GMWS- SPOTLIGHT- O'so Eats

FOOD! I.love.food. I may take more pictures of food when eat out than I do of actual people.
I look forward to eating out when I travel. When I went to France this summer, my budget for dining far exceeded my budget for shopping. I ate some things I had never heard of and some things I wish I didn't try.

Beef Tartar in Cannes, France

I've worked in 2 significant restaurants in my life. The first was Luigi's in Fayetteville. I was there for almost 10 years, ate some incredible food made some amazing friends. Now I'm employed at O'so Eats. Coincidentally they are both Greek owned restaurants, very family style and welcoming.

1/2 Priced wine on Tuesday nights

If you want a new experience, I rarely find people who have even heard of O'so. I'm assuming because it isn't located on Hanes Mall Blvd. But trust me when I say that it is worth the extra 5 minutes down Hanes Mall Blvd.

You're first greeted by one of our lovely hosts and taken to your table. More than likely within a minute your server will greet you and hopefully tell you about our feature if you didn't notice it at the podium. Then is the overwhelming task of deciding on ONE entree. They are all amazing but a few you should look out for are, as Pete mentions, the Chicken Despina-

-and the Scallop Mykonos. It is one of my favorites! Sauteed Sea Scallops in a white wine and garlic sauce with spinach, tomatoes, fresh garlic, olives and broccoli. But the best part is the feta. I swear, feta makes it betta.

O'so is now turning to social media to spread the word. I had the pleasure of creating an instragram for the restaurant, you should follow because sometimes I'M the one posting the photos.

A year ago when I started working at O'sos I posted a blog post about my first few days, if you're interested here is the link.

GMWS- Winston Salem Museums

People from all over the world crossing in every direction of the sidewalks and streets. Limousines stuck in traffic full of very important people. The Core of our government, Washington, DC. The knowledge I absorb with all of the museums is overwhelming. But I leave DC with an appetite to learn more and see more. 

Smithsonians, Washington DC, c.2010

When I started exploring Winston Salem I was happy to find museums with rotating exhibits. A modern art museum and a more traditional museum and then recently a museum just about the history of Winston Salem. When you have some free time during the day and don't want to spend a lot of money, spend some time in a museum. Take a notepad so you can write down anything that inspires you. 

Reynolda House Museum of American Art

2250 Reynolda Road
336.758.5150

Tuesday-Saturday 9:30a-4:30p

Sunday 1:30p-4:30p

Free for students

Current Exhibit:

Things Wondrous & Humble 

American Still Life

August 10- December 8, 2013

My first visit to Reynolda House was with an Art History class in my first year at UNCSA. We explored the lavish and beautiful mansion that once belonged to R J Reynolds and wife, Katherine. Since then I've returned to the museum to picnic in the large field in front of the house, to climb the trees just beside the house and to participate in Cinema Under the Stars. There is SO much to do at Reynolda Village than just see the museum. Which will be covered in a future post.

Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art: SECCA

750 Marguerite Dr.
336.725.1904
Tuesday-Saturday 10:00a-5:00p
Thursday-10:00a-8:00p
Sunday 1:00p-5:00p
Admission is free

There is no current exhibit because they are setting up the museum for the:
Upcoming Exhibit: Graphic Design: Now in Production 
October 24th, 2013-February 23, 2014
"Explores the worlds of design-driven magazines, newspapers, books, and posters; the expansion of branding programs for corporations, communities, and individuals; the entrepreneurial spirit of designer-produced goods; the renaissance in digital typeface design; the storytelling potential of film and television titling sequences; and the trans- formation of raw data into compelling information narratives."

The Opening Party for the exhibit Graphic Design: Now in Production will be Madmen themed on Friday October 25th, 2013.
Tickets- $40

I was introduced to SECCA by Mrs. Betsy Townes in my Art History class. After a nostalgic bus ride, we arrived and the exhibit incorporated films which interested all of my fellow film-ies.  When you enter SECCA any temporary exhibits are to the left. To the right of the entry is their permanent exhibit of the lavish and beautiful home.

New Winston Museum

713 S. Marshall st. 

336.724.2842
Monday-Friday 12:00p-5:00p
Saturday- 10:00a-2:00p

Admission is free

Current Exhibit:
Ghost Signs of Forsyth County: collaborating with Sawtooth School for Visual Art's Photography and Digital Media Classes.

Permanent Exhibit:
Every Picture Tells our Story. Over a hundred photos of the History of Winston Salem dating back to 1856 with a photo of Salem College and Academy teachers.

As I mentioned in my first post, I happened to come across the New Winston Museum while wandering around the Old Salem Cobblestone Farmer's Market. Chris Jordan, the Director of Programming had no objection to sitting with me and telling me a little about the new museum. I was excited to hear that he wishes to collaborate with UNCSA more in the coming months!

GMWS- Winston Salem Farmer's Markets

I take a step outside of the hotel and I'm welcomed by the fresh smell of bread. A Subway in Paris? But it's the rows of mile long vendors that entrap me. The Eiffel tower can wait.

There's a piece of Paris here in Winston-Salem. Whether downtown, in the parking lot of a coffee shop, in Old Salem or at the Dixie Classic Fairgrounds you can buy fresh produce and flowers at any of our Farmer's Markets in town.

Reynolda Village Farmer's Market 
2100 Reynolda Road Fridays 8a-noon

My first stop on Friday August 30th was to the Reynolda Village Farmer's Market. I was happy to see that parking was so convenient. I met Betty Nifong, the manager of the Market, and chatted with her briefly about fruits, baskets, vegetables and soap!
The vendors are eager to talk with the market-goers, I learned about beekeeping and macaroon making, from the makers themselves.

Chelsea Tart & Lynn Tart are in the process of opening a "sweets" store, TART SWEETS [homemade cakes & candies

Old Salem Cobblestone Market 

626 S. Main St. Saturdays 9a-noon

Originating in 2012 U.S. News & World Report named it one of the 11 best farmer's markets in America. It is obvious why, live music echoes down Main Street, the smell of fresh drip Krankies coffee wafting through the crowds of colorful people. This market is truly an experience. Families bring their kids and dogs and walk around sampling cheese and sausages. 

The path that leads to the market

Downtown Cobblestone Market
251 N. Spruce St. Tuesdays 10am-1pm
Originating in 2009 inside Krankies Coffee

The Downtown Cobblestone Market is a smaller market, but the sky rise buildings and the Hanesbrand theatre that surround it make for a beautiful backdrop. A school bus dropped off over a dozen kids to visit the market. Listening to the vendors explain to the kids how vegetables are seasonal helped me understand a lot.

I met the Goat Lady on one of my trips to the market this summer. I bought red roasted pepper goat cheese spread that didn't last 2 days. It was incredible! You may sample any cheese she has, try the marinated Goat cheese in olive oil and garlic!

If you're looking for something fun and different to do outside and earlier in the day, I suggest visiting one of the many Farmer's Markets WS has to offer. Almost every day of the week through October!

MONDAY-SUNDAY- Hanes Mall Farmer's Market (12:00pm-4:00pm)

                                       Piedmont Triad Farmer's Market (7:00am-6:00pm)

TUESDAY-                   Dowtown Cobblestone Market (10:00am-1:00pm)

WEDNESDAY-            Clemmons Farmer's Market (9:00am-1:00)

                                       Kernersville Farmer's Market (7:00am-12:00)

                                       King Farmer's Market (11:00am-1:00pm)

THURSDAY-               Washington Perk Farmer's Market (5:00pm-8:00)

FRIDAY-                       Reynolda Village Farmer's Market (8:00-12:00)

SATURDAYS-             Old Salem Cobblestone Market (9:00am-12:00)

                                       Dixie Classic Farmer's Market (6:00am-1:00pm)

                                       City Beverage Farmer's Market (12:00-4pm)

Girl Meets Winston Salem

Bird's Eye sketch of Winston-Salem, 1891
New Winston Museum

Winston Salem, North Carolina

Known as the City of Arts creating the first Arts Council in 1949. An art's council is a government or private, non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the arts mainly by funding local artists and providing communication between the local artists. Winston is also home to the  2nd largest tobacco company in the US, owned by R. J . Reynolds. R. J. left Virginia to start his own tobacco company. Due to the success of Camel cigarettes, the US Federal Government appointed Winston Salem the port of entry for foreign tobacco products even though we are 200 miles inland.

I don't smoke, so that is as far as my interest goes in tobacco.

I had the pleasure of moving to Winston Salem in August of 2011 to attend the University of North Carolina School of the Arts School of Filmmaking. I moved from Fayetteville, NC after 15 years. I didn't know my way around very well and I didn't know anyone yet so I didn't get around much. It wasn't until school started that I started branching out and finding things to do to stay busy on the weekends.

I've learned that there is actually a ton of things to do! Winston Salem offers Farmer's Markets on almost every day of the week. Trails to hike, great restaurants and coffee shops and plenty of artistic things. I've found it very useful to use social networking to keep up with everything Winston Salem has to offer. If I didn't, I would have never found the New Winston Museum located on 713 S. Marshall St. After a trip to the Cobblestone Farmer's Market I decided to find this museum. Chris Jordan, the Director of Programming, was very accommodating to my impromptu interview. "Saturday's can be kind of slow," he said as we entered the empty showroom exhibiting over a hundred photographs of Winston Salem as old as c.1856.

I decided to reach out and contact Kristi Marion who runs Publicity for Riverrun International Film Festival. She is also the instagrammer for mywinston-salem.com, I have been following Kristi for the last year taking her advice on new and fun things to do in Winston Salem and by chance ran into her while I was documenting my time at the Old Salem Cobblestone Farmer's Market. I felt like I was meeting a celebrity. She was so humbled by my even knowing who she was. 

Kristi Marion is what I like to call a Winston Salem connoisseur. I was ecstatic when she agreed to be my subject for an interview. Being a blogger herself, she relates to the point I'm trying to make. That there is SO much to do in Winston Salem as you will hear in the interview below. 

Kristi's blog: http://www.southernasbiscuits.com/p/about-me.html 

Kristi also writes for a blog about Winston Salem: http://www.mywinston-salem.com/ 

At first I felt that this idea to blog about Winston-Salem might be a tad ambitious, seeing as I am double majoring and working part time at a restaurant. But I've had more fun in the last few weeks generating ideas to write about and meeting new people. I'm looking forward to this challenge. 

My favorite view of the downtown skyline is from the Film Village at the North Carolina School of the Arts. Here you can just barely see the Wells Fargo Building.