Delicious ~~ At the Seafood Shack, Walkertown

First time at the Seafood Shack, although I live very close and the parking lot is always full enough to know I should stop in. I'm glad we did! The food and service are awesome. Huge portions. I had the broiled platter and it was amazing. Enough of everything to share around. The place was busy but our wait for a family of four was 5-10 minutes. Fried pickles are also good (the ranch dressing tastes homemade.) And everyone was smiling and friendly.

Pros: The food was amazing (really!), there was a lot of it (we'll be able to get at least another meal with leftovers) and the staff was nice.

Cons: A little expensive for my budget with a family of four.
Time Visited: 7:30pm on a Saturday night

Update:  Since this review was first published in June 2014, we've eaten at the Seafood Shack several times.  The food is always consistent, plentiful and delicious and the service is always superb.  We love it there.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g49634-d1370482-r212549483-Walkertown_Seafood_Shack-Walkertown_North_Carolina.html#

Urban Green Space Oasis in Downtown Winston-Salem

By Jessica Thomas Lewis
This review was first posted on tripadvisor.


Downtown Winston-Salem has another great place to hang out. Bailey Park, located on Patterson Avenue between Fourth and Fifth Street is located in the Innovation Quarter. We found this park to have soft, luscious green grass in an urban green space oasis. 



Bailey Park is 1.6 acres of publicly available space. There is a large grassy area with fun mural on the wall that acts as the base to the stage and patio area. 

Bailey Park has a covered stage, restroom facilities, and food truck court, in addition to the big grassy area. There are brightly colored tables and chairs in the stage area. A few tables have large umbrellas. There is a comfortable decline on the lawn and the kids rolled down a few times. There is also flat area.

Parking seems easy, with lots of spots directly in front. There is additional street parking and there are parking decks close by. There is a bike rack. 

There is still a lot of renovation taking place around Bailey Park. It is within walking distance of the Arts District with retail and restaurants very close by. The park is 5 minutes from both Business 40 and 52.

This park is great to bring a blanket and a book, a soccer ball or frisbee, or a picnic lunch. This is a wonderful space in our up and coming downtown.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g49680-d8026744-r269605624-Bailey_Park-Winston_Salem_North_Carolina.html#

Fun Afternoon with Walk and Roll in Downtown Winston-Salem

Walk and Roll was a delightful way to spend a Sunday afternoon.  This event, which takes place during National Bike Month, started at  Research Parkway and Third Street. In it's third year, traffic was closed on Research Parkway and people were able to walk, cycle, skateboard or skate in the street.

There was a bounce castle, hula hoops, bike decorating, face painting, performers and more. Free helmets were given to the children and they were asked to say a pledge to always wear it. We're always happy when Kona Ice is available and Camel City Grill, a local food truck, was in attendance.

Looking down Research Parkway toward Third

Bike Rodeo

As we entered the festival

Face painting by Girls, Inc.    #ROAR

Hula hooping

Sporting the free bag and helmet

Bailey Park in Downtown Winston-Salem

Downtown Winston-Salem has another great place to hang out. Bailey Park, located on Patterson Avenue between Fourth and Fifth Street is located in the Innovation Quarter. We found this park to have soft, luscious green grass in an urban green space oasis. 

Bailey Park is 1.6 acres of publicly available space. There is a large grassy area with fun mural on the wall that acts as the base to the stage and patio area. 

Bailey Park has a covered stage, restroom facilities, and food truck court, in addition to the big grassy area. There are brightly colored tables and chairs in the stage area. A few tables have large umbrellas. There is a comfortable decline on the lawn and the kids rolled down a few times. There is also flat area.

Parking seems easy, with lots of spots directly in front. There is additional street parking and there are parking decks close by. There is a bike rack. 

There is still a lot of renovation taking place around Bailey Park. It is within walking distance of the Arts District with retail and restaurants very close by. The park is 5 minutes from both Business 40 and 52.

This park is great to bring a blanket and a book, a soccer ball or frisbee, or a picnic lunch. This is a wonderful space in our up and coming downtown.

You can view the calendar of events for Bailey Park here.

We love the 525@Vine building (our family just calls it the "at" building.)  Our home is 10 minutes from downtown, and the "at" building is a cool thing to pass as we head home, especially at night.   

 View directly across the street from Bailey Park

There is still lots of renovation taking place, as you can see in the gutted buildings behind the park.

There is a sign stating that this building, located between the two smokestacks, is soon going to house restaurant and retail. 

What's your favorite "new" place in Downtown Winston-Salem.  Please leave a comment!



All photos by Jessica st Lewis. Do not reproduce.

Winston-Salem Fun Fly-In

Fund-raiser/can-raiser for the Maple Springs Food Pantry!  Free food and helicopter tours of Winston-Salem.   Bring a friend.  

Saturday,  May 9.   10am-2pm

The One You’re With

By Carly Pete

In Loving Memory of
MaryLynn Conrad
11/4/55 - 2/16/15

I don’t like too many complications or too much expense when it comes to my hair, so I still choose natural styles.

Recently, I had a conversation with some of you about whether I should let my hair go gray because I was getting tired of coloring it, especially with locs because it damages them. Now, if I could end up with beautiful silver locks like Toni Morrison – that could be worth it – going gray, I mean. But, no, gray hair is just not for me, not yet, as my hair is more like salt and pepper steel wool at this age.

Of course, I colored it. Because I realized the real issue I feel and the one that’s really been on my mind more lately, again, and which ends where all roads must end for us all, is aging.

Since I was six years old, aging and death have played out a beautifully tragic consciousness in my life: The only way I’ve ever learned to cope with death is by turning aging into living, to live ‘til I die, sometimes moment by moment, as gracefully and gratefully as I can – but first, to live, as most things in life are choices, and all choices have risks.

Tammy Hardin (l) with Jessie Mabe
 Go Red Event, Salem College

Friday afternoon February 13, 2015 on the eve of Valentine’s Day, Tammy Hardin, a friend, and not-for-profit management major at Salem College, hosted a Go Red event attended by faculty, staff, and alumnae in Huber Theater of the college’s new student activity center. February is American Heart Month, and Tammy was recently diagnosed with heart disease. My own mother, Abbie Peterson, died from rheumatic heart disease, non-hereditary illness, complicated by diabetes, which I inherited and have managed for the last 14 years.

“Nine out of ten women, that’s 90%, suffer from heart disease or stroke at some point in their lives,” Tammy informed us. “One in three women dies, more than all cancers combined,” she said. “But, the good news is, eighty percent of these deaths are preventable.”

WomenHeart of the Piedmont Triad hosts a monthly support group for women living with heart disease. Meetings are held every second Wednesday at Moses H. Cone Memorial Hospital in Greensboro. Lunch is provided. No registration is required. For more information, please contact womenheart@conehealth.com.

Ladies, you’re the one who is always with you and the one you should always love and take care of first. Please, if you’re 50 or older, get the pneumonia vaccine; I got mine yesterday.

Happy Valentine’s Day. 



Thanks for listening.


Carly Pete

About Carly Pete: Carly, a 2013 graduate of Salem College, earned B.A. degrees in Communication and Creative Writing. She resides in Winston-Salem, where she works as a communication consultant, lyricist and writer.

Hump Day Funk at Ziggy's

By Stephanie Barclay

Ladies and gentlemen, come get your funk on at Hump Day Funk, a weekly Wednesday night affair at Ziggy's Tavern in Winston Salem! Cass Copsey, Ashley Sutton, Scott Lewis, Andrew Lazare, Joshua Shelton and Stephanie Barclay, along with a rotating cast of sit-ins, serve you a musical experience you won't have anywhere else in the Piedmont Triad.  Show starts at  9:30 and it's free to walk in the door. So put on your dancing shoes, bring your friends, and get some funk on!