Author: LB

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Miscellany

August Mill

August is a month of contradiction. Summer is at its lazy, catfish-jumping peak, and by the beginning of the month we all have the hot-weather slows, as our bodies have learned again that the only way to stay cool is to move as little as possible. Then, somewhere around mid-month, that all comes to an abrupt end. The town fills back up, as families return from vacations and Carolina students start pouring back in. You can hear the roar of civilization build as the university gears back up (residence halls open on Aug. 22) and the local schools do likewise (first day of school is Aug. 25.) Old Sol doesn’t know that though, and as we get more crowded and congested he continues to beat down as hard as when we were all in mosey mode.

We invite you to not get too caught up in all the noise and haste of getting ready for the school year. As this issue of MILL indicates, there’s still plenty to do other than scurrying around with the rest of the herd.

This issue also offers a kind of meditation on Carrboro, this paper’s beloved hometown and a place that can sometimes be as confusing for longtime residents as it is for newcomers. We’ve included a few tips for getting around and making the most of life here that we hope will benefit both groups, as well those venturing into town for a visit. And there’s a tough little quiz with tidbits of town history woven through it. Pass it and you’re eligible to win a Carrboro Citizen coffee mug and T-shirt (details on page 5). Good luck and stay cool.

— Kirk Ross

Categories
Miscellany

Best Bets

White Cross Tractor Pull

More than many places on the edge of the Carrboro-Chapel Hill metroplex, the folks at White Cross have managed to hang on to some of their rural heritage. Anchoring this each year is the August tractor pull, where even mothers and daughters join in the competition. Watching the heats is always fun, but so is just wandering and taking in the various vintage and souped-up farm gear. Homemade desserts and snacks round out the affair.

The White Cross Tractor Pull is Aug. 14 at 7 p.m. and Aug. 15 at 6 p.m.

Paperhand Puppets

For several years running, one of the highlights of the summer has been the invasion of the puppets at Forest Theater. Now in its 10th year, Paperhand Puppet Intervention presents The Living Sea of Memory, to remember and reclaim all of its puppet glory past.
This summer’s performances will be held every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from Aug. 7 to Sept. 6 at 7 p.m. with a different pre-show each night at 6:30 p.m. $10 for adults, $7 for kids 3-12 and free for kids under 2.

To get you in the mood for the puppets, there’s a documentary by Pittsboro-based filmmaker Mark Barroso on the puppet makers and what inspires their work. A Puppet Intervention is being shown on July 31 at the Carrboro Century Center at 7:30 and 9:30 p.m.

Categories
Community

A few key things to know about Carrboro

How to get around

Carrboro is a small town; walking and biking are really the best way to travel. But in lieu of those options, please note:

• The buses are fare free. You can check out schedules and times at ci.chapel-hill.nc.us/index.aspx?page=1176 or check on the system in real time at nextbus.com/predictor/simpleRouteSelector.shtml?a=chapel-hill. The F Bus runs the main route between Carrboro and Chapel Hill. Beware the 9-minute hold at McDougle School from 9 a.m. on. If you live anywhere near Hillsborough and Lorraine, pick it up as it heads east on Hillsborough from that intersection, and save yourself a few minutes.

• The official town traffic jams are located each morning and afternoon Monday through Friday from 7:42 to 8:09 a.m. and 4:31 to 5:27 p.m. or thereabouts on Main and Greensboro streets;

• The left-hand turn is not your friend. Trying to make one from Greensboro to head west on Weaver Street is the worst, as the traffic coming at you has a longer green light;

• You must yield to pedestrians in crosswalks, even if you are on the phone, in a hurry or pretending you don’t see them;

• There are more than a dozen private and public parking lots neatly tucked away in the downtown area. There’s an extensive parking report with lots of maps on the town documents page at townofcarrboro.com/docs.htm;

• If you are towed: The town recently passed an ordinance that says you can’t be charged more than $100 if you’ve been towed away and $50 if you’re on the hook, but still on the property. If you get charged more than that, challenge it.

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Categories
Arts & Music Community

August Shows & Happenings

7/31-8/1

Femme Fest ‘09
The Cave + Mansion 462
Two days showcasing women in music. A donation will go to the Girls Rock Camp of NC and the Rape Crisis center of Chapel Hill.

7/31

A Puppet Intervention
Century Center
Filmmaker Mark Barroso’s documentary on Paperhand Puppet Intervention focuses on the group’s art and politics. Shows are at 7:30 and 9:30pm. The movie might be about puppets, but note that it includes strong language, in case you’re thinking about taking the little ones.

8/02

The Cosmopolitans
Cat’s Cradle
Flashback to the heydays of The Cosmopolitans, of Wild Moose Party fame. They’re joined by Mitch Easter and Don Dixon. 8pm, $15

8/02

First Sunday
Pittsboro
Music, art and more in downtown Pittsboro.

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Categories
Community

Tales of the town

Photo by Ava Barlow. By Vicky Dickson

Ever since her days as a flight attendant with American Airlines, Valarie Schwartz has known that people like to share their life stories with her. Back when attendants actually had time to chat with passengers, she was the one most likely to walk the aisle after meal service, hearing passengers’ excitement about what awaited them when they landed. Or, sometimes, their dread of what lay ahead.

She’s also known since she was 27 that she wanted to be a published writer. Her first attempt at a novel ended after six chapters, and she subsequently tried her hand at both screenplays and short stories. But it wasn’t until Schwartz answered an ad for a feature writer in the Chapel Hill News that her talent for listening came together with her love of writing. The first feature she wrote, about a Chapel Hill High School production of Oklahoma, appeared on that paper’s front page in 1996. Shortly thereafter, she took over the Neighbors column, which she wrote for 11 years before joining The Carrboro Citizen as a columnist.

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Arts & Music

Lit Notes

In upcoming weeks, there’ll be numerous opportunities to hear Carrboro’s own Erica Eisdorfer read from her debut novel, The Wet Nurse’s Tale. She’s making appearances at Durham’s Regulator Bookshop on Aug. 6 at 7 p.m., at Raleigh’s Quail Ridge Books on Aug. 26 at 7:30 p.m. and McIntyre’s Fine Books in Fearrington Village on Aug. 29 at 11 a.m. Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love, loved Erica’s book. Come see why!

In September, look for another of Carrboro’s resident writers, Clay Carmichael, at the children’s area of the N.C. Literary Festival. With appearances by Goosebumps author R.L. Stine, Brian Pinkney, Judy Schachner, Hillsborough’s John Claude Bemis and many other noted authors and illustrators, the children’s area is destined to be a real hit with our young readers. And young sports fans will be delighted to learn that players from the NBA, WNBA, Carolina Hurricanes, Carolina RailHawks and Durham Bulls will also read stories, give autographs and share team giveaways at the festival, which runs Sept. 10-13 at UNC.

Categories
Arts & Music

Art Notes

Art listings have moved

Galleries and artists please note that we have moved our art listings to next Thursday’s regular issue of The Carrboro Citizen. If you would like your show or opening listed, please email your information to calendar@carrborocitizen.com by noon Monday, Aug. 3.

PlayMakers awarded NEA grant

PlayMakers Repertory Company has been awarded a national arts grant for its upcoming production of The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby.

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Categories
Arts & Music Community

Mill Calendar

Literary

Carrboro Branch Library
Ongoing Events — Storytime, Saturdays at 10:30am; Toddler Time, Thursdays, 4pm; Entertainment Adventures with family fun programs featuring dancing, song, animals, and sometimes magic, third Sunday of every month at 3pm.

Chapel Hill Public Library
Ongoing Events — Story Time, for ages 3-6; Junior Book Club, for readers grades 1-3; Time for Toddlers, for stories, songs and activities; Baby Time, for children between 6 and 18 months; Teen Book Club, for teens in grades 6 and up. Dates and times vary.

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Categories
Arts & Music

Music Calendar

Ackland Art museum
Jazztones (8/16)

The ArtsCenter
Beausolell (8/8) Dar Williams (8/15) Bowerbirds (8/22) 300 East Main Summer Concert Series (8/27)

Blue Bayou Club
Jacob Johnson Band (7/30) Rootzie, Gray Bird (7/31) Blues World Order (8/1) The Little Wing Band (8/5) Jaafar (8/6) The BackBeat (8/7) Ape Foot Groove, Fat Bastard Blues Band (8/8) Half Baked Bean (8/13) Martha Bassett Band (8/14)

Cat’s Cradle
The Cosmopolitans, Mitch Easter, Don Dixon (8/1) The Octopus Project, Gray Young (8/5) Cosmic Charlie (8/7) De La Soul, Rapper Big Pooh (8/8) Akron/Family, Wooden Wand, Mount Moriah (8/12) Kasey Chambers and Shane Nicholson, Kim Taylor (8/13) dub Addis, Mickey Mills and Steel, Give Thanks Band (8/14) Amy Ray, Bellafea, Humble Tripe (8/15) White Rabbits, The Fiery Furnaces (8/17) Five Times August (8/20) Goathouse Cat Refuge Benefit with Tres Chicas, Luego, Gambling The Muse (8/21) Augustana (8/22) Weiss Family, Damien Jurado, Psalters (8/26)

Caffe Driade
Not Dead Yet (8/1) Greg Koons (8/5) TJ Kong (8/7) Southern Routes (8/12) Jimmy Robinson (8/14) John Dyer (8/15) Travel By Trains (8/19) Megan Jean (8/21) Chrys Mathews (8/22) Drowning Lovers (8/29)

The Cave
Mark Cool and The Fold Stars, Radar’s Clown of Sedation (7/30) Ashley Chambliss, Taz Halloween, Scarlet Virginia (7/31) Ashley Atkins Band, The Hwy54Band, Rebekah Pulley (8/1) White Cascade, The Astromoners (8/2) Battle not With Monsters, Analog Daze (8/5) The Mumbles, Doc Aquatic (8/6) Robobilly (8/7) Happenstanza, Killer Filler, The Breaks (8/8) NoStar (8/9) The Corduroy Road, Thee Fine Lines (8/10) 100 Yorktown (8/11) Greenland is Melting, Oh! Geography, Billy Wallace, Robobilly (8/12) The Barefoot Movement, Keep Off The Grass (8/13) Adam Sullivan, Simeon (8/14) The Adrian Outfit (8/15)

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Categories
Miscellany

Winter’s coming on

We sounded the alarm in last month’s MILL that due to the continued trajectory of Earth, we would soon be entering the season of summer. If the warmer weather and the sudden drop in morning traffic hasn’t convinced you of that, then perhaps this weekend the scent from several thousand grills firing up at once followed by the boom and pop of fireworks will drill it home.

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Categories
Community

Best Bets

ADF
The American Dance Festival continues in July with major performances by some of the world’s premier ensembles, including Pilobolus (July 9-11), Doug Elkins and Friends (July 13-15), Paul Taylor Dance Company (July 16-18) and the Mark Morris Dance Group (July 23-25). You can check out all of the performers and the extensive schedule of special performances at americandancefestival.org

Mergeboro
July 22-26
We delve into the details of Merge Records’ 20th anniversary celebration in the following pages. The four nights of action at Cat’s Cradle have been sold out since pretty much the day they were announced, but here’s a reminder that there are still tickets available for the big Memorial Hall show on Sunday, July 26, with She and Him, Wye Oak and American Music Club.

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