GYPSY BLOG - OUT AND ABOUT
July 4 - Happy Independence Day!
North Carolina's annual Free Fishing Day starts at 12:01 a.m. and ends 11:59 p.m. today. The popular event started in 1994 after it was approved by the NC General Assembly. Residents and non-residents can fish for free in any public waters, including coastal waters.
Perfect weather throughout the state should result in many people taking advantage of the various events happening throughout North Carolina in honor of Independence Day 2010. For a list of festivities and where to see free fireworks tonight, take a look at the events listings on the ncgypsy homepage.
Whether you're celebrating out and about or doing something closer to home, please use care when driving, grilling, and around fireworks. Have a safe and happy 4th!
Photo: Dancers perform on the grounds of the NC State Capitol in Raleigh as part of the Independence Day Festivities.
July 2 - Festival for the Eno in Durham
Two of a variety of stands offering different typs of food are up and ready for the start of this year's festivities as the Eno River Association holds its annual Festival for the Eno on July 3 - 5 at West Point on the Eno, a Durham City Park.
Featuring music, entertainment on 4 stages, food, art, crafts, games, kid's activities, family fun, and more, the festival runs 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. daily. Tickets are $15 per day / $35 for a 3-day pass, and can be purchased at the front gate.
West Point on the Eno City Park is located at 5101 North Roxboro Road, Durham.
May 27 - Back from the Southwest
I've been touring parts of the Southwest since my trip to the NC coast. All I can say is WOW (and I've been there before). Really. People I meet from other countries occasionally make comments about Americans only traveling in America. To that I say, try it and you'll see why.
Don't get me wrong, I love traveling abroad. But - there is a great deal of diversity right here in the USA. For this trip west, I went to Santa Fe to visit family. If I could not live in a coastal state, I think New Mexico - Santa Fe - would be my choice, although other parts of the southwest are difficult to ignore.
Besides Santa Fe, I visited another favorite - Taos, and made first-time visits to see the ruins at Chaco Canyon (Chaco Culture National Historic Park), Aztec, and Mesa Verde in Colorado. I know the word "Amazing" is grossly overused - but...(insert AMAZING, SPECTACULAR, INCREDIBLE, MAGNIFICENT... here)!
Highlights include seeing Abiquiu, a favorite of artist Georgia O'Keeffe, a trip to the Santa Clara Pueblo where I met delightful couple Eloy and Millie Naranjo (and bought a beautiful piece of pottery made by Eloy!), feeling the energy of the various sacred sites, and watching the sun rise over the San Juan mountains from the balcony of the Far View Inn on top of Mesa Verde.
I'll be writing more about the southwest trip, and other interesting places (besides beautiful North Carolina) on a new travel site - Twisted Travel - that I am currently developing. It will feature things that are slightly off the beaten path. Details to follow.
For North Carolina info, please continue to visit ncgypsy.com - and thanks to all for your kind words and support!
Photos: Top: Aztec Ruins; Bottom: Pre-sunrise sky over San Juan Mountains ©Barbara Dolny-Bombar
May 9 - Kure Beach
5:15 a.m. - The Sun's opening act before popping into the scene. I'm a creature of the night by nature, which is when I get my best work done (no barking, no phones, no crazed Siamese standing on my desk, meowing non-stop for a drink of water from the tap...) I am free to create in peace.
But when I'm staying on the east coast, facing east, there is no way on earth I'm going to miss out on seeing the sun rise above the Atlantic. So I do a 180 from my regular night routine and reap my rewards.
If you haven't seen the sun rise on North Carolina's coast - or from the Outer Banks, put it on your Bucket List. Really.
Photo: Pre-sunrise sky show over Kure Beach Pier ©Barbara Dolny-Bombar
May 1 - Greek Festival, Durham
It's Greek Festival time, and events celebrating the food, culture, and people of Greece are cropping up in different NC cities. I thought it would be fun to celebrate May Day by combining it with a trip to the Greek Festival in Durham.
The festival, sponsored by Saint Barbara's Greek Orthodox Church of Durham & Chapel Hill, is being held at the East Chapel Hill High School on Weaver Dairy Road.
There is a great selection of arts, crafts, books, info, and yummy food. No live entertainment, but Greek-style music played through a speaker system (didn't see the direct source) was nice. Still, I would have loved to see dancers or a musician as the live entertainment was a highlight at other festivals I've been to this year.
Only other regret was being 50-cents short of the cash needed to buy a Lucky Eye. I guess owning one wasn't in the cards for me today.
The festival runs today until 9 p.m. and tomorrow (Sun.) 11 a.m. - 8 p.m.
April 22 - Earth Day!
Every day should be Earth Day, but at least we have a designated day to remind all what our planet means to us - and that we should take care of it and its precious resources. I admit that it really bothers me to drive through the beautiful state of North Carolina and see garbage scattered along the roads. Even on remote roads, somewhere there is bound to be litter.
I travel a lot, and you just don't see litter lying around in other places like you do in the south. What a shame - it's so beautiful here. Let's take pride in our homeland - and our state - by doing our part to clean it up and keep it that way.
One of my favorite sights is the pack of wild horses that roam freely in the Outer Banks. Animals do not intentionally destroy or pollute their habitat, something we should all keep in mind.
What good will you do for our earth today?
Photo: Wild horses roam the beach in Corolla
April 9 - Happy Birthday Peter Bombar!
The guy that lives in my house, who also happens to be my husband, is celebrating his birthday today. Our families are both big on birthdays, regardless of age. It's a celebration of the day one arrived on this earth, not the number of years here - at least not after hitting the 21 mark.
To celebrate, we went out to Chamas Churrascaria Brazilian Steakhouse in Durham's Brightleaf Square, always nice for a special occasion. In lieu of a traditional birthday cake, I opted for a selection of mini-cakes from Whole Foods.
Whole Foods makes amazing cakes - I highly recommend trying them for your next celebration or whenever you get a craving for a yummy taste of cake heaven.
Happy Birthday P.!
April 8 - Durham and Raleigh Are The Places To Be
Two exciting things happening in Durham today. Al Gore, the former Vice President, is in town to give the 2010 spring Duke Environment and Society Lecture at 6 p.m. The lecture is free and open to the public, but you have to get an admission ticket to enter, and let me tell you that those things went like hot cakes.
Try as I might, scoring an available ticket was not in the cards for me (DRAT!) But instead of sitting around feeling sorry for myself, I hightailed it over to the Carolina Theater and checked out the line-up for the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival that kicks off today and runs through Sunday, April 11.
Fans of documentary film love this annual event that features visiting filmmaker lecutures, workshops, and much more - including screenings of great documentary films. Click Here for info.
And if you're a young, tall female who thinks you have what it takes to make it in the modeling world, producers from Tyra Banks' popular reality show, AMERICA'S NEXT TOP MODEL are holding an open casting session for an upcoming season tonight from 5 - 9 p.m. at The NC Museum of Natural Science in Raleigh.
Al Gore, documentary film, and Tyra - now how can you beat that?
April 4 - Happy Easter!
After a week of glorious weather, I was worried that yesterday evening's clouds would put a damper on today. But they were just blowing through because it turned out to be another beautiful day in NC. With the trees, shrubs, and flowers in bloom - and temperatures around 80, it was the perfect day to be outside.
Since the promise of a walk ranks right up there with chicken in the doggie world around here, taking the pups along was a no brainer. We ended up on the Raleigh side of William B. Umstead State Park. The park consists of more than 5,000 acres and is divided into two sections (one side is accessible from Cary). Even though it is bordered by Raleigh, Cary, Durham, and Research Triangle Park (RTP), the park is peaceful - and quiet. Visitors can picnic, fish, hike, or horseback ride on trails.
William B. Umstead State Park is located at 8801 Glenwood Avenue, Raleigh, NC 27617. Office Phone: 919.571.4170
Photo: Umstead Park Office
February 1 - International Civil Rights Museum / Greensboro
The first time I saw the old Woolworth's Building in Greensboro, it was undergoing renovation. At that time, there wasn't a sign indicating what it might be and not being from around here, I didn't know / realize how significant it was. After I returned home and did a bit of research, I realized the importance of the location. Four brave young African American men sat at that "White Only" lunch counter in the Greensboro Woolworth building on February 1, 1960 and made history.
Today, February 1, 2010, the International Civil Rights Center and Museum opened at that location.
Address: 134 South Elm Street, Greensboro, NC 27401
Phone: 336.274.9199
January 31 - SNOW...SNOW...SNOW!!!
The great thing about having a pile of snow dumped on the Piedmont area is that it looks beautiful and won't last much more than a week. The downside is that my street probably won't be plowed - at all. As a former Yankee with a four-wheel drive option on my Jeep, navigating through snowy roads doesn't bother me. But drivers not as experienced driving in a bunch of snow do, especially when they still attempt to go the speed limit (lots of cars off the road that way), or worse - text or chat on the cell while driving. It's bad enough under ideal conditions, but distracted driving in a snowstorm is like playing Russian roulette.
My pups, however, are having a ball. I love watching them romp in the yard. The snow might have shut down a good portion of the city, but it's fun to see families, pets, and friends playing in the chilly white stuff that usually doesn't get much deeper than a few inches around here. So, if you find yourself snowed in this week - unleash that inner child and have a blast. And if you're on the road - please drive safe.
Photos: Top: Beemer & Oscar playing in the bamboo before it really started snowing... Bottom: A neat seven inches covers the deck tabletop. Follow my pups on Twitter: TheFurFactory
January 13 - Happy Birthday Ann (Dolny) Park!
I remember when my sister, Ann, was a kid watching an old episode of "Charlie's Angels". She really liked Farrah's character in particular, and said that she wanted to be a detective just like her. I laughed at the time, thinking that only on TV will you see a beautiful blonde running around flipping her luxurious hair, wearing a gun tucked into the band of her miniskirt as she chased the bad guys. I didn't want to burst her bubble, so I let her dream on.
Fast forward a *few* years later, and Ann was a beautiful blonde running around flipping her luxurious hair, wearing a gun tucked into the band of her miniskirt as she chased the bad guys - In. Real. Life. Hmmm.... Two decades later, she is still a beautiful detective, now working as a CSI (watch out Marg Helgenberger) - and celebrating a birthday today!
Ann lives in another state, but she'll be visiting NC again next month. Can't wait!
Photo: Ann (left) and Em examine animal specimens at the Museum of Natural Sciences, Raleigh
January 5 - Duke Homestead State Historic Site
When I was thirteen, I snatched a package of my father's unfiltered Camel cigarettes and locked myself in the bathroom with the intention of learning how to smoke. I planned to nonchalantly light one up the next time I was with my friends, impressing them to no end. The reality was that I got so sick after trying to smoke half the pack, I never touched another cigarette again. Not only did I overdo it, I later learned that I was allergic to smoke. So the whole tobacco thing was wasted on me - until I moved here, a place where tobacco became a star.
Duke Homestead State Historic Site in Durham takes visitors on a fascinating journey of tobacco from seed to leaf, and beyond. Not only do we learn about Washington Duke (a failed cotton farmer before he tried his hand at growing a different crop) and his family's impact on North Carolina, we also learn about the production of tobacco and the development of the American tobacco industry. Honestly, if anyone had told me that I would have an interest in anything tobacco related, I'd think they lost their nut. Now, Duke Homestead is one of the places that I tell my visiting family and friends is a must see.
BECOME A VOLUNTEER! If you love history and would like to share it with others, become a volunteer at Duke Homestead State Historic Site. Training is provided that will teach you how to welcome visitors and lead guided tours of the historic buildings on site, including the Duke family's 1852 house. Interested? Call 919.477.5498 for details.
January 1 - HAPPY NEW YEAR!
I can't believe an entire decade has passed in the new millennium already. It seems like yesterday that we wondered whether our computer technology could handle the turn of a new century, and just what that new century would bring. I remember tuning into the telly early to watch how 2000 arrived in other countries (I have Millennium VHS lying around somewhere), and thinking that this was the time for good things to come.
Since then, so much has changed - and so much remains the same. My one hope is that we can learn to work together, in spite of our personal differences, toward the greater good of humankind, animals, and our precious earth / natural resources.
One thing that excites me is the 25% film incentive being offered to filmmakers working in North Carolina. This goes into effect as of today, 1 January 2010. Reality TV may have carved a niche for itself in the media world, but nothing beats a great film. I'd love to see more production happening throughout the state, and more films being made in general - particularly entertaining, witty films geared toward a more mature audience. Who says kids are the only ones going to the moves? Make them well - and we will come! Better yet, make them in North Carolina.
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