Wohoo! Apple Store to open in Greensboro!

Greensboro, NC Apple Store nearing completion

Let me say it again, Wohoo!

The long-awaited Greensboro Apple Store located at The Shops at Friendly Center is now underway.  No longer will us Mac lovers have to make the pilgrimage to Charlotte or Raleigh to bask in the glory! (I just made the trip last week with my 3 oldest kids to learn tips and trick for creating iMovies from the guys at Raleigh’s Crabtree Valley Mall Apple Store.One of my favorite blogs, TUAW.com (The Unofficial Apple Weblog) broke the story earlier today and had this to say, “[Greensboro's] AppleStore had a midsummer target to open, which seems optimistic bordering on impossible at this point.” It would appear that, “the delay in construction may have been the result of a proximity dispute; Apple is a bit picky about which stores can cohabit with the glass wonderlands, and now that the neighborhood is up to snuff the project is underway,” according to a commenter on the photographer’s blog.

See what’s new in Winston Salem baseball

The future home of Winston-Salem’s “minor league baseball team” has started to take shape. A few weeks ago crews started erecting the grandstand and concessions structure.

To check on the baseball stadium progress visit the TruLook Stadium Cam located at the site. And here’s a tip: You can move the cam left or right and also zoom in to any part of the site. All you have to do is create a square with your mouse cursor and BOOM! You are there. To view the Baseball Cam – Click Here.

To find out more about the new stadium and reserving your seat for the First Pitch in the Spring of 2009 visit http://www.baseballdowntown.com.

Just Announced! the Best of Winston Salem

Smittys Notes Best of Winston Salem

Just announced are the 2008 Smitty’s Notes Best of Winston-Salem awards, the best of what readers of Smitty’s Notes like and appreciate about Winston-Salem.

While many of these winners may seem like no-brainers, a few of them are new on the scene (or maybe I just need to get out more). There are also a few categories missing (IMHO). Like “Best Doughnuts” or “Best Lunch Bargain” or “Best Kids Dining” or “Best Greasy Spoon.” Then again, maybe it’s just me. What do you think?

Gas Prices May Encourage More Walking

If you’re moving into a new neighborhood the ability to walk to destinations might be a determining factor when deciding where to live. Especially when you take into consideration the cost just to drive to the grocery store and back. A new Web site promises to help you figure out how walkable your neighborhood really is by rating how far you have to go on foot to do your errands and have a good time.

The Web site, Walk Score, sizes up the stores, restaurants, schools, parks and other destinations within walking distance of a given property and uses that information to calculate a walkability score between zero and 100.

Walk Score looks at the distance to walkable locations near an address, calculates a score for each location, and combines all of the scores into a single measurement. Walkscore creator, Matt Lerner said research shows that the average person is willing to walk less than a quarter mile to destinations they visit frequently, such as a grocery store.


The left column shows the closest location in each category, but is expandable to show all locations within walking distance. You can compare Walk Scores between neighborhoods to help determine an optimal place to live for your exercise needs.

As you can see above, the 810 W Fourth St condos in downtown Winston-Salem have a Walk Score of 77. But what does that mean? The web site provides this guide to help you interpret the numbers:

90 – 100: Walkers’ Paradise. Most errands can be accomplished on foot and many people get by without owning a car.
70 – 90: Very Walkable. It’s possible to get by without owning a car.
50 – 70: Some Walkable Locations. Some stores and amenities are within walking distance, but many everyday trips still require a bike, public transportation, or car.
25 – 50: Not Walkable. Only a few destinations are within easy walking range. For most errands, driving or public transportation is a must.
0 – 25: Driving Only. Virtually no neighborhood destinations within walking range. You can walk from your house to your car!

Eye Candy for House Hunters

Perhaps, in an effort to help make real estate search FUN, Trulia.com has alunched a new utility called Snapshot, powered by Microsoft Virtual Earth, that overlays housing data atop an interactive map that is nothing short of a visual treat.

The visual interface offers an alternative view of the homes currently listed for sale on trulia.com and allows users to customize the selected properties based on a price range or whether the listing is stale or fresh.

Users can search for any city in the USA & either click around the map, scroll the slider or just hit the big “play” button & sit back & just watch. Users can also click on a series of tabs to view “Most Expensive,” “Least Expensive,” “Newest” and “Oldest” properties. Scrolling the pointer over a property image displays the home’s address in large type and the amount of time that has passed since the property was listed.

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