Author's note: Updated again on March 13 to reflect schedule changes due to the COVID-19 situation. Latest updates in bold type. Author's Note: This post has been updated to add the event listing below of things to do during the first Fourth Friday Arts Walk scheduled for Feb. 28, 2020 in downtown Burlington. Painting, poetry, … Continue reading Updated: Lots of new ideas for things to do in downtown Burlington — and coming soon
Travelogue
A stay with purpose, and a bit of champagne
The first surprise upon starting a tour of the Inn at Elon the day before it officially opened was this tidbit from our guide: "When guests arrive they will be offered their choice of a glass of water or a glass of champagne," she said. Nice touch. Either choice is a win. And there were … Continue reading A stay with purpose, and a bit of champagne
Bringing home a piece of Charleston
We visited Charleston, South Carolina for the first time five or six years ago. That's when we met W. Hampton Brand, an artist who offers pieces of that historic and beautiful waterfront city that folks can take home if they want to, you know, pay a few dollars. So we did. Last week Roselee and … Continue reading Bringing home a piece of Charleston
Updated: My year in photos. 2018 had a lot of great moments
I'm not the best photographer but like most in the digital age I take a lot of pictures. My spouse would argue that I take far too many. A fair point, but I also know it's how we keep our memories alive. So with that in mind, I put together a few photos I liked … Continue reading Updated: My year in photos. 2018 had a lot of great moments
Tasty adventures in North Carolina’s downtowns
A few weeks ago -- way back in October -- we celebrated my 58th birthday. Oddly enough, I turned 59 on Aug. 12, 2018. Not quite the norm. So how did we come to be enjoying what was basically my birthday present from 14 months ago on a fall afternoon more than a year … Continue reading Tasty adventures in North Carolina’s downtowns
The summer of 1968 and my first Major League baseball game
The summer of 1968 was a pivotal and contentious year around the world, and especially so in America. The country was at war in a place few had ever heard of. The Tet Offensive in January signaled a problem there in Vietnam far greater than U.S. leaders would admit and an increasingly embattled incumbent president … Continue reading The summer of 1968 and my first Major League baseball game
A weekend of surprises and a delight in Beaufort
We returned Sunday from an all-too-short long weekend in Beaufort -- the one in North Carolina. It was our first visit there in two years. So there were bound to be some changes. On this trip four things surprised us. First and foremost the long-awaited four-lane, high-rise bridge connecting the Carteret County mainland to Beaufort … Continue reading A weekend of surprises and a delight in Beaufort
Witnessing the Long Island Medium
A skeptic from birth and a registered contrarian for more than three decades of good and dedicated standing I'm probably the last person most would expect to find at a program that involves a psychic, a medium, a fortune-teller, a tarot-card reader, a palm-reader, a tea-leaf scatterer, a Magic 8-Ball shaker or those who worship … Continue reading Witnessing the Long Island Medium
Stuff is brewing in Graham
The best news I read over the past two weeks arrived in this story via The Times-News. The headline reads: Saxapahaw businesses branch out into Graham. The businesses in question were what caught my eye. One is Haw River Farmhouse Ales. The other is a restaurant to be operated by the owners of The Eddy … Continue reading Stuff is brewing in Graham
Along for the ride — without a driver in Las Vegas
Sometimes when I'm walking along a city street with my spouse or friends I don't pay much attention to where we're going. Usually I'm far too busy taking in where we are in the moment to see what's next. Count this among a few dozen bad habits I've developed since birth. Let's say this tendency … Continue reading Along for the ride — without a driver in Las Vegas
Madison's Avenue 