Where in Greensboro can I find a fine dining experience?

During the summer, many find themselves with more time to enjoy themselves - especially by dining at restaurants! Greensboro has hundreds of restaurants, ranging from cheap drive-through burger joints to sit down places with perfect cuts of steak. Some places are in the middle of the spectrum, such as the Green Valley Grill. Located near Friendly Shopping Center next to the O'Henry Hotel on Green Valley Road, the Grill has a fairly central location that is convenient to most within the Guilford County area.

Green Valley Grill is known for its wine, with 75 by-the-glass wine selections to choose from. In fact, their wine list is awarded the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence each year. For the wine connoisseurs of the area, the Grill offers a Wine Flight for a private wine tasting. The restaurant prides itself on its "old-world European culinary sensibilities and flavors" combined with its "informally elegant fine dining."* In other words, customers can enjoy the food of a very fine dining experience with the atmosphere of a relatively informal restaurant. Some of their enticing dinner entrees include wood-fired rotisserie chicken, pan seared smoked paprika dusted scallops, or heirloom tomato flatbread. Furthermore, the restaurant always asks for people with food allergies to inform the chef so that they can create a special hypoallergenic meal.

The decor of the Green Valley Grill is beautiful, transporting you into a world seemingly much further away than just a couple of miles away from downtown Greensboro. The restaurant also has a fantastic outdoor area with a large variety of greenery. This area is particularly beautiful in the summertime, as many of the flowers have bloomed and the leaves have all reached their green peak.

The restaurant also offers the unique service of pre-ordering food. Customers simply need to call, make a reservation, and place their order by 11 AM for lunch or by 4 PM for dinner. The food will be ready within minutes of their arrival. If you need catering for any event such as weddings, fundraisers, or business meetings, the Grill offers that service as well. If you ever find yourself at a catered event at the O'Henry Hotel, that has also been catered by the Green Valley Grill. 

Due to its partnership with the O'Henry, Green Valley Grill has been enabled to be more than just a restaurant. Cooking and cake decorating classes taught by the Grill's chefs are offered at the Hotel, as well as afternoon teas hosted by parties. Fun family events include special themed teas, including a Wizard of Oz Tea, a Mad Hater, Tea, and a Nutcracker Tea.

       

Green Valley Grill is more than just a restaurant - it is a place to build community. Stop by today for the ultimate food experience.

*All quotes and information can be found at www.greenvalleygrill.com 

Where can I find a high school with a great magnet program in Guilford County?

If you are unsatisfied with your district school, looking for a personalized education, or searching for interesting class opportunities outside of graduation requirements, you may want to consider sending your high schooler to Southern Guilford High of Guilford County. Located on the corner of Drake and Wall road right outside of the city limits of Greensboro, Southern Guilford is able to offer a unique learning environment to its students.

Southern Guilford offers North Carolina's Core Curriculum to all of its students, as well as many vocational classes such as Animal Science or Auto-Tech. The school is on the smaller end of the spectrum in terms of size with only 1220 students. This smaller environment allows the faculty to provide individual attention to students and personalize the student's education in a way that will most contribute to their academic success. The school was ranked as one of the nations best high schools by U.S. News and World Report in 2013. Graduates of Southern Guilford have gone on to higher learning institutions including Princeton, Duke, UNC Chapel Hill, UNCG, UNCW,  NC State, Campbell, and many others.

Perhaps what distinguishes Southern Guilford the most from other schools of Guilford County is its magnet program. Their magnet program is named "The Academy at Southern Guilford," as students have the option of choosing between one of three concentrations: Health Sciences, Agriculture, and Education. The Health Sciences program aims to train students in the basics of the medical profession, with students interning in a nursing home their senior year. Many students graduate from the Health Sciences program as Certified Nursing Assistants, a license that is usually gained by completing an exam and a 12 week program at a college or nurses training institution. The Agriculture program offers hands-on learning opportunities, as the students are responsible for maintaining the school's large greenhouses and caring for the school's farm animals, including goats and chickens. Everyone in the agriculture program is required to join the FFA, a national organization dedicated to agriculture, the development of career goals, and the acquisition of public speaking skills. Finally, the Education Academy works to equip students with the skills to be successful in a college education program, and is a great way for students to try out the educational field before deciding on a major. Seniors in the Education Academy are given the opportunity to student-teach in the elementary and middle schools nearby, and juniors also work as teacher assistants in those same schools.

Students must apply to the Academy in the winter of their 8th grade year and will be notified of their acceptance by March of 2015. In order to complete their degree within the Academy, students must take at least one class per semester within their concentration. In addition to completing their selected course of study, students can earn certificates in Biomedical Technology, Nursing Fundamentals, Pharmacy Technology, and Sports Medicine. Questions about the Academy should be emailed to the Academy Director Anita Winfree at winfrea@gcsnc.com.

In addition to the academy, the school also offers many AP classes, sports teams, clubs, leadership development organizations, service-learning diplomas, and Special Education programs to the students. If you are interested in becoming a member of The Southern Guilford Storm community, contact 336-674-4250 to schedule a tour.

Click here for some homes near Southern Guilford!

What can I do on a Thursday night?

One of Greensboro residents' favorite things to do during the summer is attend BB&T's Beach Music in the Park. The event is held in Downtown Greensboro's Festival Park, and has been in full swing since summer of 2003. Beach Music is a summer concert series that plays every Thursday through June 26th from 5:30 to 8:30 PM and features - you guessed it - beach bands!

There are only two concerts left in the series this summer - June 19 (featuring the group Special Occasion) and June 26 (with the band Sleeping Booty), so everyone should take advantage of this entertaining scene while they can. I myself had the opportunity of representing Keller Williams Realty by welcoming everyone to the 11th annual beach music festival on June 12th, and I must say that it is a fantastic event.

Tickets are just seven dollars at the gate, and proceeds benefit the thousands of children helped by the Children's Home Society of North Carolina.

If you plan on attending, it is encouraged that you bring a blanket or a lawn chair so that you can relax in the grass while listening to the music. On the other hand, if you're looking for a more active night, large groups of people can be found shagging in the center of the park. Surrounding the park are lots of vendors (such as alcohol, Italian Ice, and food trucks) and tables representing their companies, including Keller Williams Realty.

Grab your sundresses and shorts, flip flops, and your date - and head to BB&T's Beach Music Festival!

Where can I go to swim this summer in Greensboro, NC?

The sun is shining, temperatures are rising, and school will not be in session for much longer, leaving residents of Greensboro wondering where they will spend their free time. The city of Greensboro's Parks and Recreation department maintains several swimming pools that are open to the enjoyment of the public. For people that are looking to feel the sun during their time at the pool, there are four outdoor pools available to the public:

Lindley Pool

2914 Springwood Dr., Greensboro, NC 27403

Phone: 336-299-3226

Peeler Pool

1300 Sykes Ave., Greensboro, NC 27405

Phone: 336-373-5811

Warnersville Pool

601 Doak St., Greensboro, NC 27406

Phone: 336-373-5809

Windsor Pool

1601 E. Lee St., Greensboro, NC 27401

Phone: 336-373-5846

For the pools' opening and closing dates as well as their hours of operation, click here!