Glaze Forward

Greensboro, North Carolina is one of the great cities of this state. It is the third largest city in the state and as such represents a great deal of the regional culture while remaining full of southern charm. One of the things the state of North Carolina is known for is having some of the friendliest people in the country as its residents and this is certainly an aspect of Greensboro that many of the tourist who visit it notice right off the bat. The city is located in Guilford County in the central region of the state. And in addition to all of the historic buildings and landmarks as well as the great contemporary cultural attractions and entertainment options, many of the people who visit this city are impressed with the amount of distinguished personalities that reside there or were born in Greensboro.

The Greensboro best hotels are excellent places to being your agenda and decide where you would most like to visit. Meanwhile, there is a chance you may run into one of the great writers that currently resides there, such as Michael Parker, Golda Fried or Orson Scott Card, among others. Or, there’s even a chance you could bump into Garry Peterson, drummer for The Guess Who or former NFL player Ricky Proehl.

Michael Parker is an award winning novelist, short story writer and journalist. His writings have appeared in various magazines, journals and quarterlies such as The Georgia Review and the New York Times Magazine . In addition to writing he teaches creative writing at the University of North Carolina Greensboro . Golda Fried also teaches at the university and is a Canadian American writer. In 1998 she had a collection of short stories, Darkness Then a Blown Kiss, published and they were listed by NOW Magazine as one of the ten best books of the year. She too is an award winning writer.

Charm is a kind of ineffable quality that some people have and some simply don’t. It’s not unusual for charm to go unnoticed, because it’s one of those things that busy people let go by the wayside. However, it always catches up, just like the rabbit in Harvey. Now Simon Donovan is no six-foot rabbit, he’s a little taller, and a little more charming than a Puka, which says a lot.

Like a rabbit, his works appear here and there, now and then, and how do you do, because in the realm of public art, he’s earned a rather famous reputation for famousness. His works are found all over Tucson, from waterplay areas for children, doors and shades, and a rattlesnake bridge . In fact, he might be one of the few people in the world who can say that he promised a rose garden, and delivered.

The bridge is certainly the most prominent piece, built in the late 90s over Broadway downtown. It’s almost 300 feet long, and there are a dozen details to notice, so it’s well worth walking into the mouth and making your way through the structure. A daily experience can turn into a kind of mythical transition in a belly of a whale, only here it’s a local creature that births you in the Southwest. The cool part.

And once the snake lets you go, the city is ready to introduce you to its best hotels. Tucson has all the good parts of Phoenix, and all the funky things that can only be found here, thanks to the talents of its very charming inhabitants. It’s still a question, however, of karma. When ancestors leave Ireland where the snakes are driven out, what happens when the next generation brings them back in? There are lovely Pukas everywhere here, and he deserves some of the credit.

At the same time, he also deserves credit not only for his contributions in making the world a more interesting place, but his sense of nuance can come through in visionary ways when the work comes through in his painting and performance art, and the talking therapies that narrate a life unfolding. And if you have the luck and want more charm, ask about the Quarry, a magnificent plan for artists in recovery to take up residencies on the side of a mountain. Inspiration is not fleeting.

In the 16th Century, Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo led the first expedition from Europe to explore the west coast of the United States. Three months after leaving the port of Navidad, Mexico, in June of 1542, he arrived at what he described as a “good enclosed port,” a port that is now known today as San Diego Bay. He anchored his ship, the San Salvador, on Point Loma’s east shore, where today stands the Cabrillo National Monument .

Just 63 years after San Diego was established as a city, the monument was constructed in 1913 to commemorate Cabrillo’s voyage. Visitors will find there a statue of Cabrillo looking out over the bay.

At the Visitor Center, a film (“In Search of Cabrillo”) and an exhibit hall allow people to learn about the explorer’s life and the times in which he lived. On weekends, ranger-led programs about the man are available, too; during the summer months, these same programs are available on weekdays.

Cabrillo was chosen to build and supply the ships that would explore the Pacific because he was a skilled leader and businessman. The man who selected him, the Governor of Guatemala, Pedro de Alvarado, died during an Indian uprising and the governor’s business partner, the Viceroy of New Spain, Antonio de Mendoza, urged Cabrillo to lead one of the two expeditions himself. Cabrillo was searching for seven cities rumored to be incredibly wealthy, known collectively as Cibola.

Point Loma and the Cabrillo National Monument are close to hotel rooms in San Diego and to the city’s many attractions — the San Diego Zoo, Sea World, Coronado Island, and the Gaslamp Quarter — and, if a visitor were to tire of the sea and the sights available from the monument, he or she may discover the city is also close to mountains and Julian, an old gold mining town with a single main street, little shops and friendly people.

While Cabrillo didn’t find the gold he was looking for, travelers taking this day trip from San Diego may visit actual mines and pan for the yellow rock and even take a ride on the Julian Train & Gold Mine Tour .