Smitty's Notes

Greetings, Smittyheads!

It feels like it's been a good long while since the last newsletter went out, and I scratched my head trying to figure out why. Then it hit me: October had five weeks in the month which threw my schedule off a bit. Now we're back into the groove.

Much news to report since we flipped the calendar. There are openings and closings of a few establishments, and some developments from our friends at the Downtown Winston-Salem Partnership. And brace yourselves . . . it's time to start posting your holiday and New Year's Eve events for the December editions.

Now to the business at hand...

Speakeasy Jazz Club has closed.

Speakeasy Jazz Club closed its doors on October 31 st after being open for six years. (See the Winston-Salem Journal article "The Final Note" ). Owners Connie Graham and Heidi Andrew decided to close the club for a number of reasons, mainly the economy. The simple fact is, people are spending less money on dining and entertainment. This trend has started to affect local clubs and restaurants. We have seen a number of restaurants close in the city in the past six months. And from what I'm hearing, many owners of such establishments are teetering and just getting by. I suspect we might hear about others closing after New Year's.

I'd like to thank Connie and Heidi for the effort they put into turning Speakeasy Jazz into the place to be on Fourth Street. They elevated the level of jazz in the community by inviting to the club talented musicians from around the country. Their high standard is much appreciated and will be missed by many. Running a nightclub is difficult and has many challenges. I've always told people the Winston-Salem community is a fickle audience, and that drives club owners crazy.  I can say that Connie and Heidi gave it a good run and everyone should thank them for creating a little urban scene in evolving downtown. It will be missed.  I hope someone steps in to fill the void fairly soon. With closing of Speakeasy Jazz and Ziggy's last year, that only leaves The Garage and The 411. Pickings are starting get slim to hear live music in Winston-Salem.

The Stocked Pot & Co. Cooking School to reopen Wednesday, November 12th

Chef Don McMillian has just announced that he will be reopening his popular The Stocked Pot & Co. Cooking School and retail store located at 381 Jonestown Road next to Bernardin's Fine Dining. Opening day will be Wednesday, November 12 th .

 The Stocked Pot was hugely popular in the 1980's and'90's as the place to learn to cook simple to exotic dishes under the tutelage of Chef Don. The shop was located at Reynolda Village and also had a weekly cooking segment on  WXII Channel 12 noon news broadcast for many years.  Attending the class became known as having the "Chef Don Experience."

The Stocked Pot will continue to have popular demonstration and hands-on cooking classes. Some of the classes offered include baking, grilling, cooking, entertaining and so much more. New features of the school will be wine tasting and wine dinners, with notable winemakers or other knowledgeable wine representatives. Looks like Chef Don has come full circle in offering a new audience the art of cooking a great meal.

For more information http://www.TheStockedPot.com or call 336-499-5844. Classes must be booked online.

Cotton Mill Restaurant at the Brookstown Mill has reopened

The Cotton Mill Restaurant located at the Brookstown Mill has reopened under new management. Steven Butcher, formerly the general manager at the Twin City Chop House, took over the restaurant in late September. The Cotton Mill was previously opened and operated by Stephanie Tyson and Vivian Joyner of Sweet Potatoes in the fall of 2007. They closed the in July 2008.

Butcher has reopened the place with a all new Southern-style cuisine with entrées for lunch running from $7 to $12; dinner entrées between $8 to $32. Lobster and steak dishes will be a staple on the menu. The medium price for dinner entrées will run in the low $20 range. The interior has been redone, and a flat screen television added to the bar.

 Hours: Lunch, Monday-Friday, 11:00 a.m. -2:00 p.m.; Dinner, Monday-Saturday 4:30-10:00 p.m. Closed Sundays. For more information call 725-1112.  

Downtown Developments (Courtesy of the Downtown Winston-Salem Partnership)

The 45th Annual Piedmont Craftsmen's Fair returns to the Benton Convention Center November 15-16, featuring more than 130 fine artisans from across the Southeast.  Tickets can be purchased on-line with the charge being $6 for seniors, $5 for students, and children under 12 free.  This marks the 45 th year that the crafts fair has taken place in Winston-Salem.  Thousands of visitors will take over the Convention Center to see and purchase some of the region's best crafts utilizing many different mediums. 

THE VETERANS DAY PARADE will take place on Saturday, November 8, at 10 a.m.  It will begin on Spring Street and proceed down Fourth to Liberty, will turn right on Liberty Street and end at Second Street.  It will have 51 floats, marching units and bands from 10 high schools.

NEW PLANET YOGA is a new studio that has opened in the recently renovated building that was formerly Rubber Soul at 1150 Burke Street. A full range of classes for all ages and levels are offered six days a week along with a class of Restorative Yoga on the second Sunday of each month.  For complete information and registration, visit their Web site or   e-mail info@newplanetyoga.com

SUNDAY BRUNCH is now being offered at two more downtown restaurants.  WS Prime in the Marriott Hotel will serve a full buffet with carving board, gourmet pasta station and special chef's selections from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.  Sweet Potatoes at 529 North Trade Street will be open for brunch on Sundays from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

A LUNCHTIME BUFFET is now being offered at WS Prime Monday- Friday from 11:30 am - 2:00 pm.  Menus will change weekly but are sure to offer up some delicious options!  The buffet is $9.95 + per person.  Click here to see the menu of the week.

CAPTURE PUBLIC RELATIONS & MARKETING, INC.  was honored by the Winston-Salem Chamber of Commerce with its 2008 Entrepreneurial Success of the Year award.  It was presented at the annual Small Business Awards ceremony.

BUSY AS A BEE CONCIERGE , owned by DWSP member, Minnie Aikens, is available to downtown residents and businesses to meet both personal and business needs.  Busy As A Bee offers personal assistant service along with errand services, waiting services, courier services, mobile Notary and relocation assistance.  There is no minimum time contract required.  For more information, call 377-2411.

Downtown Excellence Awards Nominations Due Soon ! Have you nominated somebody or something yet?  Why not? It's that time again! Nominations are now being accepted for the 2008 Downtown Excellence Awards.  Nominations for the 2008 Awards are due by November 7, 2008 .  Click here for all info!

SAVE THE DATE! Saturday, December 6 , will mark the kickoff of downtown holiday events.  The Jaycees Holiday Parade will begin at 5 p.m. on Fourth Street followed by the City Christmas Tree Lighting Celebration produced by the Downtown Winston-Salem Partnership which begins at 6:30 in Corpening Plaza.  The City is providing a 40-foot-plus LIVE tree which will be lit following a program of singing, dancing, treats for the children and SANTA CLAUS.  It's the best show in town that is FREE for the whole community.

Find out more about Downtown Happenings at http://www.dwsp.org

PAVE RECycles: Bring Us Your Old Bikes! ROUND II

Mark your calendars for the third-annual PAVE ReCycles, a used bicycle collection for Bikes for the World.

A second collection will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, November 8, at the Friendly Center auditorium in Greensboro. Thanks to Friendly Center for its willingness to help sponsor this event.

By adding a second collection, PAVE hopes to bring in even more used bicycles for Bikes for the World, a nonprofit group based in the Washington, D.C. area. Bikes for the World donates used bicycles to overseas charities, who then sell them at cost, often on credit, to low-income people in need of basic transportation to work, school or social services. Bikes for the World has worked with charities in Guatemala, Panama, Ghana, Sri Lanka and other countries.

Only bicycles in good condition can be accepted; those with heavily rusted frames or chains, broken frames or frames without wheels can not be used. In addition, a $10 donation is requested to offset the costs of shipping the bicycles overseas. All donations are tax deductible.

The goal is to help Bikes for the World fill up its truck, and more. Any bicycles donated over the amount it takes to fill the truck will be donated to an area bicycle collective.

Don't have an old bike? Consider sponsoring one with a $10 donation to Bikes for the World!

Bicycles will be collected and compacted at the Friendly Center auditorium on November 8.

For more information about the events, contact PAVE at 721-1021 or by e-mail at kristin@paveways.com . For more information about Bikes for the World, go to www.bikesfortheworld.org.

P.S. PAVE ReCycles is not affiliated with the Recycle bike shop in Greensboro— although we like what they're doing, too.

Looking for volunteer opportunities in the community?

HandsOn NWNC is the new name of the former NonProfit and Volunteer Connections (NPVC) which recently adopted the HandsOn brand, to more closely align with one of its national networks.

For a little background - NonProfit Connections was originally created to help build and strengthen the capacity of nonprofits in the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County area. Its goal was to provide area nonprofits with the tools to fulfill their missions and ultimately enhance the vitality of our community. NonProfit Connections provided information, assessment tools, and referrals on a wide variety of topics related to development, support, and capacity-building for individual nonprofits and the local nonprofit community as a whole.

Volunteer Connections evolved out of the work of the volunteerism committee of the ECHO (Everyone Can Help Out) Council, which was founded by the Winston-Salem Foundation in 2003 to work as a promoter, incubator, facilitator, and advocate for social capital. Volunteer Connections' mission was to serve as a focal point for mobilizing and connecting both new and established volunteers and leaders and for engaging them in activities that strengthen and unite our community. In February 2007, Volunteer Connections launched its web site designed to match volunteers and nonprofits in Forsyth County .

Combining the two organizations created a single entity (NPVC) devoted to building a stronger and more engaged community by improving the effectiveness of nonprofits and connecting volunteers with opportunities for meaningful community service.

So, in August NPVC took the HandsOn NWNC name and has expanded services into other counties to the north and west of Forsyth County. If you are looking to volunteer in the community or try your hand in some form of civic engagement - this is the organization for you. To find out more about HandsNWNC visit here . For discovering the right opportunity for you visit their volunteer matching portal by clicking here.

Holiday and New Year's Eve Event Web Posting

If your organization has a holiday or New Year's event coming up in December, and you want to get the word out, please feel free to post it at http://www.smittysnotes.com under "Add Event" and http://www.eventorama.org Both Web sites feed into each other's event calendars and are linked to other Web sites throughout the Triad. Please share what you have going on with others.