This week we find our city’s strategy, good burgers,
world class art, and new amenities!
// The Good News //
Downtown Greensboro Inc. has released a draft of their 10 year strategic plan for the downtown area. Read the plan for exciting ideas about the future of Greensboro as well as timelines for implementing these ideas.
// Did You Know? //
Greensboro has a world-class art museum! A recent outing to the Weatherspoon Art Museum on the UNCG campus had us seeing a Matisse sculpture and a de Kooning among many works by recognized artists. The works even flow outside into a sculpture-filled courtyard. The museum is open to the public Tuesday-Saturday 10am-5pm, is free to enter, and has free parking behind the building.
// Local Flavor //
We’re always craving a good burger, and our latest find comes highly recommended by @greensboroeats (along with their Bloody Mary’s, too!)
Find this and plenty more impressively original bar food treats at Rascal’s Tavern in Golden Gate Shopping Center.
// Progress Report //
The Murrow Blvd. section of the Downtown Greenway now has benches, trash cans, and guardrails on the stairway access points! Excited to see this coming together (and for the recent landscaping trees to sprout their leaves!) This new section brings the greenway to 3 completed miles of the 4 mile loop.
We found the entrance to Narnia! (Well, it might be, but we weren’t brave enough to go too far inside.) This magical-looking entryway sits over the entrance to a storm drain under a road in one of our city parks. Can you guess where it is? Have you found any other magical spaces in Greensboro?
Greensboro Parks and Rec is having a ChalkWalk art competition at the Arboretum on March 13-14th. Feel like creating a Mary Poppins-inspired work of art worthy of disappearing into? Register to compete by Friday, March 5th! Price is $10 for a 5×5 space and you must supply your own chalk. Register as an adult, youth (17 and under), or as a team. The public will be invited to vote on their favorite piece of art on Sunday, March 14th from 11am-1pm.
…and…
Creative Greensboro (formerly the Drama Center) is presenting an evening of six short plays written by members of the Creative Greensboro’s Playwright’s Forum on March 5th and 6th from 8-9pm. Tickets are a suggested donation of $10 with multiple streaming options.
// Local Eats //
We recently tried a variety of baked treats from Dolce & Amaro Artisan Italian Bakery and they were as delicious as they were beautiful. Check them out at 1310 Westover Terrace near the World of Beer.
Put it on your schedule for May 13-16! Get on the mailing list and look forward to hearing from some of your favorite authors (or soon to be favorites!), from Roxane Gay (Bad Feminist), to Allan Gurganus (Plays Well With Others and Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All). Grab your copies at Scuppernong!
// Did You Know? //
There’s a tradition at UNCG where students place apples, notes, and other offerings, at the base of the Minerva statue on campus for good luck at the start of the semester or to do well on upcoming exams. A recent walk through campus saw painted stones, plushies, and apples with bites taken out of them along her pedestal. Good luck students!
There’s a Union Cemetery on the corner of South Elm Street and E. Whittington Street and it is the oldest African American Cemetery in Greensboro, established in 1880. There are about 45 gravestones in the cemetery, though it is thought as many as 400 people may be buried there. Old family names can be seen on the markers that are familiar to Greensboro such as Nocho.
Want to see more? Subscribe here for CoolGreensboro’s weekly newsletter. We hope you like it. If you do, please forward to a friend! Know something interesting about Greensboro that we should share? Email us here.
Melting ice, beastly ghost burgers, and cleaning up our city,
plus history made and presented.
// The Good News //
The good news is that the weather will be warming up next week, putting this icy cold in the rearview. Who’s ready for sunny 60º days?!?
// Local-ish Flavor //
If you have pre-teens, you’ve probably heard about Mr. Beast, the NC YouTuber that grosses about $8 million/month on their videos and merchandise. They’ve expanded their empire to include burgers – and without all the overhead of owning a kitchen. Enter: ghost kitchens – utilizing extra capacity in already established restaurants to serve up your personalized menu. We found Mr. Beast Burgers on the Uber Eats app and tracked it to the Bravo! restaurant at Friendly Shopping Center.
// Spaces //
The Greensboro History Museum has a powerful new exhibit called Pieces of Now that showcases the historic events that took place in Greensboro during 2020. Curators have compiled and displayed artifacts from the Black Lives Matter protests, the economic crisis, and the pandemic as it affected the lives of Greensboro residents. You can tour the exhibit in person for free Tuesday-Saturday 10am to 5pm, or take a virtual tour.
// Things to Do //
Greensboro Beautiful is sponsoring a Winter Wipeout program to help wipeout litter around Greensboro. You can sign up to clean up specific litter “hot spots”, then upload before and after shots to Greensboro Beautiful’s Facebook page to show the great work you did! Without leaves on trees and bushes, trash is easier to see, which means your efforts will make a huge difference!
(PS – it’s a great excuse to get kids outside and teach them
about taking care of our community, too!)
Want to see more? Subscribe here for CoolGreensboro’s weekly newsletter. We hope you like it. If you do, please forward to a friend! Know something interesting about Greensboro that we should share? Email us here.
Flowers, parks, fire pits, and walking tours.
Plus, there’s help when you need it…here’s the 211!
// The Good News //
You may have noticed, tucked in shaded or wooded areas, these little plants have started blooming – they’re called Hellebores or Lenten Roses. We’re more than halfway through Winter and these little beauties are brightening up our day! They do well in water if you wanted to put some in a vase. Native to Greece and Turkey, they grow quite well here in Greensboro. These little evergreen plants spread by dropping their seeds in the fall, or can be dug up and divided if you wanted to give one to a friend – which is good news because they can run $18-25 per plant!
// Did You Know? //
When you need help, the United Way of North Carolina is making it easier for you to find it. With its newly established 2-1-1 service you have just one number to call to speak with a live person that can direct you to resources that can get you or a loved one the help you need. Times are tough and we may find ourselves in situations we wouldn’t have expected. Dial 2-1-1 to:
Locate a food pantry near you.
Find the nearest shelter if you need a safe place to sleep at night.
Access counseling services and emotional support hotlines.
Receive accurate and vetted information during disasters when there is information overload.
Find rent assistance programs when you’re struggling to pay your rent.
Locate places in your community to volunteer or make a donation.
Find utility assistance to help with the electric and water bills.
Understand eligibility requirements for government assistance.
Find services for senior citizens, including transportation and housing.
Discover after school & educational opportunities for your child or dependent.
Find services for veterans and military families.
// Local Flavor //
Summerfield Farms is more than just a source of locally grown, 100% grassfed beef. And it’s more than a beautiful event space for your barn-themed party. It’s also a really cool outdoor space for hanging out in the evenings. Their Well Truck serves beer, wine, and delicious mixed drinks, and a rotating caravan of food trucks every Wednesday through Sunday help get you out of making dinner. There’s lots of open space for socially distanced fun in the great outdoors, with multiple fire pits to keep you warm!
// Spaces //
You never know what you might find when you head out on one of Greensboro’s trails. These colorful rocks were spotted on the trail in Guilford Woods near the Underground Railroad Tree.
//Progress Report//
There’s turf grass at the LoFi park at Joymongers! Just a couple weeks ago, it was nothing but dirt. Now it’s a super green spot for hanging with friends and enjoying a tasty beverage! There’s still a few rough edges, but the park is ready for action, even after a hard rain!
// Things to Do //
This coffee cup sculpture is one of seven in the downtown area called the Coffee Cup Collaborative and you can experience them all on a 1.2 mile self-guided walking tour on the GPSMyCity app. You can create your own tour on the app, too…what kind of tour would you create for Greensboro?
Want to see more? Subscribe here for CoolGreensboro’s weekly newsletter. We hope you like it. If you do, please forward to a friend! Know something interesting about Greensboro that we should share? Email us here.
Disclosure: Some links in this post may be affiliate links for which we will earn a small commission if you buy something. It doesn’t change the price you pay, and it helps support this newsletter. Thanks!
Lots of new trails coming!
Plus local chocolate bars, a free concert, and a Master Plan!
// The Good News //
Friend’s Home has donated over six and a half acres of their property to connect and enhance their campus trails to the Bicentennial Greenway. This grows our already extensive trail network – Greensboro has almost 100 miles of trails and greenways, with more planned!
Greensboro’s Plan2Play Parks and Rec Master Plan is quite extensive and works to connect eleven greenways and trail systems throughout the city? The Master Plan also has a cool history of our city’s growth, parks, and economy. Definitely worth a quick flip through!
// Local Flavor //
Valentine’s Day is approaching and we’ll make it easy for you – get your loved one (or yourself!) a chocolate bar (or two!) from Joyland Provisions. This company roasts their cocoa beans and pours their bars right here in Greensboro! We usually get our bars at the Greensboro Farmer’s Curb Market, but you can also find them at Scuppernong, Design Archives & online.
// Things To Do //
We’ve always wanted to experience UNCG School of Music’s Collage performance, and this year they are making it easy to watch from the comfort of your home! Just like the name implies, there will be a variety of musical performances that are sure to delight any music lover. Hit the trails during the day on Saturday and then sit back and enjoy this musical performance as a great way to end your day. They will be live streaming this Saturday night, January 30th at 7:30pm. Donations will be accepted and will go towards scholarships for their music students.
// Spaces //
This is one of our favorite spaces and we visit it often since the mural changes every once in a while. Painted by muralist Gina Elizabeth Franco, this one was up this spring, there’s a new one up now. You can visit it behind Savor The Moment Bakery on Davie St. in downtown Greensboro.
Thank you for reading, we hope you like it. If you do, sign up here to get our weekly newsletter! Know something interesting about Greensboro that we should share? Email us here.
