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We love the Piedmont Triad!

Sealy/FOX8 Holiday Concert: All-Time Record Set for Cans Collected, Benefiting Salvation Army

Saturday, December 15, 2012 marked the 

23rd Annual Sealy/FOX8 Holiday Concert 

at the Lawrence Joel Coliseum in Winston-Salem, NC.

Bass Players from the Winston-Salem Symphony Youth Philharmonic are in the Christmas Spirit

Parking and admission were free with the donation of canned foods for the Salvation Army.  

This year, an all-time record was set for cans collected!  

806,111 cans were collected between the Greensboro concert (on Friday) and Winston-Salem's concert on Saturday.  

With those donations, the Salvation Armies of the Triad will be able to help thousands of our neighbors in need.

Pre-Concert music was provided by the 

Winston-Salem Symphony Youth Philharmonic.  

Conducted by Margaret Rehder, the group performed many Christmas classics.  

Matthew Troy, Associate Conductor for the Winston-Salem Symphony and Music Director of the Youth Symphony, conducted the evening's Holiday Concert. 

The program was hosted by Neill McNeill and Cindy Farmer of WGHP/FOX8.  Both are well-known news anchors for the Triad.

The evening's Christmas selections included Christmas Festival Overture, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, Christmas at the Movies, and Mother Ginger from the Nutcracker.  

Girls from Salem Gymnastics flew through the air to Mother Ginger, making the performance quite memorable.

Carol of the Bells, Excerpts from the Nutcracker Suite and Waltz of the Flowers followed.  

Waltz of the Flowers featured the Winston-Salem Festival Ballet.

Tenor Glenn Seibert accompanied the Symphony for O, Holy Night, and then the entire coliseum audience participated in a Christmas Sing-A-Long.  Next came the fun Caribbean Sleigh Ride, and Bugler's Holiday.  What Holiday Concert would be complete without Sleigh Ride?  That was performed next, then The Grinch Who Store Christmas Medley, The Christmas Song and Little Bolero Boy. 

If you live in the Piedmont Triad, this yearly Holiday Concert should be on your list of family traditions.  People travelled from as far as Virginia, and many counties were represented in last nights audience.  There are performances in Winston-Salem, Greensboro, and Elon, and each one is different.  The Sealy/FOX8 Holiday Concert is a great way to help the Salvation Army, and is sure to make the season brighter.

Winston-Salem Symphony: Handel's Messiah and Flash Mob

The Winston-Salem Symphony flash-mobbed the Belk department store in December 2011 at Hanes Mall as a promotion for their upcoming performances of Handel's Messiah.

 This is so wonderful that we're happy to share it again this year!

 

 

(If the video of the flash mob is not properly loading for you, click "Playlist" and then the fourth thumbnail, labeled Winston-Salem Symphony's Handel Flash Mob!)

This year's performances are 

Tuesday and Wednesday, December 18 and 19.  

For ticket information, go here.

FREE Tai Chi Class at Golden Flower in Winston-Salem -- Every Saturday

Photo by Golden Flower Tai Chi Center

Who: GOLDEN FLOWER TAI CHI SCHOOL
What: GOLDEN FLOWER TAI CHI CLASS
When: Saturdays from 1-2pm
Where: 612 TRADE STREET , WINSTON-SALEM NC 27101
Why: Explore the possibilities of improving your health and well-being. Come to a free tai chi class at the Golden Flower Tai Chi Center, 612 Trade Street, Winston-Salem. The class meets every Saturday from 1 to 2 pm. Tai chi is presented in ways that are meaningful,and easily experience by almost everyone. There is no time like the present to take the first step towards a happier and more fulfilling life.  

If you decide to participate, you will be most comfortable wearing loose fitting clothing and flat or low-heeled shoes. There is a rest room available for changing from your street clothes into your practice clothes.

If you would like to make a donation for the class, it is suggested that you bring a can of food which will be contributed to the local Food Bank. Cash is also gratefully accepted. 

Finding the Right Babysitter for Your Family

It's time to find a sitter!  You need to find one that meets your needs, your budget, and your family's personality.

What are your needs?  Do you need an afternoon sitter, to care for the children when they've gotten out of school until you're off of work?  A high school student may be the best option for your family.  Do you need a more experienced sitter?  Someone that can help your children with their homework?  Perhaps a college student will work best with your family.  Do you want a sitter that will act as a mother (or grandmother) figure for your children?  A older, mature sitter can fill that need.

Once you've determined the the type of sitter your looking for, how do you find her (or him)?  You can get referrals from family, friends, or neighbors.  You can talk to your child's school to see if they can recommend a sitter, or you can check with your local American Red Cross to see if they have a list of graduates from their Babysitter's Training classes. You can also find local sitters through care.com, which gives families everywhere solutions to their care needs.

You've found a sitter.  Now what?  Schedule an interview to determine if they will be a good fit with your family.  Ask basic questions, such as name, age, phone number, address, and citizen status.  What is their availability and what are their rates?  Use this tool to determine the average rate in your area.

Find babysitters in your area

Ask some conversational questions to determine their experience with children.  What age ranges do they have experience with, and are they most comfortable with?  What activities do they like to do with the children?  Do they enjoy short outings, such as going to the park?  How do they comfort and discipline?  Go here for a complete list of things you should ask a potential babysitter before deciding to hire them to watch your children.

You've found a great fit, and you've hired a sitter that you're comfortable with.  Be sure to continually evaluate this relationship, because your family's needs may change as your child grows older.  Communicate with your sitter and be sure that you're both on the same page.  Continued evaluation and open communication will benefit everyone.  

Piedmont Triad Living is an affilitate with care.com

Made in NC: Johnston County Hams, Inc.

Over the last 60 years, Johnston County Hams has grown from a local favorite to being known throughout the world as the best ham money can buy. 

"Johnston County Country Hams have a unique, lightly smoked aroma and mellow, lightly salted taste unlike anything else and are a true gourmet delicacy. Our unique flavor is a result of our curing process that is based on the techniques used by America's early colonists. These techniques involved "salting" the hams and then letting the hams "cure" naturally though seasonal changes in temperature that occurred through the Winter, Spring and Summer, rendering the hams perfectly "cured" for the finest flavor and quality. 

We at Johnston County Hams stay true to these Colonial techniques. Using today's technology that allows careful control of temperature and humidity we simulate the necessary seasons, speeding up the process a bit only because ideal atmospheric conditions remain constant. Each country ham is first hand rubbed with the “cure”, a blend of primarily salt and sugar. Winter days at just above freezing are necessary to allow salt to penetrate the meat as it draws out moisture. The rising temperature and lowering humidity of spring allow the salt to equalize throughout the meat and the bone. Finally warm summer days allow the ham to age and mellow to its rich characteristic aroma and flavor."

   

In addition to their famous country ham, Johnston County Hams also offers prosciutto, honey cured hams, and smokehouse meats (turkey, bacon and country sausage).

Piedmont Triad Living is an affiliate with Johnston County Hams, Inc.

What's in season in North Carolina and Where You Can Find It

What's in season in North Carolina?  

Apples, Cabbage, Chestnuts, Collards, 

Leafy Greens, Peanuts, Pecans, Sweet 

Potatoes, Swiss Chard, Winter Squash

Find out the best local places to buy them locally here!

Check the full year of availability for fruits and veggies in NC here.