MATTY SHEETS
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MAY 6-12, 2020 VOLUME 16, NUMBER 19
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Publisher CHARLES A. WOMACK III publisher@yesweekly.com EDITORIAL
Matt French enlisted other Greensboro CHEFS TO COOK FOR COVID-19 nurses after he saw ReOpen NC protesters berating health care workers on the news. “I was furious,” French told YES! Weekly. “Heroes putting their lives on the line were being verbally assaulted by LARPing ammosexuals and shrieking Haircut Hannahs.”
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When the world shut down for safety’s sake during the pandemic, Greensboro artist MATTY SHEETS found solace in his sketches and watercolors. As the host of “Live Music Drink and Draw,” as well as various open mics and songwriting circles, Sheets has a lot of feel-goods in his medicine bag. But one thing he enjoys most is inspiring others to pursue their artistic gifts as well. 5 Taking into account the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Winston-Salem’s OUT at the Movies will offer a special screening of Rachel Mason’s award-winning documentary feature Circus of Books this Saturday – and you needn’t leave home to see it. 6 Echoing the title of Robert Aldrich’s 1955 film noir classic KISS ME DEADLY and steeped in genre trappings, producer/director/editor/co-star Darrett Sanders auspicious, award-winning 2015 debut feature is a gleeful and knowing send-up. 7 This week’s takeout recommendations focus on MOTHERS’ DAY. Some good news appeared in recent emails—two especially welcome re-openings. I had already completed a full column about Chez Genese (chezgenese.com, 616 S. Elm
St., 336-663-7399) before the shutdown. I loved the place- the concept, the food, the people, the value. 8 On April 22, Bowling Green, Kentucky, Mayor Bruce Wilkerson was hard at work at a house he has been renovating when he smelled cigarette smoke and “heard a ruckus” outside, so he went to INVESTIGATE. The former police officer found blood on the cellar door and a bag containing women’s clothing inside... 14 1970S FILM STOCK, the one-man pedal army fronted by Winston-Salem’s Eddie Garcia, released the first of a twopart record on May 1, with the second chapter coming June 5 via Bandcamp. This City, This Tulpa, marks a “53-minute soundtrack for the city, the movie in your mind, or that dream you’re gonna have tonight,” Garcia said of his latest instrumental eargasm. “Your pick.” 15 “I’m a single woman. I’d love to get into a relationship. Often, when I’m at a bar, I see a guy I’d like to chat up, but I won’t even approach because I don’t know what to say. Are there some PICKUP LINES men love to hear?”
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DISTRIBUTION JANICE GANTT KYLE MUNRO CARL PEGRAM SHANE MERRIMAN JESSE GUERRA ANDREW WOMACK We at YES! Weekly realize that the interest of our readers goes well beyond the boundaries of the Piedmont Triad. Therefore we are dedicated to informing and entertaining with thought-provoking, debate-spurring, in-depth investigative news stories and features of local, national and international scope, and opinion grounded in reason, as well as providing the most comprehensive entertainment and arts coverage in the Triad. YES! Weekly welcomes submissions of all kinds. Efforts will be made to return those with a self-addressed stamped envelope; however YES! Weekly assumes no responsibility for unsolicited submissions. YES! Weekly is published every Wednesday by Womack Newspapers, Inc. No portion may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher. First copy is free, all additional copies are $1.00. Copyright 2020 Womack Newspapers, Inc.
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Divisiveness is a virus, too
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nlike our childish, meanspirited president who thrives on namecalling and social unrest, I never intend to stir up controversy with my Jim Longworth words. And yet, last week, my column, “Cooper’s Shell Longworth Game Could Ruin at Large Us,” did just that. Not long after YES! Weekly publisher Charles Womack posted my column, he was deluged with responses. Some of them were favorable, but others were critical, including those written by folks who threatened never to read YES! Weekly again. A similar eruption occurred last year when I defended Martina Navratilova’s right to say that trans athletes should not be allowed to compete in women’s tennis tournaments. The hate mail poured in, and you would have thought I had sold uranium to the Russians. Somehow this society has forsaken tolerance and civil discourse in favor of partisanship and bullying, and that saddens me. For the record, I am neither a Republican nor a Democrat. I am a liberalleaning unaffiliated voter, and, over the past 20 years, my columns and T.V. commentaries have criticized GOP officials over Dems by about a 10 to 1 margin. I’ve also committed my time and resources to advocating for liberal causes. In 1993, I helped Virginia Governor Doug Wilder pass the nation’s first hand gun legislation, and, early on in the new millennium, I fought for victims of forced sterilization to receive compensation. I went on record decades ago in favor of gay marriage and equal pay for women. I afforded the late Darryl Hunt multiple platforms for promoting his Innocence Project. Earlier this year I helped to promote a municipal bond that will give teachers a much-needed raise. Yet let me criticize a Democratic governor for his COVID-19 phase-in plan, and all of a sudden, I am a half-wit who doesn’t care if people die. Even in the most difficult of times, WWW.YESWEEKLY.COM
thoughtful, civilized people should be able to agree to disagree on issues without threatening one another, or name calling. The problem is that issues are not necessarily the problem. University of Maryland professor Dr. Lilliana Mason conducted a study in 2018 in which she examined issue-based ideology vs. identity-based ideology. In September of that year, she revealed her findings in an issue of Psychology Today, saying that, “by far the more potent predictor of social distance was identity-based ideology, that is, how we identify ourselves as liberals or conservatives, and not where we stand on the issues.” Her research reinforced what many of us already knew, that rampant partisanship is driving public policy and public discourse. The late Sen. John McCain once said, “We weaken our greatness when we confuse our patriotism with tribal rivalries.” Unfortunately, most Americans seem to be ignoring his warning. Yes, Donald Trump is the poster boy for divisive speech, and it’s bad enough when his right wing followers mimic his bad behavior. But I am more concerned about the angry rhetoric coming from highly educated people who say they stand for tolerance, yet have none for anyone who doesn’t agree with them 100% of the time. Author Joanne Freeman, speaking with Judy Woodruff during a 2018 PBS special, reminded us that America experienced its first contested presidential election in 1800, during which the rhetoric was so heated that some feared it would lead to a civil war. “Thomas Jefferson quieted the factions, saying that we are all Federalists. We are all Republicans. Let us try to stand back and unite,” Freeman said. Clearly today, we are lacking a leader in the White House who can persuade and inspire us to cease the heated rhetoric and unite. Absent that, however, we must all as individuals strive for that ideal. Divisiveness is a highly contagious, air borne virus for which the only cure is civility. ! JIM LONGWORTH is the host of Triad Today, airing on Saturdays at 7:30 a.m. on ABC45 (cable channel 7) and Sundays at 11 a.m. on WMYV (cable channel 15).
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Matty Sheets conquers anxiety through ‘wobbly lines’
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hen the world shut down for safety’s sake during the pandemic, Greensboro artist Matty Sheets found solace in his sketches and watercolors. As the host of “Live Music Drink and Draw,” as well as various open mics and songwriting circles, Sheets has a lot of feel-goods in his medicine bag. But one thing he enjoys most is inTerry Rader spiring others to pursue their artistic gifts as well. Like many multi-faceted artists, Contributor Sheets knows that diversity often means survival; if one stream isn’t flowing, hopefully, he can tap into another. Right now, a lot of streams have stopped flowing across the Triad, but that hasn’t stopped his art and music from getting out there. As a child, Sheets said he loved to draw with dreams of becoming a comic book artist. When he was about 9 years old, his father told him he needed to get serious and do something else or he’d be a starving artist—Sheets was fine with that, and shortly after, started playing music. He said he rediscovered drawing as an adult in 2016, after being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis during a nervous breakdown he didn’t know he was having. With M.S., he has “the shakes” which makes it hard to draw a straight line, so he said, “wobbly lines” became his style. Sheets wasn’t going to let his M.S. take over his life, so he started hosting his free “Live Music Drink and Draw” on Monday nights at The Artist Bloc on Gate City Boulevard over a year ago. He said it is very “mellow and peaceful,” with live acoustic-playing performers. He plans to bring it back when things open up again. Sheets admitted that he misses his weekly events because he feels better when he can get out of the house. In the meantime, Sheets encourages folks to express themselves artistically online, and one way of doing that is participating in various art “challenges.” In 2018, Sheets participated in the “Inktober Challenge” that Jake Parker had started 10 years ago. Sheets said he had come up with a limited color palette using three primary colors that included Ultramarine Blue, Quinacridone Rose, and Hansa Yellow Medium, Payne’s Grey, and a few others. Sheets said he has also participated in the “10-5-1 Art Challenge.” He said he had practiced this challenge his kitchen drawing a French press and coffee cup—which was a “great exercise to get to the simplest form” by eliminating everything he didn’t need. Sheets’s online sketchbook has a “This is Not a Comic” series that he started last October. He said he had a small watercolor sketchbook and thought “it would be lovely to fill it by posting a drawing a day.” Some drawings include funny, sarcastic writings, but are not intended to be “comics.” When his friend, Byrne Klay taught him screenprinting, Sheets said he began looking at everything as a potential print. He plans to get back to scanning his art to make prints to have with his CDs at events. Sheets said he is open to all commissions, even doing $5 sketches to be YES! WEEKLY
MAY 6-12, 2020
Art by Matty Sheets
framed and/or used as custom tattoos, and he said he especially loves to do album cover art. “If you want to do it, just do it,” Sheets said of pursuing art. “Use a pen or pencil and colors you really like, and be sure to use the right kind of paper for whatever medium you choose. Accept that you may not be very good at first. I think anything in life responds from practice. If you practice anything, I promise you will be better after doing it 200-300 times.” Sheets’s other art forms—such as singing, songwriting, and playing guitar, slide guitar and ukulele—has revolved around music since 1994. People may know Sheets from hosting open mics for over 18 years. (He still hosts the open mic night at Westerwood Tavern.) Many Triad singersongwriters speak very fondly of him in how he has helped them on their music path, including Emily Stewart, whom he sometimes plays with as Magpie Thief. In 2018, Sheets recorded a whole bunch of songs on, “Anxiety: The Lazy Dog Sessions” at Lazy Dog Recordings with Jeff Wysosky. (Available on Spotify, iTunes and YouTube.) Sheets said he plans to continue the ongoing Wednesday night music series as a livestream on the Common
Grounds Facebook page until restrictions from the COVID-19 pandemic are lifted. “The Happeneers” recently invited him to join them in a livestream, on his personal Facebook page, every Saturday at 2 p.m. “Several of my songs are on Bandcamp where you can pay anything you want, and it all comes directly to me for my huge medical bills,” Sheets said. “I am still waiting to hear back from Social Security about disability. Thanks for everything. Thanks for anything.” ! TERRY RADER is a freelance writer/editorial/content/copy, creative consultant/branding strategist, communications outreach messenger, poet and emerging singer/songwriter.
WANNA
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To learn more about Matty Sheets, visit his website, social media accounts and Bandcamp page. www. mattysheets.com/sketchbook/, www.facebook.com/mattysheetsillustration/?refid=17, www.mattysheets.bandcamp.com/, www.instagram.com/mattysheets/
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Even when staying in, you can still go ‘OUT at the Movies’ Taking into account the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Winston-Salem’s OUT at the Movies will offer a special screening of Rachel Mason’s awardwinning documentary feature Circus of Mark Burger Books this Saturday – and you needn’t leave home to see it. Contributor The screening, part of the festival’s ongoing regular series, was to have taken place at the ACE Theatre Complex at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, but given the current circumstances an alternative had to be found, said Rex Welton, the co-founder and director of the OUT at the Movies International LGBTQ Film Festival and screening series. Circus of Books had been a hot ticket as the closing-night selection of last year’s OUT at the Movies film festival. “At the time of our festival, Netflix had already purchased the rights, and they were being very selective in approving festival screenings,” Welton disclosed. “I was very persistent, and we were thrilled to be one of the few festivals in the country to screen it. Rachel Mason, the director and a subject in the documentary, joined us for a Skype Q&A during our festival.” “Rex was instrumental in bringing this film to North Carolina, and it really was his dedication to the festival, and this film that made the event special,” Mason concurred. “My film had the great honor of playing many regional LGBTQ film festivals and I’m really grateful that Netflix made this particular allowance because I know how much it means more than ever right now. Looking back at my experiences from the current COVID situation, I see that these localized spaces created such powerful experiences for people outside of the big metropolitan areas where there may be an abundance of queer spaces to commune.” Those who want to watch Circus of Books can do so at the special “Netflix Party,” beginning at 6:15 p.m. OUT at the Movies plans to synchronize the screening so that audiences can watch it separately (but together), followed by a teleconference Q&A featuring Mason, as well as her parents, Barry and Karen Mason (pending availability), who are the principal subjects of the documentary. In 1976, Barry and Karen were struggling WWW.YESWEEKLY.COM
COURTESY OF NETFLIX
Video still of former Circus of Books employee, Justin Honard aka Alaska Thunderfuck 5000 parents looking for a way to make ends meet. They answered an advertisement in the Los Angeles Times placed by publisher Larry Flynt, who was seeking distributors for his monthly magazine, Hustler. The Masons took control over a local shop, Circus of Books, which would in time become one of the largest distributors of gay porn in the United States. This certainly helped their financial situation, but it also made them the subject of public scorn and considerable controversy, to say nothing of facing possible incarceration for federal-obscenity prosecution. It was also during this time that Circus of Books became a refuge during the height of the AIDS crisis in the 1980s and 1990s. Barry and Karen’s daughter Rachel, an artist and composer, made her feature film debut with the award-winning 2013 avantgarde musical The Lives of Hamilton Fish (in which she also appeared), before deciding to turn the cameras on her family – and herself – to bring the remarkable but true tale of Circus of Books to the screen. To say that she had a unique insight, having grown up during this period, would be an understatement. She was there. She saw it. She experienced it herself. The film won the Harrell Award as Best Documentary Feature at the 2019 Camden International Film Festival and the Audience Choice Award as Best Documentary Feature at the 2019 Sidewalk Film Festival (Birmingham, Alabama), and was nominated for the Dorian Award as LGBTQ Documentary of the Year by the 2020 GALECA: The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics. Mason said she was “absolutely thrilled” by its reception. Among the other films currently on Netflix that OUT at the Movies has previously screened are Evening Shadows, God’s
Own Country, Handsome Devil, Lez Bomb, and The Queen, and plans are underway to also make these “Netflix Party” events by the festival. At this point in time, the annual OUT at the Movies International Film Festival is scheduled for Oct. 1-4. A final decision will be made by Aug. 1 to determine whether it
can take place as before, or whether other arrangements will be made. For more information, call (336)9180902 or visit the official OUT at the Movies website, www.outatthemovies.org/. ! See MARK BURGER’s reviews of current movies on Burgervideo.com. © 2020, Mark Burger.
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flicks “ALASTAIR SIM’S SCHOOL FOR LAUGHTER” (Film Movement Classics): A four-film Blu-ray collection ($69.95 retail) devoted to the films of renowned British actor Alastair Sim (1900-’76), who Mark Burger enjoyed a five-year tenure as a lecturer of elocution at the Contributor University of Edinburgh before embarking on his acting career: The Belles of St. Trinian’s (1954), in which he played a dual role; School for Scoundrels (1960), opposite Terry-Thomas and Ian Carmichael; Laughter in Paradise (1951), produced and directed by Mario Zampi; and Hue and Cry (1947), directed by Charles Crichton. Bonus features include retrospective featurettes and interviews. AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON (Arrow Video/MVD Entertainment Group): John Landis wrote and directed this well-made, engaging 1981 chiller starring David Naughton as an American college student whose English excursion goes seriously awry when he is bitten by a werewolf. Rick Baker’s Oscar-winning makeup effects remain impressive, and a fine cast includes Griffin Dunne, lovely Jenny Agutter, John Woodvine, and Frank Oz (very funny as a harassed American Embassy official). A near-classic that deftly balances horror and humor, and marked a step up for the genre. The collector’s-edition Blu-ray ($49.95 retail) includes audio commentaries, full-length documentary, retrospective and vintage featurettes and interviews, outtakes, image gallery, and much more. Rated R. BETTER DAYS (Well Go USA Entertainment): Derek Kwok-Cheung Tsang directed this award-winning adaptation of Yuexi Jiu’s novel (originally titled Shao nian de ni) details the relationship that develops between bullied student Zhou Dongyu and her mysterious protector (Jackson Yee). In Mandarin with English subtitles, available on Blu-ray ($29.98 retail). THE CAPER OF THE GOLDEN BULLS (Kino Lorber Studio Classics): Fresh from their “triumph” the year before with The Oscar, executive producer Joseph E. Levine, producer Clarence Greene (his final film), director Russell Rouse (his final film), and YES! WEEKLY
MAY 6-12, 2020
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Mark Burger’s Video Vault DVD PICK OF THE WEEK: KILL ME, DEADLY! (Indican Pictures) Echoing the title of Robert Aldrich’s 1955 film noir classic Kiss Me Deadly and steeped in genre trappings, producer/ director/editor/co-star Darrett Sanders auspicious, awardwinning 2015 debut feature is a gleeful and knowing send-up. It’s Hollywood 1947, and Dean Lemont (also a producer) provides appropriately hard-boiled narration as deadpan, unflappable private eye Charlie Nickels, investigating an unsolved murder and the theft of the priceless Bengal Diamond. There are suspects and red herrings aplenty, including the breathy nightclub chanteuse Mona Livingston (Kirsten Vangness, also a producer/executive producer), whom Charlie can’t seem to resist – even when he should. Actually, the issue of whodunit isn’t really a surprise. Rather, the filmmakers celebrate its noir-ish origins in affectionately cheeky fashion, augmented by Bill Newlin’s bluesy score and the black-and-white cinematography of Nicholas Trikonis (making his feature debut). Adding a little star power are Lesley-Anne Down (in full femme fatale mode) and Joe Mantegna (as a particularly frazzled Bugsy Siegel) in small but showy roles. All told, Kill Me, Deadly! is great fun for film buffs, and the last shot is lifted directly from Taxi Driver (1976). If you’re going to steal, steal from the best ... The DVD ($24.99 retail) includes audio commentaries, deleted scenes, and bloopers.
leading man Stephen Boyd reunited for this picturesque but empty-headed 1967 adaptation of a William P. McGivern novel (also released as Carnival of Thieves), in which Boyd’s wartime buddies reunite for a jewel heist during the annual “running of the bulls” in Pamplona, Spain, with Yvette Mimieux (glamorous but wasted), Giovanni Ralli (glamorous), Walter Slezak (not glamorous but wasted), Vito Scotti, Leon Askin, Arnold Moss, and Clifton James, whose bizarre hairstyle (or hairpiece) makes him resemble Zero Mostel. Both the DVD ($19.95 retail) and Blu-ray ($24.95 retail) include audio commentary. THE COLD BLUE (Kino Lorber): Writer/ producer/director Erik Nelson’s feature documentary pays tribute to the heroism of the members of the Eighth Air Force World War II, featuring interviews with surviving members. Both the DVD ($29.95 retail) and Blu-ray ($34.95 retail) include audio commentary, William Wyler’s 1944 documentary Memphis Belle: A Story of a Flying Fortress, trailer, and more. EEGAH (The Film Detective): Producer/screenwriter/co-star Arch Hall Sr. directed his first and only feature (under the pseudonym “Nicholas Merriwether”),
a low-rent 1962 fantasy spoof starring Richard Kiel in the title role of a prehistoric giant who captures a modern woman (Marilyn Manning, in her screen debut). Sheer lunacy that has somehow survived as a dubious cult classic. Both the DVD ($19.99 retail) and Blu-ray ($24.99 retail) include the 1988 episode of Mystery Science Theatre 3000 devoted to the film, as well as retrospective interviews. THE FAN (Scream Factory/Shout! Factory): Legendary actress Lauren Bacall is terrorized by deranged admirer Michael Biehn in this 1981 adaptation of Bob Randall’s best-seller, which marked the feature directorial debut of Edward Bianchi (who has toiled in television since) and was controversial in the wake of John Lennon’s murder and the attempted assassination of Ronald Reagan. A stylish but uneven collection of slasher trappings that nevertheless prefigured celebritystalking, with a classy supporting cast: James Garner, Maureen Stapleton, Hector Elizondo, and Anna Marie Horsford, and look fast for Dana Delany, Griffin Dunne, and Dwight Schultz. The collector’s-edition Blu-ray ($29.99 retail) includes audio commentary, retrospective interviews, and more. Rated R.
FORCE 10 FROM NAVARONE (Kino Lorber Studio Classics): Based on Alistair MacLean’s best-seller, this belated (17 years) follow-up to The Guns of Navarone (1961) is routine World War II fare, with Allied commandos assigned to ferret out a double agent and assist the Partisans in war-torn Yugoslavia, enlivened somewhat by a star-studded cast: Robert Shaw (who died before the film’s release), Harrison Ford, Edward Fox, Barbara Bach, Franco Nero, Carl Weathers, Richard Kiel, and Alan Badel. Both the DVD ($19.95 retail) and Blu-ray ($29.95 retail) include audio commentary and theatrical trailer. Rated PG. HEIMAT IS A SPACE IN TIME (Icarus Films Home Video): In Thomas Heise’s epic, award-winning documentary feature (originally titled Heimat ist ein Raum aus Zeit), the acclaimed filmmaker examines four generations of his family dating back to the 19th century to the present, and how it reflected with the history of Germany during the same period of time. In German with English subtitles, available on DVD ($29.98 retail), replete with bonus features. “LOOKING FOR ALASKA” (Paramount Home Entertainment): Executive producer John Green’s award-winning 2005 debut novel formed the basis for this 2019 Hulu mini-series created by executive producer Josh Schwartz, a coming-of-age fable starring Charlie Plummer as a contemplative teenager who enrolls at the prestigious Culver Creek Academy boarding school and becomes infatuated with classmate Kristine Froseth. Timothy Simons, Ron Cephas Jones, Sofia Vassilieva, Denny Love, and Jay Lee also appear. The three-DVD collection ($29.98 retail) includes all eight episodes plus bonus features. THE MAN BETWEEN (Kino Lorber Studio Classics): Producer/director Carol Reed revisits Third Man territory with this atmospheric 1953 Cold War thriller starring James Mason (typically great) as a black marketeer whose relationship with schoolteacher Claire Bloom could either bring redemption or seal his doom, available on DVD ($19.95 retail) and Blu-ray ($29.95 retail), each boasting audio commentary, retrospective and vintage interviews, and ! trailers. See MARK BURGER’s reviews of current movies on Burgervideo.com. © 2020, Mark Burger.
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John Batchelor’s recommendations for takeout: Mother’s Day edition
BY JOHN BATCHELOR
his week’s takeout recommendations focus on Mothers’ Day. Some good news appeared in recent emails—two especially welcome re-openings. I had already completed a full column about Chez Genese (chezgenese.com, 616 S. Elm St., 336-663-7399) before the shutdown. I loved the place- the concept, the food, the people, the value. That column will be published, eventually, when full reopening occurs. Meanwhile, a message last week announced a partial relaunch, starting May 10 with a Mothers’ Day menu. For $18, you get quiche, croissants from Camino Bakery, fresh fruit, a macaroon cookie, and drip coffee. Mimosa kits are also available (call 336-708-5377 to order) for an extra charge. The restaurant will be posting menus online starting Monday, May 11. That day’s feature will be Chicken with Mushrooms. Tuesday brings Tomato Tart; Wednesday, Tuna Nicoise Salad; Thursday, Smoked Salmon Sandwich; Charcuterie plate on Friday; and Fresh Pesto Pasta on Saturday (5/16). All are priced $15. The Mothers’ Day menu at Green Valley Grill (greenvalleygrill.com, O.Henry Hotel, 624 Green Valley Rd., 336-8542015) features five family size selections, including sides. Order online by midnight, Friday, May 8, and pick up 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on May 10. A tossed salad is included with all entrees. Rotisserie Boneless Leg of Lamb ($100) comes with roasted potatoes, Brussels sprouts, and mint yogurt sauce. Skillet Fried Chicken ($65)- four breasts, four legs, four thighs- is served with mashed potatoes, creamy pan gravy, collards, and cornbread. Brunch Casserole ($55) is made with ham, thyme, and Gruyère cheese, served with hash browns. Wood Fired Salmon ($80) is joined by polenta and green beans, with sherry thyme butter on the side. Slow Roasted Brisket ($70) is accompanied by mac & cheese, green beans, and dinner rolls, spicy voodoo sauce on the side. Individual strawberry shortcake desserts complete each of these orders. The website indicates that takeout meals will be available sometime soon on a regular schedule. Melt (meltkitchenandbar.com, 1941 WWW.YESWEEKLY.COM
EAT IT!
New Garden Rd. #116, 336-763-5445) has long been one of my favorite casual places. A special Mothers’ Day menu will be in place this Sunday. These selections are sized to serve four to six people. Orders must be placed today (Wednesday, 5/6) by email, to meltgso@gmail.com. Consider starting with Spinach Artichoke Dip ($16). French Toast Casserole ($22) is made with brioche bread pudding. Croque Monsieur Sliders enclose ham and Swiss cheese with béchamel sauce. Quiche ($18) blends bacon, Gouda cheese, and caramelized onions. Brussels Sprouts ($20) are great- a personal testimony! Spinach Salad ($20) places strawberries, goat cheese, candied walnuts, and red onions over spinach, dressed in balsamic vinaigrette. Roasted Salmon ($60) is enhanced with Dijon caper sauce, joined by cous cous and asparagus. The restaurant is open Monday-Saturday, 3-7 p.m., for the regular menu. Paninis ($11-$12) include The Melt, prepared from your choice of two cheeses- Swiss, gouda, mozzarella, cheddar, pepper jack, provolone, or American; The Granny- turkey, Granny Smith apples, onion jam, with brie and mozzarella cheeses; Costellocapicola ham, salami, spicy cherry pepper spread, shaved onion, and provolone cheese with pesto aioli; and Reuben. Large portion entrees are available during regular takeout hours, too. You can get a Chicken Fajita Kit ($24)- chicken, peppers, onions, rice, salsa, and sour cream with a choice of corn or flour tortillas. Grilled Shrimp Dinner ($30) comes with quinoa salad, broccoli, and roasted red pepper sauce. Sesame Ginger Beef and Broccoli includes rice, with homemade sesame ginger sauce. You get garlic bread with Chicken or Eggplant Parmesan ($30). Baked Pasta Bolognese ($30) uses meat sauce made in house, with melted mozzarella cheese on top. Order wine or beer to go! We conclude with a personal reflection. After a recent dinner at home, I lamented to my wife, “I really miss my cookie.” She responded, “There’s one pack in the upstairs closet.” I looked. I couldn’t believe all the stuff she had hidden up there! COVID is hurting more than health. It’s eroding trust in relationships. What else does she have secreted away?
Watch this space for further revelations. ! JOHN BATCHELOR has been writing about eating and drinking since 1981. Over a thousand of his articles have been published. He is also author of two travel/cook-
books: Chefs of the Coast: Restaurants and Recipes from the North Carolina Coast, and Chefs of the Mountains: Restaurants and Recipes from Western North Carolina. Contact him at john.e.batchelor@gmail.com or see his blog, johnbatchelordiningandtravel.blogspot.com.
MAY 6-12, 2020
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[NEWS OF THE WEIRD] NOT WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE
On April 22, Bowling Green, Kentucky, Mayor Bruce Wilkerson was hard at work at a house he has been renovating when he smelled cigarette smoke and Chuck Shepherd “heard a ruckus” outside, so he went to investigate. The former police officer found blood on the cellar door and a bag containing women’s clothing inside, but after determining there were no reports of missing women in the area, he told the Bowling Green Daily News, he went back to his work. Later, the electricity suddenly went out, so he returned to the cellar and this time found a young woman. “She said, ‘I’m hiding from someone,’” Wilkerson told police, then she ran away. Police haven’t identified her, but Wilkerson wanted to set the record straight before “a story would come out that I had a lady locked up in my cellar.”
QUICK THINKING
Eliza Ruth Watson, 37, raises chickens in
Gray, Maine, so she’s used to seeing foxes nosing around, but as she worked in her garden on April 23, the fox she spotted didn’t run when she tried to scare it off by hollering and waving her arms. Instead, the animal lunged toward her, ready to attack. “Thinking back on it now, the fox was a mangy, stanky fox,” Watson told the Sun Journal. She responded by kicking it, but “it kept coming back, and I kept kicking it.” Finally Watson grabbed the fox around the neck, and as it fought back, she shoved it into a large pot used for scalding chickens, sealed the lid and called 911 and her husband. At the hospital, she received five rabies vaccine injections. “People kept asking, ‘Are you the one who wrestled the fox?’” she said. “It’s certainly not how I expected to spend my day.”
ZOOM FATIGUE
— A videoconference meeting of the Vallejo, California, planning commission got a little weird on April 20 when commissioner Chris Platzer announced, “I’d like to introduce my cat,” then was seen throwing the cat off-screen. Later Platzer was seen drinking a beer, and after the meeting ended, city staff could still hear
him making derogatory remarks about the commission, the Vallejo Times-Herald reported. In an April 25 email to the newspaper, Platzer apologized for his actions and said he has resigned from the commission. “We are all living in uncertain times, and I certainly, like many of you, am adjusting to a new normalcy,” he wrote. Mayor Bob Sampayan said he was bothered by Platzer’s “whole demeanor during the entire meeting.” The commission had scheduled a vote to remove Platzer on April 28. — ABC News reporter Will Reeve made an internet meme come to life on April 28 when he appeared on “Good Morning America” to report on pharmacies using drones to deliver prescriptions. Looking dapper in a sport coat and open-collared shirt, Reeve no doubt thought his home setup would camouflage the fact that he wasn’t wearing pants, CNN reported. Twitter had a field day, and Reeve himself tweeted back, “I have ARRIVED ... in the most hilariously mortifying way possible.”
IRONY
The National Weather Service issued a dust advisory on April 27 in eastern Washington after wind gusts of more than 40 mph kicked up a wall of sediment. “We have had reports of blowing dust near Dusty (seriously, near the town of Dusty) on SR 26 and SR 127,” the NWS tweeted. According to Fox News, the Washington State Patrol reported that SR 26 was “fully blocked” about 3 miles outside of Dusty after a car and a semi-truck crashed. The highway remained closed for about six hours.
LEAST COMPETENT CRIMINAL
North Carolina State Highway Patrol officers stopped Lance Gordon, 32, on April 24, for speeding in a car belonging to Angela Lee, 47, of Holly Springs, whom Gordon said was an acquaintance. WRAL reported authorities grew suspicious after Holly Springs police were unable to contact Lee to confirm the story, and in a subsequent search of her house and car, investigators found Lee’s body in the car’s trunk. Gordon was charged with Lee’s murder, along with stealing her car.
DESPERATE TIMES
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MAY 6-12, 2020
In Logrono, Spain, an unidentified man pushed the envelope on Spain’s stringent lockdown rules, which make an exception for pet owners, who are allowed to go outside briefly with their pets, according to Gray News. The National Police tweeted a photo on April 24 of the man being arrested for sitting on a city bench holding his pet fish a fish bowl.
ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT
Brian Wood, owner of All American Gator Products in Dania Beach, Florida, is taking face masks to a whole new level by fashioning coverings made with the skin of Burmese pythons. “Some people want to make a fashion statement even during this pandemic, so I want to give them options,” Wood told the Miami Herald on April 19. The snakeskin itself doesn’t offer any added protection, but the masks would allow for a filter or lining to be inserted and removed. Wood hopes to add alligator and crocodile skin masks to his offerings, although alligator, “the diamond of leathers,” would be more expensive. Wood said he will be buying animals from local hunters to meet the demand.
NAME IN THE NEWS
Police in Gwinnett County, Georgia, finally caught up with 35-year-old Speedy Gonzalez, of Buford, on April 25. Gonzalez had been wanted in connection with a theft in January, when multiple checks were reported stolen from a mailbox in Suwanee, the Associated Press reported. Gonzalez allegedly cashed the checks, used the money to buy more than $3,000 worth of merchandise at Home Depot, then returned the goods for cash. He was charged with forgery, identity theft and theft by deception.
RECURRING THEME
In the Sydney, Australia, suburb of Marrickville, a family has resorted to erecting a fence and a warning sign to scare away a “mystery human poo-er” who has allegedly been defecating next to their garage, United Press International reported. “We have installed this fence and a camera to hand over to police,” the sign reads. “We understand that COVID-19 is tough on everyone but please stop
EWWWWW!
Three roommates at Northwest Iowa Community College in Sheldon, Iowa, were charged on April 20 with assault in response to an event that took place on March 13. According to nwestiowa.com, Lindsey Ann Cundiff, 20; Kyiah Elaine Kastner, 19; and Ellie Thompson, 20, allegedly removed dry skin from the bottom of one of their feet and added it into a fourth roommate’s shredded cheese, then watched her eat it. No word on what else was in the dish. !
© 2020 Chuck Shepherd. Universal Press Syndicate. Send your weird news items with subject line WEIRD NEWS to WeirdNewsTips@amuniversal.com.
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Small lies Actress Singer Just slightly Judges’ mallets Bar drink Cherished Intelligible Hunky guy Most scant Before, to Kipling Spices up Idaho city Cake creator Singer Crow Cork up, as a bottle Maui native Emulate Tara Lipinski “Baloney!” Certain woodwind player Early hi-fi format Berry rich in antioxidants See eye to eye (with) Sis, say Frame of a cartoon Japanese island Calling the shots Nearly WJM anchor Baxter Pop singer Mariah Chunk of history Animal at “una corrida” East - (Asian nation) Spotted, as money Playwright Edward Ad catchphrase Little lake Texas - (poker game) Singer Scaggs Stunt legend Knievel
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Very zealous Put out Freaks out Tunes out Canon - Rebel Best possible Bad-pun responses Keep waiting Mr. Big However, briefly Pair of identical products sold as a unit Writer Steel “Babbitt” author Lewis White Rabbit’s woe Tree flutterer New royal of 1981 Kit Confronts Canonized Fr. woman Walked (on) Slip away Electrical resistance measure Subject to legal action Singer Warwick Large city in Nebraska Ward off Ordinance Withered “You’re on!” Mouth parts Lightish sword Salary ceiling Actor Bruce
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Important Facts About DOVATO
This is only a brief summary of important information about DOVATO and does not replace talking to your healthcare provider about your condition and treatment. What is the Most Important Information I Should Know about DOVATO? If you have both human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, DOVATO can cause serious side effects, including: • Resistant HBV infection. Your healthcare provider will test you for HBV infection before you start treatment with DOVATO. If you have HIV-1 and hepatitis B, the hepatitis B virus can change (mutate) during your treatment with DOVATO and become harder to treat (resistant). It is not known if DOVATO is safe and effective in people who have HIV-1 and HBV infection. • Worsening of HBV infection. If you have HIV-1 and HBV infection, your HBV may get worse (flare-up) if you stop taking DOVATO. A “flare-up” is when your HBV infection suddenly returns in a worse way than before. Worsening liver disease can be serious and may lead to death. ° Do not run out of DOVATO. Refill your prescription or talk to your healthcare provider before your DOVATO is all gone. ° Do not stop DOVATO without first talking to your healthcare provider. If you stop taking DOVATO, your healthcare provider will need to check your health often and do blood tests regularly for several months to check your liver. What is DOVATO? DOVATO is a prescription medicine that is used without other antiretroviral medicines to treat HIV-1 infection in adults who have not received antiretroviral medicines in the past, and without known resistance to the medicines dolutegravir or lamivudine. HIV-1 is the virus that causes Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). It is not known if DOVATO is safe and effective in children. Who should not take DOVATO? Do Not Take DOVATO if You: • have ever had an allergic reaction to a medicine that contains dolutegravir or lamivudine. • take dofetilide. What should I tell my healthcare provider before using DOVATO? Tell your healthcare provider about all of your medical conditions, including if you: • have or have had liver problems, including hepatitis B or C infection. • have kidney problems. • are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. One of the medicines in DOVATO (dolutegravir) may harm your unborn baby. ° Your healthcare provider may prescribe a different medicine than DOVATO if you are planning to become pregnant or if pregnancy is confirmed in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. ° If you can become pregnant, your healthcare provider will perform a pregnancy test before you start treatment with DOVATO. ° If you can become pregnant, you should consistently use effective birth control (contraception) during treatment with DOVATO. ° Tell your healthcare provider right away if you are planning to become pregnant, you become pregnant, or think you may be pregnant during treatment with DOVATO. • are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed if you take DOVATO. ° You should not breastfeed if you have HIV-1 because of the risk of passing HIV-1 to your baby. ° One of the medicines in DOVATO (lamivudine) passes into your breastmilk. ° Talk with your healthcare provider about the best way to feed your baby.
Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Some medicines interact with DOVATO. Keep a list of your medicines and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist when you get a new medicine. • You can ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for a list of medicines that interact with DOVATO. • Do not start taking a new medicine without telling your healthcare provider. Your healthcare provider can tell you if it is safe to take DOVATO with other medicines. What are Possible Side Effects of DOVATO? DOVATO can cause serious side effects, including: • Those in the “What is the Most Important Information I Should Know about DOVATO?” section. • Allergic reactions. Call your healthcare provider right away if you develop a rash with DOVATO. Stop taking DOVATO and get medical help right away if you develop a rash with any of the following signs or symptoms: fever; generally ill feeling; tiredness; muscle or joint aches; blisters or sores in mouth; blisters or peeling of the skin; redness or swelling of the eyes; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue; problems breathing. • Liver problems. People with a history of hepatitis B or C virus may have an increased risk of developing new or worsening changes in certain liver tests during treatment with DOVATO. Liver problems, including liver failure, have also happened in people without a history of liver disease or other risk factors. Your healthcare provider may do blood tests to check your liver. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get any of the following signs or symptoms of liver problems: your skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow (jaundice); dark or “tea-colored” urine; light-colored stools (bowel movements); nausea or vomiting; loss of appetite; and/or pain, aching, or tenderness on the right side of your stomach area. • Too much lactic acid in your blood (lactic acidosis). Lactic acidosis is a serious medical emergency that can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get any of the following symptoms that could be signs of lactic acidosis: feel very weak or tired; unusual (not normal) muscle pain; trouble breathing; stomach pain with nausea and vomiting; feel cold, especially in your arms and legs; feel dizzy or lightheaded; and/ or a fast or irregular heartbeat. • Lactic acidosis can also lead to severe liver problems, which can lead to death. Your liver may become large (hepatomegaly) and you may develop fat in your liver (steatosis). Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get any of the signs or symptoms of liver problems which are listed above under “Liver problems.” You may be more likely to get lactic acidosis or severe liver problems if you are female or very overweight (obese).
©2020 ViiV Healthcare or licensor. DLLADVT190035 January 2020 Produced in USA.
Learn more about Leo and DOVATO at DOVATO.com
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May 6-12, 2020
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SO MUCH GOES INTO WHO I AM HIV MEDICINE IS ONE PART OF IT. Reasons to ask your doctor about DOVATO: DOVATO can help you reach and then stay undetectable* with just 2 medicines in 1 pill. That means fewer medicines† in your body while taking DOVATO
You can take it any time of day with or without food (around the same time each day)—giving you flexibility
DOVATO is a once-a-day complete treatment for adults who are new to HIV-1 medicine. Results may vary. *Undetectable means reducing the HIV in your blood to very low levels (less than 50 copies per mL). † As compared with 3-drug regimens.
LEO‡ Living with HIV
What are Possible Side Effects of DOVATO (cont’d)? • Changes in your immune system (Immune Reconstitution Syndrome) can happen when you start taking HIV-1 medicines. Your immune system may get stronger and begin to fight infections that have been hidden in your body for a long time. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you start having new symptoms after you start taking DOVATO. • The most common side effects of DOVATO include: headache; diarrhea; nausea; trouble sleeping; and tiredness. These are not all the possible side effects of DOVATO. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088. Where Can I Find More Information? • Talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist. • Go to DOVATO.com or call 1-877-844-8872, where you can also get FDA-approved labeling. October 2019 DVT:2PI-2PIL Trademark is owned by or licensed to the ViiV Healthcare group of companies.
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Could DOVATO be right for you? Ask your doctor today. May 6-12, 2020 YES! WEEKLY
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‘Stone Soup’ for the soul: Local chefs feed health care workers amid COVID-19
M
att French enlisted other Greensboro chefs to cook for COVID-19 nurses after he saw ReOpen NC protesters berating health care workers on the news. Ian McDowell “I was furious,” French told YES! Weekly. “Heroes Contributor putting their lives on the line were being verbally assaulted by LARPing ammosexuals and shrieking Haircut Hannahs.” French decided to channel his anger into something positive, a gesture that would use his skills and professional contacts to show appreciation for nurses in Greensboro. Having worked for three decades in the Triad restaurant industry, French knew a lot of chefs who were out of work and a lot of restaurants with empty kitchens. With the help of some of those friends last week, he made 106 servings of salmon chowder and curried lentil soup, which a Cone Health shuttle delivered to the nursing staff at the former Women’s Hospital on Battleground. Although that facility closed in February, it reopened this month as Green Valley Campus and is being used to treat severely ill patients battling coronavirus, whether transferred from other sites or admitted directly by physicians. “I’m told the staff there is about 100 people,” French said, “so we made 58 portions of both soups. These were delivered for pickup during a shift change, so those going home could take it with them, and those going to work could reheat it in their units. Next week, we’re doing the same thing with this French Onion Soup I’m prepping now. And if your readers are wondering why we’re making soup, it’s because we’re chefs, it’s what we do. We can’t make ventilators.” French’s partner Julia Abrams described what she called the “emotional premise” of the project. “Nurses aren’t in it for the money. They’re born the type of person who cares for people, otherwise, they wouldn’t stay in the job, and they certainly wouldn’t be still be on the front lines like they are. Chefs are similarly dedicated. None of them are in it to get rich, very few make any money at all doing it, but they keep doing it because they want to feed people.” YES! WEEKLY
MAY 6-12, 2020
Cone Health’s Erica Carriker receives soup from French and Kizhnerman This writer interviewed French and Abrams last Thursday in the kitchen of Smith Street Diner, where French was adding au jus to a huge bowl of sautéed onions, while Abrams chopped away in the prep room. The Manhattan-style salmon chowder and curried lentil soup were already packaged for delivery, so they were starting the next week s meal. “What do you think, Chef, mucho más?” said French to Smith Street’s owner Beth Kizhnerman, asking if that was enough au jus and onions. She nodded in approval. “Matt had asked me about being involved in this project,” Kizhnerman said. “He said he wanted to make soup for health care workers at Cone. Since the diner is closed, I suggested we use my kitchen.” Several other restaurant owners also volunteered their kitchens, but Kizhnerman’s was chosen because Smith Street
is not open for delivery. This allowed for tighter control procedures and kept the number of people preparing the meals down to three. However, many other chefs, bakers and restaurateurs offered supplies. “Matt went around and got those donations and we brought them here,” Kizhnerman said, “so, we were able to make a whole lot of soup, which is what we’ve been doing for the last three days.” “I just picked up 10 loaves of artisanal wheat bread from Bobby Boy Bakery in Winston,” French said, “so please give a special shout out to Chef John Bobby.” French and Abrams said that the following people also deserve kudos for donations and general help: James Patterson of Sedgefield Country Club; John Vidovich of Heritage Woods Retirement; Tom Abrams and Jakub Pucilowski of Cafe Europa; Gene Dolan of Culinary Visions; Brad Semon of Painted Plate Catering;
Adam Bolden of Maria’s; “chef at large” Michael Hickey; and Erica Carriker from Cone Health. French stressed the importance of Dr. Ashley Mortenson, a physician in Urgent Care at Cone Health, and Megan Norriss, Cone’s Wellbeing Manager. “Ashley is an old friend, and when I reached out to her, she put me in touch with Megan.” “I’m part of a larger team that got activated near the beginning of all things COVID-related,” Norriss told YES! Weekly on Friday. “Our team is in charge of receiving food and all donations other than PPE (Personal Protective Equipment). Patricia Teeter and I have led this food and gifts donation team, and to say we’ve been overwhelmed is an understatement. The kindness and generosity of the community, and how it’s come together to support all levels of frontline care workers throughout Cone, has been remarkable, and so has their creativity. The soup project is a good example of that. All of us on our team think it’s amazing that they were able to bring together some kitchens and cooks and chefs and ingredients to make hot meals for our workers. We appreciate it so much.” French called the effort the Stone Soup Project, naming it after a folk tale he’s loved since childhood. “The story is often called Stone Soup, although, in parts of Eastern Europe, it’s Axe Soup, and in Nordic countries, Nail Soup. Basically, a stranger comes to an impoverished village where everyone is hungry. In some versions, he’s a soldier back from the wars, in some a peddler or tramp, but the way I heard it, he’s a traveling monk, who shows up in this village with nothing but a huge iron pot. I don’t know how he’s carrying it around, but hey, it’s a folk tale.” The monk, French said, asks the villagers for food, but nobody has any. “So, he takes some water from the well, and wood for fire, and puts his big pot on the fire. And then he puts a stone in the boiling water. Curious villagers approach and ask what he’s doing. He says ‘I’m making Stone Soup.’ When they ask if he can really make soup from a stone, he says, ‘yes, but it’s even better with some parsley, or some old carrots, or anything you can throw in.’ By the end of the tale, the whole village has donated all kinds of scraps and bits and odds-and-ends, and they end up with a soup that feeds everybody.” French’s Stone Soup Project grew out
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of an earlier one, Chefs cooking at home during the quarantine. “I was thinking of how it feels to be a chef when your industry is completely shuttered in the span of a few weeks. So, a month ago, I started a little group on Facebook of chefs who I knew were at home and bored and socially isolated and sitting on their butts. I thought, let’s get together and cook together, separately. We started cooking and it’s been a fun page. We’ve got 140 members and the ingredient and the sharing have been fantastic. We’ve had a good time and kept each other entertained.” Then came what French called the “insult” of the protests, which he described as “salt on the wound for an overtaxed health care system.” Once he had the idea of the Stone Soup Project, he reached out to the group. “Health care gonna care, chefs gonna chef, so it was a pretty easy jump. I simply put the idea of Stone Soup to the group and the outpouring of support and supplies was instantaneous.” He said that his friends in the restaurant industry agree with his anger, even though their livelihoods are threatened by the shut-down. “They definitely support the order from Gov. Cooper. Restauranteurs and chefs live every day with safety protocols most other folks aren’t even aware of. They absolutely understand the potential for pathogen transmission, and they support the government sector dedicated to the education and enforcement of these protocols. Even in the face of losing their businesses, they don’t want to risk people’s health and lives.” He also scoffed at the idea of opening restaurants back up any time soon, due to the fact that it will be with fewer seats, due to the distance requirements. “That’s wistful nonsense peddled by folks who don’t know or care how these small businesses operate. Reopening with fewer seats means reopening with fewer customers, and that simply delays the inevitable. Restaurants aren’t gold mines. Their margins are very, very slim. Reopening with one-fourth as many seats just means the landlord and taxman get a few more shekels before the business goes under.” Beth Kizhnerman agreed, even though it means keeping Smith Street Diner closed. “I am for the shut-down, not only here, but across the country and beyond. It hurts now, but it will hurt much more if we rush to ‘open the economy’ at this moment.” “Most of the population understands and supports medical personnel,” Abrams said. “The crisis actors and LARPers brandishing guns and scissors are a very WWW.YESWEEKLY.COM
58 servings of salmon chowder on counter at Smith Street Diner loud but tiny minority, mugging at the camera for Facebook likes. People forget how much of a simultaneous filter and megaphone social media and media, in general, can be.” Abrams comes from a large military family. Her grandfather was the famous General CreighSoup going out for delivery ton Abrams, whom the M1-Abrams tank is named after. Her father, range things in front of cameras to look Brigadier General Creighton Abrams, good. In advertising, that doesn’t happen Retired, is the executive director of the naturally; it takes a team of people to National Museum of the United States produce the images. I do everything from Army. He had been planning to move to room settings for the commercial and resGreensboro before the crisis struck. She idential furnishings markets to individual said that he, like all her relatives in the items of clothing for the apparel industry, military, understands the need for the like Ralph Lauren. Matt left his last chef restrictions in a pandemic. job to work with me. He’d graduated to “They’re not too encumbered by the stylist just as this pandemic hit. The last lack of haircuts or happy hours. The know job we did was a month ago, and only that orders like Gov. Cooper’s minimize managed that one because I was able to the damage. The folks protesting have structure the set in a way that none of the never had to make serious decisions four people working had to be near each about how their actions affect the comother and only Matt and I handled the munity, and are listening to an over-priced product.” T.V.-show host struggle and fail to process That was their last project. complicated ideas in real-time.” “It’s been crickets since then,” Abrams In 2018, French quit his job as head chef added. at Heritage Woods Retirement to work for For now, they’re focusing on what they Abrams as a photo stylist and production can do for others rather than themselves. assistant. “Before cooking at that assisted After this week’s shipment goes to the living community, I was at Painted Plate, health care workers at the Green Valley Cafe Pasta, Lucky 32, Cafe Europa, and Campus, French wants to try something Undercurrent. I also sold for Southern different for them. Foods and U.S. Foods If you eat out in “We have around forty pounds of potGreensboro, you’ve probably had somestickers in the freezer. We’re thinking of a thing I made.” sweet and sour or miso broth with mushHe and Abrams have, like so many, have rooms and scallions. I’m looking around suffered financially from the crisis. for wontons to fry for a little crunchy “I’m self-employed as a photography texture. Should be delightful.” stylist,” Abrams said. “This means I ar-
His salmon chowder, which Abrams gave me a serving of, proved delightful indeed. It was so delicious cold that, when I sampled a spoonful, I slurped down the entire bowl without bothering to heat it up. “Would you believe he didn’t have a recipe and made it without even tasting it?” Abrams asked. French said he used roast salmon belly, lobster stock, chicken stock, carrots, celery onion, potato, crushed tomato, oregano, thyme basil, and salt and pepper, but had no idea what the proportions were, as he made it up as he went along. “He has Jedi powers like that,” his partner said proudly. I did not get to sample Kizhnerman’s soup, but it sounded equally delicious. She also didn’t have an exact recipe but said the ingredients were mirepoix, garlic, curry, ginger, bay leaf, thyme, bacon, vegetable stock, tomato paste, lentils, and salt and pepper. French not only wants this to be an ongoing project but hopes it will prove an example to others. “I’m thinking of the pent-up capacity and chefs’ inherent desire to serve, of idle kitchens and an obvious need. How hard is it to turn the lights on, put some soup on the stove, and show some health care workers we care? I’d love to see other communities do this.” “Our local restaurant owners and workers are some of the most generous people I know,” said Greensboro Mayor Nancy Vaughan when informed about the Stone Soup project. “They are always willing to support a worthy cause. Even when they are struggling financially, they continue to support people who are making a difference.” ! IAN MCDOWELL is the author of two published novels, numerous anthologized short stories, and a whole lot of nonfiction and journalism, some of which he’s proud of and none of which he’s ashamed of. MAY 6-12, 2020
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Putting out in a pandemic: 1970s Film Stock releases ‘This City, This Tulpa’
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970s Film Stock, the one-man pedal army fronted by Winston-Salem’s Eddie Garcia, released the first of a twopart record on May 1, with the second Katei Cranford chapter coming June 5 via Bandcamp. This City, This TulContributor pa, marks a “53-minute soundtrack for the city, the movie in your mind or that dream you’re gonna have tonight,” said Garcia of his latest instrumental eargasm. “Your pick.” The release comes as a surprise endeavor after coronavirus put the brakes on Garcia’s studio plans. “I had spent a weekend working on a rock record just as it started to ‘get-real’ COVID-19-wise in North Carolina,” he explained. “But the rug got pulled from that for the foreseeable future.” Initially battling creative depression, Garcia found a light in his fellow artists. “As I started to see more people streaming, and putting out things, it was really a lightbulb moment,” he said, realizing the potential in his unreleased catalog. The result became This City, This Tulpa, a piece YES! WEEKLY
MAY 6-12, 2020
composed-live and originally performed as part of the “Food for Thought” project organized by Helen Simoneau Danse at the Wherehouse Art Hotel in December 2017. Garcia calls the record a serious “headphone jammer,” which fits as the performance unfolded unto an audience of headphones in the first place. “I played in relative silence, with a trio of headphones in front of me for folks to listen in on,” Garcia explained of the event environment. “When people entered my room, they only heard the plinking of unamplified strings. Once headphones were applied, a soundworld unfolded.” That soundworld feels a bit like the end of 2001: A Space Odyssey. “It gives me a feeling of being thrust towards something, smashing through stars, staring down the infinite at lightspeed,” Garcia said, ”it also unfolds architecturally, like small building blocks becoming city streets.” Built environments go beyond urban allusions, as Garcia described his livecomposure being distinctly more melodic than improvisation. “Also the use of my effect pedals makes it feel like I’m building, more than just doing,“ he said. As things build so do they change, a theme which Garcia resonated throughout the piece. “I was playing in a building, The Wherehouse, that has evolved in so
many ways through the years. I think that was a big inspiration,” he said, “Change. The city bends, breaks, rebuilds, some good, some bad.” Behind Garcia, projected photos of Winston-Salem slowly deconstructed then reassembled, adding a visual element of the first hour, which was transformed into a “reimagined manifestation” during the second— “a tulpa, of the first,” he explained with an admission of watching Twin Peaks: The Return at the time. “You can try to recapture the past, recapture a mood or a feeling, but it’s a mutant now,” he said of reimagining works. “It mutates. So you can start trying to ‘perfect’ something, but it will take its own shape.” Life itself seems to resemble a reimagined manifestation these days, and we as a society are changed. Life for musicians is undoubtedly mutated. But it’s not all bad. Releasing records without the pressure of planning tours is refreshing. And now that the shell-shock has worn off, Garcia finds positivity in a pandemic climate. “The first few weeks of this I had zero creative energy,” he noted, “but little by little I’ve been feeling like picking it up.” Plus with Bandcamp hosting “fee-free” days where artists collect all revenue, (the next upcoming on June 5) every little bit helps. “The traditional hype-train has
sort of dissipated,” Garcia shared of his optimism, ”there’s more of a sharing and individual-digging thing going on.” Looking toward the horizon of normalcy, intentions remain set on finishing “Third Album,” a rock-oriented release recorded in a proper studio with John Pfiffner. With no idea of a timeline, Garcia hopes to resume in a safe way soon. There’s also the hope of returning to live events, dates for his live score of No Country For Old Men are still on the books for early fall, but there’s no guarantee they’ll pan out given the circumstances “Who knows how things may be reshaped considering everything,” said Garcia about upcoming events left simmering on the backburner. “But when we return to a reality where we can go to a movie theater again, I have a few things up my sleeve.” For the moment, 1970s Film Stock presents the first installment of This City, This Tulpa, out now via Bandcamp, with the second chapter due on June 5. ! KATEI CRANFORD is a Triad music nerd who hosts the Tuesday Tour Report, a radio show on hiatus due to COVID-19.
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last call
[THE ADVICE GODDESS] love • sex • dating • marriage • questions
OPENER SESAME!
I’m a single woman. I’d love to get into a relationship. Often, when I’m at a bar, I see a guy I’d like to chat up, but I won’t even approach because I don’t know what to say. Are there some pickup lines men love to hear? —Looking
Amy Alkon
Advice Goddess
There are a number of lines men would love to hear from a woman — among them, “I’ve really enjoyed my drink, and now I’d like to enjoy you” and, “Don’t you have a tattoo I should be licking? However, there’s what men love to hear, and there’s what’s actually effective when you’re seeking a relationship that lasts long enough for you to learn to pronounce the guy’s name: “Is that Fred, like ‘Fred’?” Evolutionary psychologist Maryanne Fisher and her colleagues researched which pickup lines, used by women on men, are most effective. “Effectiveness,” Fisher writes, “was defined as success in securing a phone number or agreeing to meet again.” Pickup lines fall into three categories: “direct,” “innocuous,” and “flippant.” “Direct lines clearly convey interest” through unambiguous requests and flattering remarks, explains Fisher — for example: “Want to have a drink together?” “You have really nice eyes,” and
“Can I have your number?” Innocuous lines, on the other hand, “hide the intention of the speaker and act more as conversation starters.” Examples include: “Can you recommend a good drink?” “I’ve seen you before; do you work here?” and “Where did you get that tattoo? Did it hurt?” Flippant lines involve humor — or, um, attempts at it, like an example Fisher references from previous research: “Can I get a picture of you so I can show Santa what I want for Christmas?” Another flippant charmer: “Is that really your hair?” Fisher explains that, like innocuous lines, “flippant lines are theorized to protect the user from rejection, as they can disguise a failed attempt as a simple question or a joke.” Unfortunately, both flippant and innocuous lines also seem to “protect” the user’s target from knowing that the purveyor is interested. Fisher’s research, like previous research, found that men preferred direct pickup lines to the innocuous and flippant ones. This isn’t surprising. Men tend to be bad at picking up hints, and many are terrified of overestimating a woman’s interest and waking up to their name hashtagged with #MeToo. When a woman uses a direct pickup line, and especially when she spreads additional direct lines around in conversation, she’s telling a guy she’s interested in seeing more of him, as opposed to seeing whether she should Mace him. Unfortunately, there’s some nuance to the Fisher team’s findings — what might be called (sorry!) beauty inequality. Direct pickup lines were preferred by men
when the women using them were really attractive. Direct lines were less effective for less attractive women — except when they were scantily clad. Also, men will tell you they love when women ask them out. (Of course they do. It’s like they’re standing on a dock fishing when, out of nowhere, a plate of perfectly cooked salmon flies out of the water and lands on the bench beside them.) Unfortunately, evolutionary psychology research suggests that for women, overt pursuit of men, like asking them out, is a risky strategy. The research comes out of what evolutionary biologist Robert Trivers, in 1972, called “parental investment theory”: Because women have a high potential cost from any sex act — pregnancy and a kid to feed — they evolved to be the choosier sex, and men coevolved to expect female aloofness, especially from women with high “mate value.” When women seem too eager, men tend to devalue them, seeing them as desperate or just hookup material. Synthesizing Fisher and Trivers, my takeaway is that you should be unambiguous in showing interest in a guy —
and ideally, repeatedly unambiguous. Use flattering remarks to make your interest plain, but stop short of highly sexual remarks, which are likely to mark you as hookup fodder, or asking a guy out. Your goal should be flattering a guy into understanding that you’re interested in him. This allows you to see whether he’s got real interest in you — enough for him to lay his ego on the line and hit you up for your number. Do this regularly — being flirtatiously forward — and you should come to understand that you have the power to summon men into your life. Maybe not all the men you want, but more than you would have thought. This, in turn, should keep you from going all desperate — to the point where you seek out men you’d previously, um, overlooked...like that construction worker: “Hey, you! You in the hard hat! You had me at ‘Those boobs real?’” ! GOT A problem? Write Amy Alkon, 171 Pier Ave, #280, Santa Monica, CA 90405, or e-mail AdviceAmy@aol. com (www.advicegoddess.com) © 2020 Amy Alkon Distributed by Creators.Com.
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