Amelie's French Bakery

I'm not sure that this fits with the "be a good Do-Bee" posts I try to have here, so just in case, I'm hanging this on the "shop local" peg.

If you haven't been down North Davidson to try Amelie's French Bakery yet, I encourage you to get there ASAP. I knew I was in the right place when two men in Johnson & Wales outfits came in and ordered salted caramel brownies (which of course I ordered right after them--fabulous!). Divine lunches, lots of breakfast pastries (croissants, sticky buns, apple turnovers) and an endless supply of those cute little French pastries (tarts, cakes, chocolates, pretty French macaroons) at fairly reasonable prices. If you have to bring a dessert to a gathering or want to cheer a friend up, this is the place to go.

At a weekday lunchtime, there were lots of people chatting and having tartines and homemade soups. On a Saturday evening at 9:30, the place was filled with folks, most of them on their laptops (we felt a little out of it because we were actually there to TALK!).

Amelie's is open 24 hours a day and has several rooms in which to spread out at tables or on couches, all whimsically decorated in a kind of flea-market-French style. It would be the perfect place to host a bridal shower or tea party.

Amelie's is located at 2424 North Davidson Street--headed from downtown it will be on your right in a factory/mall space at 28th Street before you get to NoDa proper. Once you have passed Celebration Station on your left, keep an eye out for the big 2424 North Davidson Street sign on your right.

To do: Bon appetit! Head to Amelie's French Bakery aujourd'hui!

Garden Study

Wing Haven, located in Myers Park, was begun as a private garden by a young bride, Elizabeth Barnhill, in 1927. Today it is run by a private foundation in Myers Park, with beautiful plants and trees, an abundance of birds and wildlife, and many programs for people of all ages. You may know it for the very popular plant sales every spring and fall (October 7-10 this year). The gardens are open on a very particular schedule, so check the web site before you go.

The annual Wing Haven symposium this year is called "Beauty and Bounty in the Garden" and will be held on Thursday, October 22, and Friday, October 23. I think that this program will really appeal to you CSA members, Earth Fare shoppers, and new backyard gardeners.

The program begins with two talks on Thursday morning. Barbara Damrosch, weekly columnist in The Washington Post (The Cook's Garden), author (The Garden Primer), and host on HGTV and The Learning Channel, will offer advice, tips and wisdom for happier, more successful gardening.

Eliot Coleman will speak on "Secrets of a Long Time Organic Gardener." He is the author of many, many books, including his latest, The Winter Harvest Handbook: Year-Round Vegetable Production Using Deep-Organic Techniques and Unheated Greenhouses. He was a co-host of "Gardening Naturally" on The Learning Channel with Barbara.

On Thursday afternoon, symposium attendees will take a field trip to Eastover to study three private gardens designed by Burch Mixon, Eric Ritchie and Myron Greer. The designers will speak about the design, form and structure of their respective creations.

On Friday, Barbara Damrosch and Eliot Coleman will lead an outing to New Town Farms, one of Charlotte's first organic farms. This event includes transportation, a walking tour led by Sammy Koenigsberg (one of New Town Farms' owners), and a gourmet picnic prepared by Chef Joe Bonaparte.

To Do: Visit www.winghavengardens.com to learn more about Wing Haven. Call 704-331-0664 to request a brochure on the symposium. Visit the Wing Haven gardens and enjoy early fall beauty.

Just a Quickie

This blog entry about microfinance from Rob Radtke, President of Episcopal Relief and Development, popped up on my Facebook home page this evening (Rob and I attended the same church in NYC for several years). I thought it was worth passing along. Don't miss the link to his earlier entry about child sponsorships. I am not advocating a particular point of view, but I think that thoughtful philanthropists should ponder his questions and comments.

To Do: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Matthew 6:21

Girls Day Out

The US National Whitewater Center is sponsoring its second "Girls Day Out" on Saturday, September 26. Admission is $40/person (parking is $5/car). In the morning, you choose two activities from a list including yoga, zumba, whitewater kayaking, climbing clinics, and flatwater kayaking. In the afternoon there is a food & wine tasting along with a cooking demo, beer samples, and "healthy living booths."

Sign up by September 21 (apparently this filled up quickly last time, so don't delay!) and bring a friend! Register by clicking on this page and clicking on the "Girls Day Out" icon.

Click here for other events at the USNWC.

To Do: Enjoy the fine fall weather by getting some girlfriends together and enjoying the US National Whitewater Center.

Don't just sit there

A long and arduous court process seems to be a chronic problem here in Mecklenburg County. In an article in the Fall 2009 issue of the Myers Park Homeowners Association newsletter, a writer (unidentified) says that "the same 400 repeat offenders commit 80% of the crimes in Charlotte-Mecklenburg."

A recent article in the Charlotte Observer cites Mayor Pat McCrory as saying that the trial process takes so long that inmates out on bond are often rearrested on new charges. Click here to read that article. Last week, 200 inmates were sleeping on the floor of the Mecklenburg County jail due to overcrowding. Something does need to change.

Charmeck Court Watch works with the police community liaison officer to "track the worst of the repeat offenders in our police division. " Members go to court as a group, write community impact letters to the Judges and District Attorneys, and follow and report arrest reports on its web site. On the web site, you can also read reports on the trial proceedings attended by the group. I have to confess to not knowing enough to understand some of the reporting (is it good or bad if a judge enters 20 minutes after a court room opens?), but I am glad that someone is doing more than just complaining.

To Do: "You must be the change you wish to see in the world." Mahatma Gandhi

The Nonprofit Starvation Cycle

As we head into philanthropy season (United Way campaigns, etc.), I wanted to give you a little food for thought. A friend forwarded this article to me from the Stanford Social Innovation Review. I think it is helpful information to keep in mind when making a donation to an organization. It is easy to have the heartstrings tugged by the shoestring budget organization and be turned off by the more corporate-looking one. You owe it to your pocketbook to go beyond the looks and find out the strengths and weaknesses of the organization. This article suggests that nonprofits often have a poor infrastructure that makes sustainability difficult; "funders unrealistic expectations about how much it costs to run a nonprofit" is one key problem.

To Do: Read "The Nonprofit Starvation Cycle" and be an informed donor.