Ginny from the Blog

Chapel Hill’s Varsity Theatre to reopen Thanksgiving weekend

Ginny — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 13:06:16 +0000

It’s been a little over four months since the owners of the Varsity Theatre announced they were shuttering the Franklin Street staple. Residents were sad to see the landmark close, lamenting that downtown was officially without a movie theater. The Carolina Theatre closed back in 2005. But the Varsity Theatre won reprieve. New owners announced late last [...]

Should the Town of Cary ditch its beige signs?

Ginny — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 04:32:00 +0000

The Town of Cary is planning to revise the strict sign ordinances that require everything in the town be beige and white. It’s the first time in 10 years that the town has looked at major changes to the sign ordinances, reports the News & Observer. I have mixed feelings about Cary’s sign ordinances. The Punky Brewster side [...]

I’m almost back, but not quite.

Ginny — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 03:33:57 +0000

I’m forcing myself to blog right now. I don’t know what happened, but about three weeks ago I lost interest in blogging. I’ve heard that this happens, but after nearly two years of blogging 5+ days a week, I had yet to experience it. It’s not that I ran out of things to blog about. There [...]

Review of chocolate covered bacon at the N.C. State Fair and other first day fun

Ginny — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 13:28:10 +0000

You might have to take my reviews of the N.C. State Fair with a grain of salt because I’m such a fangirl. I spent three hours at the fair tonight and I only have two complaints: It was difficult to find the chocolate covered bacon and I didn’t win a goldfish. Tonight my sole mission was [...]

Blast from the Past: What a Rock and Roll show was like in Raleigh nearly 50 years ago

Ginny — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 01:56:16 +0000

The year is 1961. The venue is Raleigh Memorial Auditorium. The music is Rock and Roll. Raleigh historian and blogger Mike Legeros published a formal memo to the Raleigh Police Chief dated Dec. 13, 1961. It details the directions Raleigh police were to follow for the “Rock and Roll Shows at the Memorial Auditorium.” Here are some [...]

Everything you need to know about driving, parking or taking the bus to the N.C. State Fair

Ginny — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 00:01:07 +0000

One of my coworkers admitted to me that he hasn’t been to the N.C. State Fair in 20+ years. I asked him why, and he pointed to the traffic and parking problems. There’s no doubt that busy fair days require a little bit of patience to get into the fairgrounds, but the promise of a [...]

Why I’m such a State Fair Geek and details on the N.C. State Fair kickoff

Ginny — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 12:36:04 +0000

I’m not positively sure why I’m such a State Fair Geek. I think it started when I was a college intern for The State-Journal Register in Springfield, Illinois, about three hours from my hometown. I had to cover several events at the sprawling fairgrounds, and it was the first time in my 21-years that I had [...]

The LEGO Experience Tour needs a social media strategy

Ginny — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 02:36:14 +0000

Now that I’m among the thousands of people who get to creep down Interstate 40 on the commute home from RTP, I have few things to look forward to other than a compelling story on NPR or low-flying planes near RDU. So when something like The LEGO Experience Tour truck passes me on the Interstate, believe [...]

It’s not too late to go camping at the Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival

Ginny — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 02:19:39 +0000

I’m sitting on my couch watching Pam and Jim get ready to tie the not on The Office and wishing I was at the Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival. The four-day festival in Chatham County started this evening, but I can’t make it out there until tomorrow. The festival features dozens of acts from Donna the Buffalo [...]

I will not be trying the bus during the Triangle’s “Try Transit Week”

Ginny — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 12:09:26 +0000

It’s Try Transit Week in the Triangle, which means public transportation officials want people who normally wouldn’t ride a bus to climb aboard. I’m fortunate to have a car, so I don’t have to rely on bus schedules. Sure, I could ride the bus to save gas, save emissions and cut down on traffic by taking [...]