Apps that Help People Get Around in Greensboro

Three smartphone applications, or apps, make getting around Greensboro easier than ever!

For drivers, there is Parkmobile, an app that is now being accepted by downtown meters and at three city-owned surface parking lots. Download the app for your Android, iPhone, or Windows phone, follow instructions for setting up payment method, and then you can simply use the app wherever you see the green Parkmobile sign on the meter or nearby the pay point. Learn more at www.greensboro-nc.gov/Parkmobile

For riders, you can use the Transloc app to get real-time information on GTA (Greensboro Transit Authority) and HEAT (Higher Education Area Transit) buses. Transloc will let you see the estimated arrival time of your bus. For more information, visit www.greensboro-nc.gov/BusTracker

You've also probably seen the nifty new yellow-and-green LimeBikes zipping around town or hanging out on handy street corners. These are rental bikes that are easy to pick up and go simply by using the LimeBike app. Great for short trips around town with no having to buy or maintain a bike of your own. Great exercise and good for the environment, too! Find out how it works at https://www.limebike.com/#lime

You can also find What's Good in Greensbroro? on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Whats-Good-in-Greensboro-848569635208317/ . See you there!

Smartphone image from Pixabay https://pixabay.com/en/iphone-smartphone-apps-apple-inc-410311/

Great Summer Programs for Teens and Kids in Greensboro

The Summer Night Lights teen program is in its fifth year in Greensboro! This program features free programs and events for Greensboro teens, held at the city's recreation centers and library branches. There are free classes on subjects from cooking, science and videography to yoga and dance, and free movies and special events such as Gamga Con, a convention for anime, manga and graphic novels, and the Positive Youth Rap Contest. Keep your kids engaged and entertained all summer by visiting www.greensboro-nc.gov/SNL for more information.

Greensboro Public Library's theme for this year's Summer Reading Program is Build a Better World. Each child who signs up to participate receives a reading log to keep track of personal reading goals, and the Library has dozens of free programs for kids every week! More info at www.greensboro-nc. gov/Library.

ENERGY at the Park is a summer playground program offering games, sports, crafts, and even a free lunch for Greensboro kids aged 5-15. The program runs from June 26th to August 10th, meeting from 12-3pm on Mondays through Thursdays at Arlington Park, Douglas Park, Eastside Park, Hampton Park, Hannaford Park, Heath Park, and Woodmere Park. More info can be found at www.greensboro-nc.gov/Energy , or call 336-373-7502.

You can also find What's Good in Greensbroro? on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Whats-Good-in-Greensboro-848569635208317/ . See you there!

Image from Pixabay https://pixabay.com/en/water-play-kids-youth-children-863053/

Greensboro City Public Outdoor Pools Will Open Memorial Day Weekend

Yay! Nothing says summertime like fun at the pool. The city of Greensboro will open its public pools on Memorial Day weekend, which is this coming weekend (Saturday, May 27-Sunday, May 28, with Memorial Day on Monday, May 29). City pools are available for lap swimming, swim classes, team swimming, and public swimming.

The four outdoor pool locations are:

Lindley Pool, 2914 Springwood Drive, 27403
Peeler Pool, 1300 Sykes Avenue, 27405
Warnersville Pool, 601 Doak Street, 27406
Windsor Pool, 1601 E. Gate City Boulevard, 27401

The pools have varying days and hours of operation; please use this link to find out specific information for each pool: http://www.greensboro-nc.gov/index.aspx?page=3642
Did you know? Greensboro city pools are available for private rental! You can rent a city pool for a private party or event after regular hours. Click this link to get more information: http://www.greensboro-nc.gov/index.aspx?page=4946

In addition to the pools, there are two "spraygrounds" maintained by the city. These are located at Barber Park and Keely Park. The spraygrounds will open on May 25 and continue until August 27th, with an extra weekend of September 2nd-4th (Labor Day Day weekend).

You can also find What's Good in Greensbroro? on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Whats-Good-in-Greensboro-848569635208317/ . See you there!

Free-use image from Pixabay https://pixabay.com/en/swim-water-diving-underwater-422546/

Cosmic Bowling is a Fun Night Out

Have you ever gone bowling in the dark? How about in a nightclub? Well, that's the experience at cosmic bowling! You don't actually go to a nightclub for cosmic bowling, but the atmosphere can be pretty similar. I went to cosmic bowling with a group of friends Saturday night, and we had a blast! We met at the bowling lanes at about a quarter till 10 and we rented our shoes and got our lanes. It was $15 for everything (shoes plus all you can bowl). Food and drinks cost extra, but there was a nice waitress who would bring whatever we wanted. I personally am kind of cheap, so once I found the water fountain, I was good!

Anyway, at 10 pm, the regular lights went down, and the disco lights and black light kicked in! Everything was colorful and festive, and of course, there was still enough light to bowl. The music was kicky and upbeat, and we couldn't help dancing around, as well as bowling, so it was definitely a great workout (which I needed, after eating at the buffet earlier)! We bowled several games, and I left at about 1am, but some of my friends were still going strong. All in all, it was a great experience, and if you haven't tried cosmic bowling, you should check it out!



At Triad Lanes in Greensboro, they call this “Lightning Strikes”--here are the details: http://triadlanes.com/lightning-strikes.aspx

You can also find What's Good in Greensbroro? on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Whats-Good-in-Greensboro-848569635208317/ . See you there!




Free-use image from Pixabay https://pixabay.com/en/bowling-alley-balls-colors-playing-669358/

Downtown Greensboro First Friday Events for June 3rd

GreenHill arts center, 200 North Davie Street (near the corner of Davie and Friendly Ave), celebrates First Friday from 6-9pm, featuring a performance by gospel singer Mary D. Williams from 6:30-7:30. Also at GreenHill this month is the exhibition Influence, a collaboration with Art Alliance Greensboro, featuring ceramics, sculpture and works in 2D by a dozen Art Alliance instructors. The First Friday celebration will also serve as the opening for the Influence exhibit, which runs through the end of June. Cash bar. Admission is free, but donations gratefully accepted. 

The International Civil Rights Center & Museum, 134 South Elm Street (in the historic Woolworth Building) celebrates June as Black Music Appreciation month with a live performance by Smooth Grooves, and will also host a silent auction for the ICRCM Annual Golf Classic. Admission to this event is free to the public.

Chakras Spa and Salon will host its First Friday event with drinks and refreshments art by Sarah McClinton, and music by Kim Kennedy & Mandy Brooke. Chakras is offering a 15% discount at any spa or salon services scheduled by event attendees. See my feature article on Chakras Spa and Salon here:  http://whatsgoodingreensboro.blogspot.com/2014/12/chakras-spa-is-delight-for-senses-and.html

Elements Gallery, 526 S. Elm Street, an artists' cooperative gallery, will feature a fifth-anniversary celebration on First Friday with a wine-tasting, food, and live music among a display of member artists' work, featuring pottery, jewelry, and other handicrafts. 

You can also find What's Good in Greensbroro? on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Whats-Good-in-Greensboro-848569635208317/ . See you there!

Image from Pixabay https://pixabay.com/en/music-jam-guitar-lady-girl-844869/

$7 Rabies Vaccine Special at After Hours Veterinary Emergency Clinic & Guilford College Animal Hospital

A local animal group, Animal Rescue and Foster Program of Greensboro (www.arfpnc.com), has tipped me off and asked me to spread the word about a good deal on rabies vaccines here in Greensboro.

During the month of January, the After Hours Veterinary Emergency Clinic & Guilford College Animal Hospital, located at 5505 West Friendly Avenue, Greensboro, NC 27410, near Guilford College, will be offering rabies vaccines for only seven dollars. These shots will be available 24 hours a day through the entire month, so there's no reason not to get your pet protected against the deadly rabies virus.

According to the clinic, "no appointment is necessary during emergency hours (nights, holidays, and weekends), but calling ahead is strongly encouraged. Appointments are recommended Monday-Friday 8am - 6pm." The phone number for the clinic is  336-851-1990. Email service@ahvec.com for more information.

Pet owners, remember that rabies vaccinations are required by law.

You can also find What's Good in Greensbroro? on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Whats-Good-in-Greensboro-848569635208317/ . See you there!

Veterinarian image from Pixabay https://pixabay.com/en/kitten-veterinarian-feline-doctor-569873/

"Giving Tuesday" in Greensboro

 
Everyone is familiar with "Black Friday", the big Christmas shopping day right after Thanksgiving, and with "Cyber Monday", the day people go back to work after the Thanksgiving holiday and use their office computers to hit up online emporia like Amazon and eBay for deals, but there's a new "holiday" catching on quickly called "Giving Tuesday". This is the reminder to all of us that the reason for the season is giving, not buying. Not giving the latest iPhone or video game console, but giving your time, your heart, your help to someone in need.

So take a bag of food to Urban Ministry, a pile of hardbacks to the Greensboro Public Library, or a box of donated goods to Goodwill. Volunteer to help a group like Animal Rescue and Foster Program of Greensboro or Habitat for Humanity. Look for opportunities in your own neighborhood to help an elderly person with yardwork or small home repairs, or help a single mom by offering to have her kids over to play with your kids while she gets a chance to run errands or just have time for a bath and a nap.

There are so many ways we can give in Greensboro to make it even nicer. Please do your part today!

You can also find What's Good in Greensbroro? on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Whats-Good-in-Greensboro-848569635208317/ . See you there!

Image from Pixabay https://pixabay.com/en/hand-child-children-hands-838975/