Some of us here at monkeywhale are feeling downtrodden by smoke lately. We love our friends who smoke, we love live music, we love bars, we love hanging out till the wee hours of the morning, but more and more we find ourselves worn out and disgusted by the smell, headache and general hangover of cigarettes that we didn’t smoke ourselves. Perhaps this is just because some of us are quitters and feel like if we’re going to reek of cigarette smoke, we should have at least had the enjoyment of smoking them. Or we’re just getting old and whiny. Most likely the latter.
With this new intolerance has come the reminder that there are many interesting things going on here in Greensboro on any night of the week that don’t cause you to almost throw up a little when you smell your clothes the next morning. Enter Friday night.
Several months ago we first read about Carolina History and Haunts, Inc (formerly known as Black Cat Tours) who offer a “Nightmares Around Elm Street” tour. After taking part in a very spooky ghost tour in Beaufort in November with Harvey’s family we were all keen to see what Greensboro had to offer in the ghost department. So Friday (the 13th, of course) night we joined a large and lively group who strolled around downtown, dodging traffic and local watering hole patrons to hear some very interesting stories about downtown haunts. (Pun intended). Lots o’ history and a chance to admire old architecture while not driving by it in your car.
After the tour we headed over to the Green Bean (our favorite non-smoky place for all things fun) to catch the second set of Bart Trotman’s (of Invisible fame) new project Workday/Schoolnight. I wouldn’t begin to attempt to describe Bart’s performance except to say it’s cool, it’s rockin’, it’s funny and Bart will be making an appearance here in the Kitchen at the end of the month. We are excited.
There you have it. Fun times, interesting people and no laundry necessary. Full on challenge to any of you still yawning about “Greensboring”.
February 16, 2009 at 6:01 pm
oh the shame i feel.
seriously.
i’m sorry.
February 16, 2009 at 6:30 pm
Oh god no! This was not intended to cause shame, guilt etc. Just pointing out some options. No “sorry”s allowed.
February 16, 2009 at 8:15 pm
Oh, Flying Anvil, harbor of smoke-free music and festivity – why hast thou forsaken us?
February 17, 2009 at 4:56 am
i would love to hear of other no smoke events ahead of time..
totally can not deal with the all day cough after a night on the town
not to mention having to leave my clothes out on the porch
in 20 degrees
and washing my hair at 2 am.
the heart attack rate dropped 47% in nyc when smoking was banned in bars..
hummmmmmmmmmm
lets all go out & kill ourselves in gso..
whiny old person
February 17, 2009 at 10:07 am
i try to be a concious smoker, if that’s possible. not in my house, not around kids, not near entrances/exits to non-smoking facilities….
and i will agree that there truly exists a hangover from cigarette smoke.
so…after all this talk about smoking….i’m going outside to have one with my tea. but i haven’t had a single one since sunday…so there.
save the monkeywhale!
February 17, 2009 at 2:48 pm
I just responded to an email from a friend about this very subject! I consider myself a conscientious ex-smoker (quit in 1992), and there are times when I leave an establishment and my chest hurts. Being a musician, I realize it’s part of the game, but I would bring a fan from home if it would help w/circulation of air! And I feel the former on Carolyn’s comment: I would LOVE to be the smoker….I still crave it!