 p.m. Make that Jam — Gooseberry Jam whose rootsy rock will have you clappin’ and toe-tappin’. Carolina Theatre, 310 S.
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Arts Calendar November 16 & 17; 23 & 24
Dodson discusses the subject of his latest book, the Great Wagon Road. Greensboro History Museum, 130 Summit Ave., Greensboro. Info: (336) 373-2043 or greensborohistory.org.
KILN TIME. 9 a.m. & 1 p.m. Browse among exquisite pieces of wood-fired pottery at a Holiday Kiln Opening. Curry Wilkinson Pottery, 5029 S. N.C. Highway 49, Burlington. Info: currywilkinsonpottery.com.
PRE-SCHOOL. 6:30 p.m. For moms and dads! Learn to navigate school transitions at Proactive Parenting: Ready for School. Greensboro Children’s Museum 220 N. Church St., Greensboro. To register: gcmuseum.com.
November 16–24
CHOC FULL. 6:30 p.m. Local chocolate maker Robert Wallace presides over Adult Cooking: Wonderland Chocolate. ’Nuf said! Greensboro Children’s Museum 220 N. Church St., Greensboro. To register: gcmuseum.com.
Greene St., Greensboro. Tickets: (336) 333-2605 or carolinatheatre.com.
OZ-MOSIS. It’s that time of year again: Community Theatre Greensboro’s annual production of The Wizard of Oz (see page 41). Carolina Theatre, 310 S. Greene St., Greensboro. Tickets: (336) 333-2605 or carolinatheatre.com.
November 17 AUTHOR, AUTHOR. 7 p.m. Meet Elizabeth Chiles Shelburne, author of Holding on to Nothing. Scuppernong Books, 304 S. Elm St., Greensboro. Info: (336) 763-1919 or scuppernongbooks.com.
November 18
November 19 CLARK ’N’ CLAUDETTE. 7 p.m. It was the first film ever to sweep the Oscars: Frank Capra’s 1934 comedy, It Happened One Night, starring Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert. Carolina Theatre, 310 S. Greene St., Greensboro. Tickets: (336) 333-2605 or carolinatheatre.com.
WAGONS HO(H)! 10 a.m. O.Henry’s Editor Jim
November 20 PHOTO FINISH. 10 a.m. High Point Historical Society Guild Series focuses on its collection of old photographs. High Point Museum, 1859 E. Lexington Ave., High Point. Info: (336) 885-1859 or highpointmuseum.org. BUON APPETITO! 6 p.m. You’ll never go hungry again if you sign up for “Ravioli, Crepes, Dinner + Dessert.” Reto’s Kitchen, 600 S. Elam Ave., Greensboro. Tickets: ticketmetriad.com.
November 21 FAB FEAST. 6:30 p.m. Keep your Thanksgiving guests coming back for more with delicacies you’ll have learned to prepare at Adult Cooking: Pies and Sides. Greensboro Children’s Museum 220 N. Church St., Greensboro. To register: gcmuseum.com.
November 21 & 22 EASEL DOES IT! See the latest landscapes and contemporary works by North Carolina’s Painter, William Mangum. William Mangum Studio, 303
Arts & Culture
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November 21–23 VIOLA & SEBASTIAN. See an abridged version of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, courtesy of Drama Center. Performance times vary. Stephen D. Hyers Theatre, Greensboro Cultural Center, 200 N. Davie St., Greensboro. Tickets: greensboro-nc.gov.
November 22 PIE-RACY. 5 p.m. Kids ages 8 to 11 are rolling in dough at Kids Cooking: Easy as Pie. Greensboro Children’s Museum 220 N. Church St., Greensboro. To register: gcmuseum.com.
Pie-racy II
11/
23
METAL MANIA. 6:30 p.m. Metal heads, headbangers and hard rockers rejoice: Five-Finger Death Punch and Three Days of Grace burn up the stage. Greensboro Coliseum, 1921 W. Gate City Blvd., Greensboro. Tickets: (800) 745-3000 or ticketmaster.com. BUZZWORTHY. 7 p.m. The Greensboro Swarm is back in town. The Fieldhouse, Greensboro Coliseum Complex, 1921 W. Gate City Blvd., Greensboro. Tickets: (336) 907-3600 or gsoswarm.com.
November 23 PIE-RACY II. 10 a.m. & 2 p.m. More kids are rolling in dough at Kids Cooking: Persimmon Hand Pies (ages 6–8) and Tween Cooking: Pie Master (ages 11– 14). Greensboro Children’s Museum, 220 N. Church St., Greensboro. To register: gcmuseum.com. AUTHOR, AUTHOR. 11 a.m. Meet children’s author Caroline McAlister, who wrote Finding Narnia. Scuppernong Books, 304 S. Elm St., Greensboro. Info: (336) 763-1919 or scuppernongbooks.com. HONKY TONK WOMAN. 7 p.m. Country sensation Miranda Lambert rolls into town with her “Roadside Bars and Pink Guitars” tour. Greensboro Coliseum, 1921 W. Gate City Blvd., Greensboro. Tickets: (800) 745-3000 or ticketmaster.com. AUTHOR, AUTHOR. 7 p.m. Meet J. R. Slade, author From a Corner of Comfort to a Land of Chaos. Scuppernong Books, 304 S. Elm St., Greensboro. Info: (336) 763-1919 or scuppernongbooks.com. ROCK ON! 7:30 p.m. With alt-rockers Chevelle. Piedmont Hall, 2411 W. Gate City Blvd., Greensboro. Tickets: getmorechevelle.com.
Arts & Culture
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
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The Art & Soul of Greensboro
Arts Calendar Complex, 1921 W. Gate City Blvd., Greensboro. Tickets: (336) 907-3600 or gsoswarm.com.
November 23 & 24 FAIR DEAL. Browse the handiwork of 100-plus artisans working with glass, clay, wood, metal and other media at the 56th annual Piedmont Craftsmen’s Fair. Times vary. Benton Convention Center, 301 W. Fifth St., Winston-Salem. Tickets: piedmontcraftsmen.org.
November 28 SONGBIRD OF THE STAGE. 7:30 p.m. Broadway chanteuse Jessica Vosk (Wicked, Fiddler on the Roof) performs with accompaniment by pianist Dominick Amendum, courtesy of Well-Spring and UNCG Theatre. Well-Spring Theatre, 4100 Wellspring Dr., Greensboro. Tickets: ticketmetriad.com.
November 24 AUTHORS, AUTHORS. 7 p.m. Meet poets Chris Abbate, Joan Barasovska, and Pam Baggett. Scuppernong Books, 304 S. Elm St., Greensboro. Info: (336) 763-1919 or scuppernongbooks.com.
November 29 JAMMIN’. 8 p.m. Shake your groove thing at Novemberfest, featuring Hip Hop and R&B artists Mystikal, Trina and Trick Daddy, among others. Greensboro Coliseum, 1921 W. Gate City Blvd., Greensboro. Tickets: (800) 745-3000 or ticketmaster.com.
November 25 BY JUPITER! 7:30 p.m. Catch a free, public performance of Gustav Holst’s The Planets by High Point University Community Orchestra. Hayworth Fine Arts Center, HPU, One University Parkway, High Point. Info: highpoint.edu.
WALKER-TOWN. 8 p.m. Or rather, Seth Walker at the Crown. The singer/songwriter and N.C. native comes home. The Crown, Carolina Theatre, 310 S. Greene St., Greensboro. Tickets: (336) 333-2605 or carolinatheatre.com.
November 27 BUZZWORTHY. 7 p.m. The Greensboro Swarm is back in town. The Fieldhouse, Greensboro Coliseum
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November 29–December 1 THE C-WORD(S). Craftsmen’s Christmas Classic Arts & Crafts Festival makes its annual appearance in the Gate City. Tickets available at the door.Special Events Center, Greensboro Coliseum, 1921 W. Gate City Blvd., Greensboro. Info: greensborocoliseum.com.
November 30 SANTA CLAUS IS COMIN’ TO MOTOWN. 8 p.m. And so should you, to “A Motown Christmas.” Carolina Theatre, 310 S. Greene St., Greensboro. Tickets: (336) 333-2605 or carolinatheatre.com.
WEEKLY HAPPENINGS Mondays BUZZING. 10 a.m. Your busy little bees engage in a Busy Bees preschool program focusing on music, movement, garden exploration and fun in the kitchen (members only). Greensboro Children’s Museum, 220 N. Church St., Greensboro. To register: (336) 574-2898 or gcmuseum.com.
CHAT-EAU. Noon. French leave? Au contraire! Join French Table, a conversation group. Scuppernong Books, 304 S. Elm St., Greensboro. Info: (336) 763-1919 or scuppernongbooks.com.
Tuesdays BIBLIO CHEFS. 3 p.m. What better combo than reading and food. Kiddos age 3–5 are immersed in both at Book and Cook, a six-week program (10/29 through 12/3). Greensboro Children’s Museum, 220 N. Church St., Greensboro. To register: (336) 5742829 or gcmuseum.com.
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Arts Calendar BOTS FOR TOTS. 3:45 p.m. Kids ages 6–8 learn about robots and apps (Dot and Dash, Cubelets, Ozobots) at the next Techie Kids series (10/29 through 12/3). Greensboro Children’s Museum, 220 N. Church St., Greensboro. To register: (336) 5742829 or gcmuseum.com. READ ALL ABOUT IT. Treat your little ones to story times: BookWorms (ages 12–24 months) meets at 10 a.m.; Time for Twos meets at 11 a.m. Storyroom; Family Storytime for all ages meets at 6:30 p.m. High Point Public Library, 901 N. Main St., High Point. Info: (336) 883-3666 or highpointpubliclibrary.com. PICKIN’ AND GRINNIN’ 6 until 9 p.m. Y’all come for Songs from a Southern Kitchen, curated by O.Henry’s own Ogi Overman and featuring live performances of roots and Americana music by String Thing (11/5), Crystal Bright and Anita Lorraine Moore (11/12), Abigail Dowd and Jason Duff (11/19), and Sam Frazier and Eddie Walker (11/26). Lucky 32 Southern Kitchen, 1421 W. Westover Terrace, Greensboro. Info: (336) 370-0707 or lucky32.com/fried_chicken.htm.
Wednesdays MUSSELS, WINE & MUSIC. 7 until 10 p.m. Mussels with house-cut fries for $15, wines from $10–15 a bottle and live music by AM rOdeO — at Print Works Bistro, 702 Green Valley Road, Greensboro. Info: (336) 379-0699 or printworksbistro.com/live_music.htm.
Thursdays ALL THAT JAZZ. 6 p.m. Hear live, local jazz with the O.Henry Trio and selected guests Clinton Horton (11/7), Ti Harmon (11/14), and Diana Tuffin (11/21). All performances are at the O.Henry Hotel Social Lobby Bar. No cover. 624 Green Valley Road, Greensboro. Info: (336) 854-2000 or www.ohenryhotel.com/jazz.htm. JAZZ NIGHT. 7 p.m. Fresh-ground, freshbrewed coffee is served with a side of jazz at Tate Street Coffee House, 334 Tate St., Greensboro. Info: (336) 275-2754 or www.tatestreetcoffeehouse.com.
WELCOMES
OPEN MIC COMEDY. 8 p.m. Local pros and amateurs take the mic at the Idiot Box, 503 N. Greene St., Greensboro. Info: (336) 274-2699 or idiotboxers.com.
Fridays THE HALF OF IT. 5 p.m. Enjoy the hands-on exhibits and activities for half the cost of admission at $5 Fun Fridays ($3 on First Fridays). Greensboro Children’s Museum, 220 N. Church St., Greensboro. Info: (336) 574-2898 or gcmuseum.com.
Fridays & Saturdays NIGHTMARES ON ELM STREET. 8 p.m. A 90-minute, historical, candlelit ghost walking tour of Downtown Greensboro. Tickets: (336) 905-4060 or carolinahistoryandhaunts.com/information.
Saturdays TO MARKET, TO MARKET. 7 a.m. until noon. The produce is fresh and the cut fleurs belles. Greensboro Farmers Curb Market, 501 Yanceyville St., Greensboro. Info: gsofarmersmarket.org.
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110 O.Henry
November 2019
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
Specializing in doggie happiness
modern furniture made locally
WE OFFER: DOG DAYCARE • SLEEPOVERS • GROOMING • WEBCAMS
705 Battleground Ave.
www.DogDaysGreensboro.com
THRICE UPON A TIME. 11 a.m. Hear a good yarn at Children’s Storytime. Scuppernong Books, 304 S. Elm St., Greensboro. Info: (336) 763-1919 or scuppernongbooks.com. WRITE IS MIGHT. 3 p.m. Avoid writer’s block by joining a block of writers at Come Write In, a confab of scribes who discuss their literary projects. Scuppernong Books, 304 S. Elm St., Greensboro. Info: (336) 763-1919 or scuppernongbooks.com. JAZZ ENCORE. 7 p.m. Hear contemporary jazz cats Jacqui Haggerty and Friend (11/2), Elaine Penn and the O.Henry Trio (11/9), Steve Haines and Friends (11/16), Amy Hancock and Noah Powell (11/23), and Crystal Bright and the O.Henry Trio (11/30), while noshing on seasonal tapas at O.Henry Jazz series for Select Saturdays. O.Henry Hotel, 624 Green Valley Road, Greensboro. Info: (336) 854-2000 or ohenryhotel.com. IMPROV COMEDY. 10 p.m. on Saturday, plus an 8 p.m. show appropriate for the whole family. The Idiot Boxers create scenes on the spot and build upon the ideas of others, creating shows The Art & Soul of Greensboro
511 S Elm St. | Greensboro NC 27406 | 336.370.1050 areamod.com
that are one-of-a-kind — at the Idiot Box, 503 N. Greene St., Greensboro. Info: (336) 274-2699 or idiotboxers.com.
Saturdays & Sundays KIDS’ CRAFTS. Idle hands are the devil’s workshop — unless you enroll Junior in one of three structured activities at Greensboro Children’s Museum: Art Studio encourages making art in all kinds of media; at Music Makers kids can shake, rattle and roll with percussion instruments; while Get Moving! inspires physical activities. Times and dates vary. Greensboro Children’s Museum, 220 N. Church St., Greensboro. Info: (336) 574-2898 or send an email mailto: marketing@gcmuseum.com.
Arts Calendar
HALF FOR HALF-PINTS. 1 p.m. And grownups, too. A $5 admission, as opposed to the usual $10, will allow you entry to exhibits and more. Greensboro Children’s Museum, 220 N. Church St., Greensboro. Info: (336) 574-2898 or gcmuseum.com. MISSING YOUR GRANDMA? 3 p.m. until it’s gone: Tuck into the quintessential comfort food: skillet-fried chicken, and mop that cornbread in, your choice, giblet gravy or potlikker. Lucky 32 Southern Kitchen, 1421 W. Westover Terrace, Greensboro. Info: (336) 370-0707 or lucky32.com/fried_chicken.htm.
Sundays GROOVE AND GRUB. 11 a.m. Chow down on mouth-watering Southern brunch fare (biscuits, anyone?), courtesy of Chef Irvin J. Williams, while students from the Miles Davis Jazz Program serenade you with smooth jazz. The Historic Magnolia House, 442 Gorrell St., Greensboro. Info: (336) 617-3382 or thehistoricmagnoliahouse.com.
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Saturday, December 7 | 7:00 - 11:00 PM GreenHill rolls out Winter Show in style with the greatest party of the year, Collector’s Choice. Meet and mingle with artists from every corner of the state, and purchase fabulous art in advance of the public opening. GreenHill is your gateway to the creative community.
RSVP GREENHILLNC.ORG
Interior Design • Furnishings • Accessories • Gifts • Art
513 South Elm Street , Greensboro, NC 27406 336.265.8628 www.vivid-interiors .com
112 O.Henry
November 2019
CENTER FOR NORTH CAROLINA ART
200 North Davie Street | Greensboro Cultural Center
DOWNTOWNGREENSBORO.ORG
Sensel, Adam, Thankful for Forsyth Sprites, 2019
VIVID
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The Art & Soul of Greensboro
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November 2019
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The Art & Soul of Greensboro
shops • service • food • farms
support locally owned businesses
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Located at Friendly Center next door to Barnes and Noble Mon-Fri 10-8 | Sat 10-6 | Sun 1-6 • 336-294-3223 Visit our new website… shereesinatural.com for special discounts on SkinCeuticals and brow waxing.
Mark Your Calendar! Hop on Triad ECO Adventures’ trolley and join Triad Local First for our Saturday Strolls during #BuyLocalSeason
Carriage House Antiques & Home Decor
November 30th on Trade St in Winston-Salem December 7th on State St in Greensboro December 14th Downtown / Elm St in Greensboro 1-5pm
336.373.6200
2214 Golden Gate Drive Greensboro, NC Monday-Friday 10-5:30 • Saturday • 10-5 Sunday 1-5 The Art & Soul of Greensboro
www.triadlocalfirst.com November 2019
Join the effort. Visit www.triadlocalfirst.com.
O.Henry 115
shops • service • food • farms
support locally owned businesses
Tis the Season
For Winter Essentials!
“I couldn’t be happier with my renters, or my rental income” Brantley White
Burkely Rental Homes client
There are times when it’s smarter to lease than to sell your home. Call me when you think you’re there! I’ll be pleased to discuss how Burkely Rental Homes can help you.
GORDON’S MENSWEAR
3712 Lawndale Dr. Next to the Fresh Market Mon. - Sat. 10-6 336.286.2620 gordonsmenswearltd.com
Greensboro’s Locally Owned Kitchen Store since 1985
You are invited to join us
SATURDAY, NOV 9 10:00 AM—5:00 PM
2019 VIETRI EVENT
Enjoy discounts, drawings and Italian Hors d’oeuvres! Please RSVP at extraingredient.com to receive a FREE gift of Old Saint Nick Cocktail Napkins when you attend.* All Vietri purchases of $250.00 or more will receive a FREE Old St. Nick Cookie Plate (a $64.00 value).
Friendly Shopping Center, Greensboro, NC 800-528-3618 l 336-299-9767
www.extraingredient.com 116 O.Henry
Uccello Rosso
*The supply is limited … RSVP is required to receive free gift.
November 2019
Join the effort. Visit www.triadlocalfirst.com.
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
shops • service • food • farms
1220-d battleground av e greensbor o | 336. 3 7 9 . 9 8 7 4 www.i fi tspa per . o r g
support locally owned businesses
cards, y a d i l o y gifts t l a i c e p g ery in v
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905 Battleground Ave • 336.379.8640 info@godwinagency.com • www.godwinagency.com
Let us help you create your dream garden
We specialize in unique, native, and specimen plants. 701 Milner Dr. Greensboro 336-299-1535 guilfordgardencenter.com The Art & Soul of Greensboro
November 2019
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This not-so-big foot ornament
Business & Services
is handmade by artisans working with the Association for Craft Producers in Kathmandu, at the foot of the Himalayas.
Ten Thousand Villages has purchased products from Association of Craft Producers since 1987.
2917-B Battleground Ave Greensboro NC 27408 336-834-4606
New Holiday Hours: Monday-Saturday: 11am-6:30pm Sunday: 1pm-4pm
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1614-C WEST FRIENDLY AVENUE GREENSBORO, NC 27403 336-272-2032 stitchpoint@att.net MONDAY-FRIDAY: 10:00-6:00 SATURDAY: 10:00-4:00
118 O.Henry
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WAYNE HARDISTER 336.404.4282
STYLE SHOWN: CLIFF HOUSE
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2222 Patterson St. #A Greensboro, NC 27407 336.852.7107 www.houseofeyes.com Only one block from the coliseum.
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The Art & Soul of Greensboro
November 2019
8/30/19 11:23 AM
O.Henry 119
Practicing Commercial Real Estate by the Golden Rule Bill Strickland, CCIM Commercial Real Estate Broker/REALTOR 336.369.5974 | bstrickland@bipinc.com
www.bipinc.com
ASHMORE RARE COinS & MEtAlS Since 1987
• 30+ years as a major dealer of Gold, Silver, and Coins • Most respected local dealer for appraising and buying Coin Collections, Gold, Silver, Diamond Jewelry and Sterling Flatware • Investment Gold, Silver, & Platinum Bullion
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Visit us: www.ashmore.com or call 336-617-7537 5725 W. Friendly Ave. Ste 112 • Greensboro, NC 27410 Across the street from the entrance to Guilford College
336-854-9222 • www.HartApplianceCenter.com
2201 Patterson Street, Greensboro, NC (2 Blocks from the Coliseum) Mon. - Fri.: 9:30am - 5:30 pm Sat. 10 am - 2 pm • Closed Sunday
Storewide Sale 5TH SATURDAY
NOVEMBER 30 | 10 AM TILL 6PM WITH DISCOUNTS THROUGHOUT THE STORE.
We will be decorated for the holidays and will have complimentary cake and coffee.
Gibsonville A &C ntiques
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Full of History, Antiques & Charm
Visit
106 E. Railroad Ave, Gibsonville, NC
Downtown Gibsonville behind the Red Caboose
(336) 446-0234 • GibsonvilleAntiques.com Mon-Sat 10-6 & Sun 1-5
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online @ www.ohenrymag.com 120 O.Henry
November 2019
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
GreenScene Mimosas in the Healing Garden Cone Health Cancer Center at Wesley Long Hospital
Saturday, September 7, 2019
Photographs by Lynn Donovan
Gay Bowman, Pat Maggard, Janet Fusaiotti
Cathy Rice, Ashley Wall
Shari & Justin Spradley Lee Ross, Kris Flynt, Denise Collins, Jamie Gulledge
Dr. Bruce Swords, Becky Campbell
Mary & Gus Magrinat (Mary was the Chairperson of the event)
Randi Fleeman, Graeme Freggatt
Ron Johnson, Sandra Mascia
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
Craig Bugbee, Josh DesVoignes, Sandra Mascia
Suzanne & Reid Wilcox, Jenny Moody
Skip & Kim White
Bill Roane, Nancy Quaintance
November 2019
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GreenScene
Elizabeth Horton, Mark Pengelly
See to Believe Gala
Greensboro Science Center
Friday, September 20, 2019
Photographs by Lynn Donovan
Alex & Ashley Luchsinger Billie Tesh, Glenn Dobrogosz, Sig Tannenbaum
Douglas & Susan Gresham, Kris & David Cooke
Leslie & Jesse Anderson
Nasha McCray, Jahkeem Williams
Rebekah Winslow, Tony Villier. Bobby & Stacy Calfo Ursula Oglesby, Ayesha Oglesby
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November 2019
Lizbeth Vaughan, Aldo DiClemente
Allen & Abbey Cooke, Stephanie & Andrew Clifford, Ben & Maegan Klein Bob Bell, Julie Domachowski
Megan & Chris Hampton
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
Immaculate American Classic 3809 MEREDITH DRIVE, GREENSBORO, NC 27408 Timeless style inside and out with custom moldings and woodwork, high ceilings and large rooms. Beautiful brickwork, patio and landscaping create a distinguished yet comfortable setting in Irving Park. 4 Bedrooms/3 and Half Baths Bonus 2 Car Garage
Chesnutt - Tisdale Team
Xan Tisdale Kay Chesnutt 336-601-2337 336-202-9687 Xan.Tisdale@bhhsyostandlittle.com Kay.Chesnutt@bhhsyostandlittle.com
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©2019 BHH Affiliates, LLC. An independently operated subsidiary of HomeServices of America, Inc., a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate, and a franchisee of BHH Affiliates, LLC. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices and the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices symbol are registered service marks of HomeServices of America, Inc.® Equal Housing Opportunity.
From Our Kitchen To Your Table For 30 Years
JEFFERSON WOOD 810 Jefferson Wood Drive 4 Bedrooms/3.5 Baths 3786 Square Feet/0.45 Acres $635,000.
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336-601-6363
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
• Gourmet to Go Meals • Full Service Catering • Wine Shop • Table Linens & Gifts
• Old Fashioned Cheese Straws • Moravian Chicken pies
50 MILLER STREET • WINSTON-SALEM, NC 27104 • 336.722.1155 • WWW.SALEMKITCHEN.COM
November 2019
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GreenScene Coast to Curb Seafood Celebration Greensboro Farmers Curb Market
Saturday, September 21, 2019 Photographs by Lynn Donovan
Sarah Richardson, Willie Nelson Bill Mullins, Jade Tullos Anderson, Mimi Smith-Becoster
Nancy Jo Smith, Missy Nunn
Kyahna Everett, Mykia Kallie, Tylar Lewis, Mykayla Osborne
Francesca Mesina, Mike & “B� Aikins, Consuella Gibson, Dr. Perry Nichols, Betsy Trent
Maliq, Ann & Mark Taylor Todd & Christine Fisher
Litha Charles, Amy Keith Barney, Kendra Cranford, Lindsey Lahr
Wesley Wheeler & Rob Overman Jasmine Dejesus, Joshua Letzter
Cole & Christina Hairston, Sally Marino, David Kay
Beth Hansen, Margaret Winslow
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The Art & Soul of Greensboro
Kathie Gentry, Laura Sherrill
GreenScene
Liz Urquhart
Wines of South Africa Rickety Bridge Winery
Greensboro Public Library Double Oaks Bed & Breakfast Thursday, October 3, 2019 Photographs by Lynn Donovan
Rosemarie Andrews, Christine Pearson, Betty Mayo
Salem Owens, Alison Welch
Andy Woolgar, David Lowe Araceli Macedo & Roberto Hernandez
Bob & Gale Byers
Julie Wade, Nancy Irish, Homer Wade
James Keith, Michael Fangman
Sallie Luedtke, Carol Ann Ros
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
Paul Sparrell, Rebecca Maust
Deborah Friedman, Rebecca Cochran
November 2019
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Treat
Yourself HOLIDAY STYLES ARRIVING DAILY Schedule an appointment to enjoy personal one on one styling to put together your holiday wardrobe
Simply Meg’s SAVVY STYLE. PURELY PERSONAL.
Photo: Daniel Stoner
1616-G Battleground Ave | Dover Square 336.617.7941 10am-5:30pm Mon.-Sat. www.bibsandkidsboutique.com
Floral Design Delivery Service Home Décor & Gifts Weddings & Special Events Come visit our retail shop! 1616 Battleground Avenue, Suite D-1 Greensboro, NC 27408
1616-H Battleground Ave Dover Square 336.272.2555 10am-5:30pm-Mon.-Sat. www.simplymegsboutique.com
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336.691.0051
shop@randymcmanusdesigns.com w w w. r a n d y m c m a n u s d e s i g n s . c o m
118 O.Henry
November 2019
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
The Accidental Astrologer
Gob(ble)-smacked! The universe serves up a cosmic feast this November
By Astrid Stellanova
An astral shout-out to Turkey, NC! Then, let’s time-travel to 1621 to the first Thanksgiving ever. Now, before we set the table with those stubborn ol’ things called facts, here’s what my third-grade teacher swore up and down was the historical truth: Those Pilgrims boiled the turkey and roasted the duck, serving up eel, cod and clams, too. Savory pudding of hominy for a side and a pudding of Indian corn meal with dried whortleberries. They gave us more than a holiday. Mayflower descendants include Julia Child, Clint Eastwood, Dick Van Dyke and Marilyn Monroe.. Remember, Star Children, when you want to strangle your cousin after the pumpkin pie, at least one turkey gets pardoned every Thanksgiving. Scorpio (October 23–November 21 There’s an old saying at our house: It’s never good for the turkeys when pigs choose the holiday menu. A pal in your circle has been guilty of promoting their own interests over yours. They don’t even realize how much this might hurt your friendship, so call them out. It started in innocence. Let it end there, too, Sugar. Sagittarius (November 22–December 21) Lordamercy, bad news! You just tested Jell-O-positive. Why in the round world are you being such a chicken? Remember who raised you, stand up against the bullies, the meanies and even the monsters under the bed. This, too, shall pass. Capricorn (December 22–January 19) Here’s some can’t-miss advice. Don’t diss his Mama . . . remember, he loves that crazy woman. Time to put the shut to the up-and-smile like you just got voted most likely to succeed, Sugar. ’Cause if you can do this, you are most definitely gonna catch a sweet whiff of that thing called success. Aquarius (January 20–February 18) Yassssirreee, you flung yourself into change and stretched. What’s next — buying a blue apron and auditioning as Flo for a Progressive ad? Think of your health, Sweet Thing, cause you are not that kind of a sap. You are a different kind altogether. Pisces (February 19–March 20) Pop a can of Beanie Weenies and call it a picnic. You showed up, brought what you had, and even if your contribution wasn’t finger-lickin’ fried chicken, you did what you could. Sometimes, poor folks just got poor ways of doing, like my Mama said. Aries (March 21–April 19) You stand to gain if everything goes your way. But there is a weather event on the horizon, so to speak, that might or might not involve crazy-making s@#t storms. There is still time for you to decide if you want to stick around and find out.
The Art & Soul of Greensboro
Taurus (April 20–May 20) You just won a world medal for backtracking. Everybody changes their mind, but there’s a possibility you just plain lost yours. Look at the story that you are laying down now versus then. Not everybody is picking up what you laid on ’em, Sugar. Gemini (May 21–June 20) Beware of purses big enough to hide an axe — and one carrying one. You may think nobody noticed a little double-crossing that went down, but, hello, they sure did. It pays for you to stay low for at least long enough for them to blow off steam. Cancer (June 21–July 22) Get away from the fan when things hit. What started unwinding last month is not done, and you are near to the epicenter. You could or could not be directly involved, but you got the whiff of some nasty business by standing too close. Leo (July 23–August 22) Look me in the eye and tell me water ain’t wet. That’s right. I’m going to be like Mabel Madea Simmons: Here’s some truth-telling. Surely you already know the best direction for your life is not getting in line with a bunch of rabid lemmings. Virgo (August 23–September 22) You two just go together like taters and gravy. That’s why when your buddy calls you are all in, every time. Enjoy this fun because there’s a sweet old karmic relationship at work here that you have earned and you definitely need. Libra (September 23-October 22) Grandpa loves to say it ain’t in their best interest for turkeys to vote for Thanksgiving. When it comes to making changes, be sure it is for the greater good, Honey. Check your mule tracks and be sure you like where you’ve been. OH For years, Astrid Stellanova owned and operated Curl Up and Dye Beauty Salon in the boondocks of North Carolina until arthritic fingers and her popular astrological readings provoked a new career path. November 2019
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O.Henry Ending
Taking Root
By Cheryl Capaldo Traylor
Each year when the leaves turn yellow,
orange and brown, then float down to ever-growing piles and the comforting scent of woodstove smoke fills the air, I’m reminded of the stark beauty of this darkening season. It’s not quite winter, and yet Mother Nature’s crisp breath chills my neck each time her wind lifts my scarf. Gardeners can smell the acrid miasma of frost-burnt plants as the land enters its longest season of rest. These sensory experiences transport me back through the years to a place where winter arrived early, and by November the land was already blanketed in a layer of snow. Summer long gone, no more running barefoot through the dewy lawn taking coffee to Daddy as he worked in our big vegetable garden. No more homegrown tomatoes eaten straight from the vine. But summer’s harvest was always carried into the following seasons through canning, drying and preserving.
Growing up we had a two-room cinderblock building we dubbed “the Washroom” that stood an arm’s length from our white clapboard house. Dad kept his tools in the Washroom’s larger room where he tinkered, built and repaired all sorts of things. A small plastic 3-D image of Christ’s head hung on the heavy wooden door; his pale blue eyes followed me as I followed Dad around the room. The temperature dipped as you stepped down from the concrete floor of the main room into the smaller room — the root cellar. There were no windows. You had to reach up and fumble in the dark to find the light chain that hung from the ceiling. The floor was hard-packed earth, and wooden shelves covered three of the walls. Countless jars full of fruits and vegetables in a rainbow of colors adorned
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the shelves: fruit preserves, tomato sauce, peppers, corn, beets, blackberries, applesauce and apple butter, jellies and homemade wine. One jar both fascinated and repulsed me: pickled pigs’ feet. Where did this oddity come from? We didn’t have pigs, so I can only guess it was a gift. People often shared what they had preserved with their neighbors. To the right of the cellar door there was a bin that resembled an animal stall where potatoes lay completely buried in a mix of sawdust and dirt. Onions rested nearby in a separate slot. Braids of garlic dangled from the rafters. For a man who worked on highway construction, money could get tight in the winter and a root cellar was almost a necessity. As a child, I didn’t appreciate this food grown and preserved literally by the sweat of my parents’ brows. But as an adult who hasn’t the time, talent or space to preserve my own food, I now understand the work involved. I tried canning tomatoes once as a young bride. It ended in disaster. My husband came home to find a blood-red ceiling and splattered countertops that looked like a scene from a horror movie. Every jar of tomatoes had burst open. I underestimated how important temperature and capacity were when canning. Preserving is an art form and takes practice. Afterward, Mom wanted to teach me, but I got caught up in life and caring for my own little family. I assumed there would be plenty of time to learn from her in the future. I am humbled by my parents’ sacrifice. Dad spent weeknights after work, and all day on weekends, in the garden during growing season. The intense summer sun turned his Italian skin into brown leather. Mom spent day after day in an unairconditioned kitchen, standing over a Hotpoint stove while the sweltering steam from canning pots fogged up the windows. Because they had four small mouths to feed and not a whole lot of money with which to do it, they worked together. And though many meals were modest — brown beans and biscuits made with water instead of cream; potato-onion soup; chopped bologna instead of meatballs in tomato sauce; or garlic-and-dandelion-greens salad — there was always something out in the root cellar that Mom could turn into a good meal. Sometimes these memories arise and take me by surprise. In a way they make me feel fortunate to have grown up in a home that often knew lean times, yet never knew lack. And although West Virginia winters were bitter cold outside, inside we were warm. The stove glowed as Mom prepared something from those old Mason jars filled with homemade love from the root cellar. OH Cheryl Capaldo Traylor is a writer, gardener, reader, and hiker. She blogs at Giving Voice to My Astonishment (www.cherylcapaldotraylor.com). The Art & Soul of Greensboro
ILLUSTRATION BY HARRY BLAIR
The richness of autumn’s bounty finds a home in a humble root cellar
S P E C I A L I Z I N G I N C O S M E T I C S U R G E RY & S K I N C A R E
COSMETIC SURGERY Body Contouring • Tummy Tucks • Breast Reduction Blepharoplasty • Breast Augmentation Eyelid Lift • Liposuctioning • Facelift
SKIN CARE Facials • Chemical & Medical Peels Dermaplane • IPL Treatments • Rejuvapen Obagi Skin Care • Latisse • Celluma
NON-SURGICAL PROCEDURES CoolSculpting® • Facial Rejuvenation Botox® Cosmetic • Dysport™ • Restylane® Restylane® Lyft • Restylane® Silk • Restylane® Refyne • Defyne • Sculptra® • Volbella Voluma • Vollure • Laser Tattoo Removal
CURRENT PROMOTIONS
Visit barberplasticsurgery.com for details.
ON SKIN CARE & PROCEDURES
DR. W. BYRON BARBER II, FACS Selected by Castle Connolly as Top Doctors in Plastic Surgery 2011-2019 Certified American Board of Plastic Surgery 1591 YANCEYVILLE ST. • SUITE 100 • GREENSBORO, NC (336) 275-3430 • WWW.BARBERPLASTICSURGERY.COM
T H E F I R S T F I N E J E W E L RY B R AC E L E T F O R YO U R A PPL E WATC H ®
GREENSBORO Friendly Center • 336-294-4885 WINSTON-SALEM Stratford Village, 137 South Stratford Road • 336-725-1911 www.schiffmans.com
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S M A R T C AV I A R