BOY meets Winston Salem: Club Therapy

Hello all, my name is Mark.  I am one of Christene’s classmates at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts.  I have been given the wonderful opportunity of doing a guest post here on the “Girl Meets Winston-Salem” blog.  Christene has shared many different events and locations to attend or visit in Winston-Salem.  One thing she hasn’t yet covered was nightlife.  In the 3 and half years I’ve been here at school I haven’t really explored Winston-Salem so I was excited to check out first hand what this city had to offer.  

The place that I ended up settling on was “Club Therapy” located at 411 N. Cherry Street.  I went on Wednesday night, which is their Latin Night.  At 8 pm they teach a beginner class in Salsa, Merengue, and Bachata.  At the same time there is an intermediate Bachata class taught on the other side of the club.  I had my friend come along to be my partner for the beginner classes.  The two teachers were very friendly and danced and taught well.  Shortly after the classes ended the music started and people began entering the club to dance.  The environment was very friendly and you could tell by the way people interacted at the bar that there were some regulars.   

The club hosts multiple special nights during the week including shag night, and Latin night, which include lessons, that is included in the $5 cover charge.   On November 9th, the club hosted a Santa con night, inviting their patrons to dress like Santa and to bring a toy in need.  

If you feel like drinking, dancing or taking a lesson club therapy is an option you should consider.  Their website is being worked on so it is not currently up but you can get updates from them on facebook .

The Big Bounce (2004)

In the Style of The Bouncer Blog.  My husband, Brandon Hurley was a bouncer in Fayetteville, NC for a few years. I interviewed him to get another point of view on bouncing.   

    Q:How long did you bounce and where?

    A: I was a bouncer at 2 different establishments. The first place "Husk Hardware" was set in downtown Fayetteville, NC on the main road, Hay Street. I was a bouncer there for about 7 months until it shut down due to "Managerial" issues. The second place was "Paddy's Irish Pub". It was located on Raeford Rd in Fayetteville just 2 miles from the downtown area. I was there for 1 year until I joined the military.
    
    Q:What made you first decide to bounce?

    A: I decided to become a bouncer when my good friend Shane asked me if I was interested. We both worked at Best Buy and he supplemented his income by bouncing on the weekends. He explained that they were leaving it to him to find people and he thought it would be easier to use friends. I was not the size of a typical bouncer you would see at the entrance of a club or bar. But I had specific talents he wanted; speed, agility, strength, and a "no time for BS" attitude.
    
    Q:Can you remember your first time, how was it?

    A: My first night bouncing was an interesting one. I was nervous already going in. I was tasked with checking ID's and keeping an eye on the people in line or outside smoking. 20 minutes into my shift my buddy screamed my name from inside because a fight broke out with 3 guys. I came in and I was behind my buddy as he cleared a path for me. I watched as one person at a time began to take flight as he pushed through. Once I was in a spot to get through I jumped in between them, I placed one guy in a choke-hold after bringing him to my level since he was much taller than me, then my buddy grabbed one of them and one of our bartenders grabbed the other. We escorted them outside where there was a cop waiting. I forgot to mention that this bar was strategically place one city block from the Fayetteville Police Department. Location location location!


    Q:What is your scariest experience?
    
    A: Scariest moment was one night at Paddy's it was a slow night for us. We just had our regulars and a few others. The bar next door was known to be a rowdy one. Not the greatest members of society frequented this place. I was picking up dirty glasses to take to the bar to clean when the bartender from next door came in and screamed for me and the other bouncer. We ran next door. When I walked in 2 empty beer bottles whizzed by my head and shattered on the wall. That's when we notice that their bouncers were getting jumped. Shane and I went in to action and we began to clear a path using whatever we had feet, fists, chairs. You name it we used it.  As we got to the group we started pulling people off. Someone jumped on Shane's back and I ripped him off and slammed him to the ground he was not getting up. Shane grabbed 2 guys and dragged them outside to the cops. I grabbed one guy and tried to get him out as well. When we got to the door he pushed me away and grabbed the cash register near by and threw it at me. I moved out of the way and charged him plowing through him like a wrecking a ball. We landed against a wall. He threw a punch which landed on my ribs. I grabbed his head with one hand and threw a quick elbow and it broke his nose. On his way down I met him with a knee that would end his attempt to hurt me. I drug him out side. From there we cleared everyone and restored order. That night I got home and like normal began my routine of removing my smoke and beer soiled clothes and noticed that I was covered in blood. Christene came out of the room and was freaked out. "Oh my god is that your blood"? I assured her it was not mine and told her the story.

    Q:What is your funniest experience?

    A: my funniest experience was having to remove 2 girls from the bathroom for doing inappropriate things. That was an awkward conversation with the owner an the cops. The girls thought it was funny, I was a little embarrassed to explain what I observed when I entered the bathroom. 
    
    Q:Do you drink more or less after your experience, Why?

    A: I drink less, however it has nothing to do with being a bouncer. I drink less because I have grown up and became a social drinker. I don’t mind getting a nice buzz here and there but for the most part I try to remain responsible. 
    
    Q:What are the order and steps to break up a fight?
    
    A: Steps to breaking up a fight
1. observe everyone and look for signs; aggression, shouting, facial expressions, body language
2. If any of these signs are observed move closer to that area and make your presence known
3. Talk to the people who are potentially fighters.
4. Let other bouncers know about the situation, everyone needs back-up 
5. If the fight breaks out pick one and attack from behind get control and get them out of the situation. Make sure someone has positive control of that person and go back in and get the others. Rinse and repeat!

    Q:What is your advice to drunk people at bars (etiquette)?
    
    A: Respect your bar staff and bouncers. Don’t cause any trouble and tip well. we love people that are there to enjoy our business and have a good time. Besides we still get paid if you are there or dragged out. Be responsible!

Girl Meets Winston Salem-The Soundtrack

Girl Meets Winston Salem- The Soundtrack

1. Girl Meets Winston Salem- "Home" Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros

2. Farmer's Market- "La Vie en Rose" Louise Armstrong

3. Museums- "Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want" The Smiths

4. O'so Eats- Theme from "Zorba The Greek"

5. Parks & Trails- "Saturday in the Park" Chicago

6. Gallery Hop- "Last Friday Night"

7. Coffee Shops- "Taylor the Latte Boy"

8. Halloween- Theme from "Halloween"

9. Date Night- "I Gotta Feeling" Black Eyed Peas

10. Film and Festivals- "20th Century Fox Mambo" 

11. Favorite Things- "These are a Few of My Favorite Things" Sound of Music

1. Girls Meets Winston Salem- "Home" Edware Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros

2. Farmer's Market- "La Vie en Rose" Louise Armstrong

3. Museums- "Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want" The Smiths

4. O'so Eats- Theme from "Zorba The Greek"

5. Parks and Trails- "Saturday in the Park" Chicago

6. Gallery Hop- "T.G.I.F." Katy Perry

7. Coffee Shops- "Taylor the Latte Boy"Kristin Chenoweth

8. Halloween- Theme from "Halloween"

9. Date Night- "I Gotta Feeling"- Black Eyed Peas

10. Film and Film Festivals- "20th Century Fox Mambo" From Smash

11. Favorite Things- "These are a few of my Favorite things" Sound of Music

GMWS- These are a few of my favorite things

I've shared with you 10 posts of different places to see in Winston Salem. Now let me share with you MY favorite places as the girl who met Winston Salem some years ago. Now these are not all places limited to only Winston, but more of things I discovered in Winston. 

a Set of frames I bought at Earthbound Trading Co. 

When I go shopping, I love to visit Earthbound Trading Co. at Hanes Mall. The endless choices of masquerade masks is what originally drew me in to the store. The little interesting knick knacks make for great gifts and just fun things to have, like my mustache mood ring. They also sell small packs of sage to bless a house. It's a cute house warming gift and I love buying gifts.

Teavana is a tea shop also in Hanes Mall with amazing tea. It's expensive but makes the best tea I've ever had. Pineapple kona pop blended with blueberry rooibus with rock sugar is my favorite. It's usually on display in the summer. 

When I'm in the mood for coffee and a date with a friend, I either go to Camino Bakery or Krankies.
Camino has made it's way into a few of my posts now for good reason. It's damn good. But it is expensive so be prepared.

When I go grocery shopping, I love going to Trader Joe's. Great quality and healthier options. There isn't a Trader Joe's in every city so don't take it for granted. If for nothing else, go for their daily free sample & coffee! That's how I discovered one of my now favorite snacks. 2 packs of TJ's frozen mac n cheese boxes with 1 jar of chunky salsa mixed together. Simple as that!

While I'm at Trader Joe's I take advantage of Dewey's bakery right next door and get a cake square or cheese straws. They also have samples so you know what you'll be buying. Another great idea for a unique edible gift.

My favorite place to ride my bike or walk is Salem Lake. It's beautiful and conveniently located in our city! It's less than a 10 minute drive from school and wraps around for just over 7 miles.

Swaims is my neighborhood bar. It feels homie and it's walking distance from my apartment. I recently took up Foosball at Swaims. I only wish they served food because bar peanuts sometimes are not enough.

When I need to find a place to eat, I go where I know. Mozelle's Poulet Rouge Confit Crêpes with fruit, I still think about and I had it a year ago. 

Nawab is the best Indian I've had. I split the sampler dinner platter with a friend and was introduced to some very tasty Indian food. The Vegetable Korma is by far my favorite and now the only thing I order. 

These are just a few favorites of mine here in Winston Salem. The list only grows as I continue to explore. 

GMWS- Films and Festivals

This week I am in Wilmington, NC for the Cucalorus Film Festival. I am so grateful to be living in a town that has a film festival because my hometown does not. This is my first time attending as a filmmaker and I intend to take full advantage!

Winston Salem is fortunate to have the The River Run International Film Festival- April 4-13, 2014

One of the premiere film festivals in the southeastern United States. I had the opportunity to attend the 2012 festival in my first year. It covers a lot of ground in Winston Salem, from downtown to UNCSA to Reynolda House. 

By 2013 I was volunteering. It was a very long festival but full of great films, short & feature length, including Mud Directed by Jeff Nichols. We screened the film at the Stevens Center downtown, which wasn't made for films but was still really beautiful.

I had the pleasure of speaking with Dale Polluck, a professor and previous Dean of the film school at UNCSA. I had one major question I wanted clarified because for the last 2 years I've seen Dale at every event for RR. 

Can you explain your involvement with Riverarun a Film Festival?

"I first brought RiverRun to Winston-Salem in 2002. I arranged for the festival, which had been started in Brevard, NC in 1998, to move to Winston-Salem, raised the money to mount the first festival, and ended up running it myself when we had to let the festival's founder go. I was the Executive Director of the festival for the first five years, now I am the only Emeritus Board member on the RiverRun Board of Directors. I no longer have a direct role in the programming of the festival, but I often do the major Q&A sessions with guest filmmakers and award recipients, and I also introduce classic and foreign films RiverRun screens. I also make at least a few contributions to the program booklet."

Films filmed in Winston-Salem

In 2012 I interned on the independent feature film, "Goodbye To All That" starring Paul Sneider 

This was such a fun experience. This post I blogged about applying and how excited I was. I was only an on set production assistant, but I got to see how smoothly a feature film can go (with planning). In the "real world" you plan it out in pre-production.

What a sweet guy!

The producer, Summer Shelton is a UNCSA alumni who brought this film to Winston Salem (which I totally intend to do if we renew our film incentive in 2015.) But don't even let me get started. 

Filmed in Winston Salem, NC:

• The Bedroom Window (1987) 
• Mr. Destiny (1990)
• Eddie (1996)
• The Lottery (1996, made-for-television adaptation of Shirley Jackson's short story)
• George Washington (2000) (UNCSA alumni- David Gordon Green)
• A Union in Wait (2001, documentary)
• Junebug (2005) (written by Angus MacLachlan who lives in Winston Salem)
• Lost Stallions: The Journey Home (2008)
• Goodbye Solo (2008)
• Leatherheads (2008) directed by George Clooney
• Eyeborgs (2009) directed by Richard Clabaugh who taught At UNCSA for a brief time, stars a Dale Gerard who teaches stunt work at our drama school
• You Are Here (2013) many UNCSA interns, some of it shot on our campus on a sound stage. 

GMWS- Date Night (2010)

A Date in Winston Salem

I love entire days dedicated to a date not just a meal. It's so rare to find time to do anything fun and it seems I never get a little time here or there, it's more like an entire day. An entire day for a date can be fun because you have nothing else to worry about and nowhere else to plan to be. 

Here's a suggestion for a day out in Winston Salem with a significant other or even just a good pal. 

9:00 am rendezvous at Camino Bakery for a cup of Joe and a croissant.  They have some of the best pastries in town!

Starting the date with caffeine and the ambiance of Camino is a perfect start to any date. You'll get the energy for your adventure and take second to talk and get to know each other better. 

10:00 am- Head on over to Reynolda House to check out their current exhibit.

Students and Faculty= Free admission 

Reynolda House provides an amazing opportunity for interesting conversations. The kind where you day dream about how you want your future house to look like. Or to daydream about what it would be like to live there. 

12:00 pm- Lunch Time! Mozelles 

I had an incredible Poulet Rouge Confit Crêpes with fruit and coffee for brunch one day. It sealed my fate. This is one of my favorite restaurants in Winston Salem. Let's face it, people go to dinner or restaurants on dates to talk and get to know each other. Or at least they should, because movies force your attention on anything but each other for 2 hours. And activities like put-put give you the excuse to talk about, well....put-put. And holes...

2:00 pm- Time to digest lunch with a romantic scary movie matinee

2 movie tickets = $5

What better opportunity than a scary movie to get close and personal? It's my favorite genre of film, even the bad ones are at least funny! And after coffee and Lunch, I think it's time to stop talking and start screaming. 

5:00 pm- Afternoon snack, Dewey's bakery cake squares, if it's Monday, it's free! 

2 cake squares =  free

If you've never had the pink lemonade cake square from Dewey's bakery then you're really missing out! If your guest has never had one then you're in a great position to introduce them to something that will change their life. 

6pm- For dinner Oso's with portions big enough to split!

There is nothing wrong with eating your dessert, as long as you saved room for dessert again, because Oso's has incredible dessert. Okay, I may be biased, but I recently took a few friends of mine to Oso's and they were all blown away! Not one left without a full happy belly! 

If it's before 7pm, you should watch the sun set somewhere downtown. 

I shot this on the roof of a parking garage on Trade st. 

How you end your date is very important. With a long day behind you, if you've lasted the entire date, the last moments are crucial. You should know if it's gone well. And let me tell you. Silence is your friend. Your date has not had a chance to think about how it's been going and this is a perfect opportunity. Find a way to let them know that not talking right now is okay. And if the moment is right...

GMWS- Halloween (1978)

The Colleges : Halloween activities ratio in Winston Salem is a little disappointing. Especially for thrill seekers such as myself. But in the spirit of Halloween, I'm breaking my rules this week. Not only am I using photos I didn't take but I'm leaving Winston Salem and sharing places to visit all the way to Charlotte. Because haunted houses + roller coasters = awesome sauce. Let's start with

Spooky Woods

1615 Kersey Valley Rd. Archdale, NC

September 13-November 2, 2013

Sun-Thurs- 8p-10p, Fri&Sat- 8p-12a

Admission: General Fri&Sat- $25

Sun-Thurs- $20

Parking $5

Tickets include The Dreaded Inn, Terror Trams, Fright Lights, Deadly Harvest, Cathedral of the Dead

Located in High Point, only 30 minutes away from UNCSA, this attraction offers plenty of "walk throughs" to appease the appetites of the the most advanced of thrill seekers. Are you the type who values good reviews? Spooky Woods was nominated in the top 10 haunted attractions in America.

Woods of Terror

5601 N. church St., Greensboro, NC, 27455

September 27-November 2, 2013

Fri&Sat- 6p-11:30p

Sun-Thurs 6p-9:30p

General Admission

Sun-Thurs- $15

Fridays, Saturdays and Halloween $25

$4 discount for just emailing here.

A couple of months ago I ran the 5k Zombie Mud Run hosted by Woods of Terror. It was my first 5k and it was a blast! Registration for the run included a 2013 pass to WOT and they plan to host a run again the Spring so keep an eye out.

WOT is the perfect treat if you're looking for a holiday themed activity. Once you pay the admission you're given a playing card and you wait for your group to be called to start the "walk through." While you wait there are food vendors and small shops selling horror themed goodies. Once your group is called, you line up and start the tour. Then it's about a 45 minute tour of some of the most terrifying things!

Around mid-October I get in this "I only want to watch scary movies" thing. I revisit some of my favorite horror films dating all the way back to 1988 with Killer Klowns from Outer Space. WOT has a clown "fun house" that scared the bajeezus out of me!

Scarowinds

14523 Carowinds Blvd, Charlotte, NC, 28273

October 4th-27th, 2013

Fri-Sun- 7p-12a

Sundays- $31.99

Saturdays-$40

Fridays- $36.99

I can't count how many times I've been to Carowinds, that's because I've lived in NC for a while and the Intimidator is my all time favorite roller coaster. I don't mind paying the $40 admission just to ride it once. Call me an adrenaline junkie. It may be why horror films are my fav.

But riding the Intimidator in October surrounded by monsters and ghoul is another story. There is a layer of fog and mist that covers all of the park for the duration of your time there. It conveniently hides the employees who pop out and scare you. All in incredible make up! The entire time I wanted to stop and ask, "who did your make-up, can I get there card?"

A Photo of the sun setting from my favorite roller coaster, the Intimidator

Don't get me wrong, there are, Halloween events in Winston-Salem. There are Masquerades on Trade, pumpkin carving in Old Salem and Fall craft fairs at the Dixie Classic Fairgrounds. Which I attended this year, but in comparison to the trails and theme parks It just didn't fit in this post. 

Happy Halloween everyone! Awesome costume idea:

GMWS- Coffee shops

Rome, Italy 2004: My unstable romance with espresso begins. Before this trip I drank coffee like a puerto rican, "cafe con leche" little bit of coffee, lots of cream lots of sugar. In Rome, it was just cappuccino. I never turned back and had an addiction to point where I would get terrible headaches without a minimum of 3 shots of espresso every day. 

I had to cut back. 

Coffee shops are a staple for a social life, in my humble opinion. If it's before 6pm, a bar is just not the right setting for gatherings. A coffee shop that also serves beer is another story.

Camino

I wish I could remember my first time at Camino bakery. I feel like I've just always been going even though I've only lived here for 2 1/2 years. It's where I study best, it's where I have the best friend dates and where I write the best. 

I've never had anything I didn't love. Especially now since they make their own peanut butter syrup to flavor coffees. If I could afford to eat here every day, it would. But unfortunately being such an artisan bakery, they tend to be a little pricey. In the truest sense, you get what you pay for. Very original pastries and very fresh coffee. I've never been seat-less or had to wait more than 15 minutes for anything. Unless you come during 1/2 price cheesecake Tuesdays. Then you better plan to wait. 

You also get to see some very exotic flowers that decorate the space. The walls are a chalkboard to tell you the weekly specials which are really great when you are on a budget!

Monday 

$1 off NC beers

Tuesday

1/2 price cheesecake

$1 off Bell's beer and wine glasses

Wednesday

$1 off craft cans 

Free wine tasting 6-8pm

Thursday

$1PBR, $1.50 Tecate

$4 glasses of Spanish Bubbly

Sunday

2 for 1 bread

$5 mimosas

Peanut Butter Mocha & a Cinnamon Roll

Krankies

When I first moved to Winston Salem I was desperately in search of a hang out spot separate from school. I brought a few friends to a day long study session in Krankies and felt right at home. Unlimited internet and caffeine is all you can ask for when you are studying for finals.

Krankies offers more than just good coffee. Great coffee! Such great coffee that it is packaged up and sent to local coffee shops, restaurants and markets. Try to go somewhere local that serves coffee and not see the name, "Krankies".
Below, David Franklin, is roasting batches of beans for packaging. To the right are fresh green coffee beans.

The smell of sour roasted coffee beans wafted down the hall to the exhibit room. The very first exhibit I experienced here I have never forgotten. Evan Hawkins, Horse in Motion in 2011. The room was filled with framed photos of the Horse in Motion with a photo of the person with the tattoo next to it. When I entered the room and figured everything out I was speechless! All I can think about was "Why didn't I think of that!?" And as anyone who has read Save the Cat knows, that's a sign of a great idea. 

Krankies offers a great selection of craft beers as well as your normal caffeinated beverages. They offer pastries as well. They do not have the same selection as Camino in that sense, but the space is much larger for bigger meetings and even live music or stand up. 

My treat: Session Black Lager from Oregon, chocolate chip cookie and pumpkin bread.

One thing I absolutely love about going to our local coffee shops is that you will always see someone you know. And in my case, I chose to go to Krankies on a day that Summer Shelton just so happened to stop by. Summer is a UNCSA alumni who is now steady working in the industry based out of New York. She most recently produced Goodbye To All That, directed by Angus McGlaughlin (who I bumped into at the Farmer's market in an earlier post). That was my first non school related film internship. Summer is from Mount Airy, NC and finds herself visiting Winston Salem quite often.

Summer Shelton

Washington Perk

One of the new editions to our local coffee shop club is the new "Downtown Perk" on 4th street. A local grocery store and sand which shop, conveniently located in the heart of downtown for the residents.  Open as late as 10pm some nights, I have found it useful when I don't want a full fledged meal in the middle of a location scout downtown.

Washington Perk on Acadia st. is more of my hangout because it is about 2 blocks away from my apartment and just as close to UNCSA. WP is more of a deli and market than a coffee shop, matter of fact their options for caffeinated drinks is a little on the limited side. But if you have someone in your group that is looking for more of a meal than pastries this is your spot.  

I intended on taking a picture of my hot cocoa and chocolate chip cookie, but I got ahead of myself and dove in. The only option for sweets this day was cookies and muffins. I wasn't hungry enough for a sand which but if I am I will definitely swing by here just before I visit Swains (later post).

PS. This is my 100th post! And I think it's fitting that it's about coffee because it's something I love and also something that made some of my posts possible. 

GMWS- Spotlight- The Gallery Hop

DADA Gallery Hop
If you find yourself free on the first Friday of any month in the fall, you might want to check out The Downtown Art District. Come rain or shine, you can attend the DADA First Friday Gallery Hop from 7:00-10:00PM located along 6th street, Trade street (from 5th-7th) and Liberty st. (from 5th-6th).

On Friday October 4th, 2013 I was having a beer at Single Brothers. I thought I lucked out when I found a parking on Trade st. walking distance from the bar.
6:30 I leave the bar to start enjoying the Gallery Hop when I find a crowd of cops around my car (the only car on Trade st.) I explained that I thought I lucked out with the only spot that didn't have a sign. The cop pointed to the lack of opportunities to post any such sign.
They proceeded to escort me by foot off of Trade st.
I went home for a costume change and to let some time pass so they can forget my face.  When I returned, the sun had set and the street was popping! I decided to go alone so that I could focus on the heart of the event. I don't usually venture out alone so it took some getting use to.

I passed shops, studios and galleries that had extended their hours for the event. It was great to see these galleries that at normal business hours I can't seem to make.

I will suggest that you go with people so you can discuss the things you see.

Below is a montage of some of the fun things to see and experience at the Hop.

Your last chance is NOVEMBER 1ST, 2013!

GMWS- Parks & Trails

New York City High Line

What I miss most about New York, aside from the skyline, are the endless opportunities to just walk. It's hard to text and walk. It's hard, for me, to walk through busy streets and talk. Walking around the city was one of my favorite memories because I separated myself from technology for just a moment to enjoy what was around me.

Winston Salem may not have the buzzing metropolis known as the Big Apple, but it definitely provides many opportunities to just walk. Why not take advantage and leave your phone at home and go for a walk on one of the many trails Winston Salem has to offer.

Washington Park
1490 Broad Street.

For a while I got into the great habit of running a couple of miles around my neighborhood, Washington Park. My route changed daily because I get bored easily. One fortunate morning I cross over Broad street and continue to run, accompanied by my close friend Ke$ha, until I come to the entrance of Washington Park. The park. I can't say that I've ever heard of this park let alone seen it in my 3 years at Winston Salem. I felt like I discovered Narnia. I stepped into this abandoned park around 8am on a Saturday morning without a soul in sight. First impressions are important to me, and I immediately knew I would be back soon. It was beautiful and full of hills, which is great for your calves. 

With picnic tables and a park, you can take kids, which only spells one thing, PARTY. But make sure that you keep it in the sunlight, I get a feeling that this place could get a little sketchy after hours. 

Bolton Park

1590 Bolton st. 

On my way to AC Moore one day I got a call to come back to school for a meeting. I got off of Silas Creek Pkwy trying to find a convenient way back I got a little lost and found myself at Bolton Park. What a pleasant surprise. Summer was just ending and the sun was bursting at the seams. I paused my busy day to just soak in Bolton Park.

The Parcourse fitness center is my favorite feature. It's a free outdoor gym with a trainer. The diagrams teach you how to use each piece of equipment and explain how it benefits your body. 

This park comes equipped with labels on each tree describing what kind they are. (Ahem, Austin, you might want to take a look) A pool with great reviews! And a wonderful picnic area as you can see below. (party)

Salem Lake

1001 Salem Lake Rd. 

Isn't this gorgeous!?

When I was a freshman I was cast in a Music Video Project for some 4th years. It was a Snow White Dogma style Video. We shot the forest scenes in the woods of Salem Lake. I knew while I was there that I would definitely come back and walk the trail. It took me 2 years. But since then, I've ridden my bike around the whole 7 mile trail (6.88mi=51:46) and canoed across the 365 acre lake, 1 acre for every day of the year! 

This trail is serene and wraps around the entire lake which means you never back track. I love that because you never repeat the sights. Every mile is labeled in case you only want to run 1 mile in and 1 mile out. 

Strollway along Main Street.

If you've ever driven down Main street then you've inadvertently been on the Strollway. It technically starts just at the roundabout on Main street and ends around 4th street. The trail on Main street gets more and more beautiful as you drive toward downtown.  

When I lived off campus I would go out of my way to drive to the I-40 ramp downtown just so I could drive by the Strollway, especially in the Fall and Spring.