First Friday Jazz tonight, 7pm-10pm at The Kila Company, Main Street in Wendell

Unwind from your work week and start your weekend right with a little First Friday Jazz. Come out to The Kila Company tonight and soak up the musical talents of Kirby Hamilton. Hit your taste buds with a little food from Wildtree Natural Herbs and Spices. This event is free and open to the public and starts at 7pm. Come on out to 25 N Main and enjoy a local First Friday hotspot.

Gary and I will be there with camera in tow to see what we can catch for the Weekend Show… and let me just reiterate that the musical guest is Kirby Hamilton minus the vocal inabilities of yours truly. [As sure as I sing with a microphone in hand, Gary will be sure to clip it into the next Weekend Show.]

Treat yourself to the Ritches of fitness… Ritch’s Personal Training in Wendell

Hopefully, you’ve noticed the nice, big window signage in the building located on the corner of Main and Fourth streets in downtown Wendell. It is kind of hard to miss, and as an artist, I personally think that’s a good thing [the sign is quite tasteful in an art deco kind of way]. That building was vacant far too long… and now the muscle-man adorning that nice big sign welcomes you to Ritch’s Personal Training. Josh and Courtney Ritch have moved in and are ready to help you meet your personal fitness goals. Gary and I spent some time with Josh and Courtney in their new digs late last month, and we talked about the new business. [You can catch an interview with the Ritches in the latest episode of the Wendell Weekend Show.] It’s no secret that Wendell is a pretty active community as far as physical fitness. Folks are always out walking, running or playing ball. Wendell Parks and Recreation has expanded program opportunities to include more group fitness opportunities like Zumba, Total Body Fitness and Boot Camp, and by the show of participation, people want those kinds of opportunities. Ritch’s Personal Training is definitely improving our local access. Ritch’s offers specialized and group fitness opportunities right here in downtown Wendell. At Ritch’s you can take advantage of personal training sessions, tumbling and flexibility training, and group fitness classes… and there are no enrollment or monthly fees. Group fitness classes include Rotation Training, Body Burn, Cardio Blast, and Zumba. And here’s a bit of great news… each class is only $5! Two things I must mention… Ritch’s is a training facility, which means you will not find rows of weight machines and cardio equipment but instead will find medicine balls, slam balls, stability balls, barbells, dumbbells, kettle bells, resistance bands, and trained professionals who can show you how to use them correctly and effectively. And, I have to mention the comfy and cush 2-inch foam floor which will definitely have your joints thanking you after that workout.

Ritch’s Personal Training has a pretty sweet web site. It is very in-depth and descriptive when it comes to services and pricing. It also includes a complete and easy to follow schedule for classes and personal training availability. Find out what you’ll find at Ritch’s, when you’ll find it, and what you need to do to prepare for your class or training session including forms you need to complete and bring with you. Find out everything you need to know from the comfort of your own home and your own computer at www.ritchspt.com. Prefer to operate old-school?… you can simply call (919) 607-4059 or email ritchspt@gmail.com.

Weekend Show Special Feature on EWTV-22: Wendell Cooking with Jazz Cook-off

Did you miss the first ever Wendell Cooking with Jazz Cook-off event in downtown Wendell? Catch everything you missed in a special episode of the Wendell Weekend Show. Coverage from Wendell’s first-ever Cooking with Jazz Cook-off event is now playing on EWTV-22. You can view the special segment in its entirety on EWTV-22 every Friday at 2:30pm and 8:00pm. EWTV-22 is channel 22 for TWC customers and channel 99 for AT&T U-Verse customers. The segment is also available online at www.ewtv.org. You can find the special episode under Special Events.

Camp Choices starts today.

Camp Choices, a week-long summer experience put together by the Wendell Police Department through an ABC grant, kicks off today in the Wendell Park. The camp focuses on teaching kids the importance of making good choices. Classroom instruction and group activities/sports are intertwined on a daily basis, and from feedback last year and turnout this year, the kids really love the whole experience.

Gary and I will be out to grab some of the excitement for the Weekend Show at some point during the week.

New Episode of the Wendell Weekend Show now showing on EWTV-22

A new episode of the Wendell Weekend Show is now available on EWTV-22 and online at ww.ewtv.org. This latest episode is full of fun stuff from Zumba to a Saturday at the Wendell Farmers’ Market to a Concert in the Park. We grabbed a quick interview with Maria, a very energetic and fit Zumba instructor. We also checked in with Rhonda Falk, Joanna and Haley, and Brenda Johnson at the Farmers’ Market. There’s a clip from the Mark Roberts & the Occasionals concert, and we take a look at the art and talents of local artist Carolyn Varcoe.

The Wendell Weekend Show is available on channel 22 for TWC customers and channel 99 for U-Verse customers. The show airs at 9:30am, 9:30pm and 1:30am. You can view it online at www.ewtv.org any time you like and as many times as you can stand it!

Note: Zumba is being held every Thursday until August 25 in the Wendell Community Center. Each class cost $5, and all ages are welcome. Don’t be shy guys! The Wendell Farmers’ Market takes place every Saturday from 9am until 1pm at the corner of Cypress and Third streets. The market is open through early October.

Tookie’s Grill gets some spotlight from the News and Observer

Last week, there was a little write-up in the News & Observer about Tookie’s Grill. If you haven’t been to Tookie’s yet, what are you waiting for? Tookie’s Grill is located inside the Exxon on Wendell Blvd. at Hanor Lane. Since it opened, Lee and I have been a few times for breakfast and lunch. Of course the biscuits are made from scratch; the chicken salad is the best; and my new favorite thing on the menu is the homemade banana pudding. If you haven’t tried Tookie’s Grill in Wendell, stop by and see them. I hope to get them on the Weekend Show real soon.

Here’s a link to the article from the News & Observer.

New Episode: Wendell Weekend Show

A new episode of the Wendell Weekend Show is now available for viewing on EWTV-22 and at www.ewtv.org.

This latest episode is full of highlights from lots of fun events like

• a Ribbon-Cutting at Parrish Realty’s new Wendell Office;
• this year’s annual Sidewalk Sale;
• First Friday Jazz at The Kila Company with the Freddie Greene Street Genie Trio;
• this year’s annual Public Safety Day featuring Lauren, one of the coolest kids ever, and several familiar faces from around the Wendell community; and,
• opening of the season at the Wendell Farmers’ Market with a look at lots of the fantastic fresh and local goodies available every Saturday from early May to late October.

To check out this episode, you can watch the show on EWTV-22, which is channel 22 for TWC customers and channel 99 for U-verse customers. The show currently airs at 9:30am, 9:30pm and 1:30am. You can also watch the show on-line, 24-7, at www.ewtv.org. Just check out the monthly shows listing.

Local Artist Cindy Privette and Her Southern Exposures

Cindy Privette, a local artist from Zebulon, was one of the first artists we interviewed for the Wendell Weekend Show. We attended Cindy’s show at the Wendell Chamber of Commerce and interviewed Cindy during her opening reception. During that interview, we talked about a web site that was in the process of being developed as a showcase for Cindy’s work. Well, the web site is up and running… you can check it out at http://www.mysouthernexposures.com/. It seems the first collection of photographs is from the Zebulon Chamber’s Golf Tournament.

Another great year for Public Safety Day, Sidewalk Sale and the Farmers’ Market

Meet Mr. Red, the guy who spends his days outside Collector's Corner on Main Street

Sidewalk sale merchandise outside Collector's Corner... yes, that's a Mickey Mouse phone

Wendell Police Department had lots of equipment and vehicles out for the public to see during Public Safety Day

Last Saturday, downtown Wendell was bustling. Folks were out and about to take part in Public Safety Day and a little shopping at the annual Sidewalk Sale and the Farmers’ Market. The weather was absolutely beautiful and so was all the foot traffic moving through downtown. Gary and I were out and about catching fun moments for the next episode of the Weekend Show. We filmed until the SD card was full… not sure how we’ll get all the highlights into a 30 min. show!

I got a little taste of the Sidewalk Sale Friday night. I went by Wits End to get the perfect Mother’s Day gift for my mom… a pink polka dot beach tote complete with a bottle of North Carolina Muscadine wine. (BTW Beth, mom absolutely loved it!) I stopped by Teddy’s to grab a bite before heading over to The Kila Company for First Friday Jazz. During the course of my Friday adventure, the Sidewalk Sale was going strong. Folks were perusing the merchandise outside Kannon’s, Wits End, The Little Bakery and along Main Street. Saturday, I finally had an opportunity to check Collector’s Corner on Main Street… and I love it! They have so many quality and unique collectibles inside. I particularly like the collection of vintage cameras. I am also partial to Mr. Red… the red man you’ll see standing outside Collector’s Corner and peering in through the window.

After our morning fun with Mr. Red and the Sidewalk Sale, we rounded the corner to take in Public Safety Day. There were lots of kids enjoying the inflatable slide. We were even entertained by 7-year-old Carley who conducted an on-camera interview with Officer Morgan Kidwell of the Wendell Police Department. We spoke with Sgt. Jody Wall about the upcoming Camp Choices which is going to be a lot of fun this year. I walked the line wearing fatal vision goggles set to simulate about a 0.17 blood alcohol content. Officer Jermaine Thomas and I took a ride on the Fatal Vision Texting While Driving course… when I texted well, my driving was terrible. When I drove well, my texting was terrible. Moral of the story: don’t text while driving… you can’t safely do both very well! Part of what makes Public Safety Day so great is all the contributions that go into making it happen. To read the article in the Eastern Wake News, click here.

After an hour or so at Public Safety Day, we headed over to the Farmers’ Market, and wow, what a treat! There were 14 vendors to open the first market of the season this year, and tons of people checking it all out. The sunshine, a crowd of people, and all the local goods and products… opening day of the Farmers’ Market was amazing. We spoke with quite a few people as we explored several booths. Ms. Brenda Johnson, Chair of the Farmers’ Market committee, talked to us about the market this year and took us on a quick tour of part of the market… we’ll be taking a tour of the other half some time during the next two weekends. The Farmers’ Market opens every Saturday (with the exception of a few) and is open from 9am until 1pm. Make sure you try Deedy’s Key Lime Pound Cake. If summer were a cake, it would be that one. To read the local article about the Farmers’ Market in the Eastern Wake News, click here.

Visual Wrap-up to N.C. Big Sweep 2011

I wanted to share a visual wrap-up to this year’s Big Sweep event in the Wendell Park. It was a successful event for our community this year, as you will see in this visual wrap-up created by Phillip Smith with Wendell Parks and Recreation. Be sure to catch some footage from the Big Sweep event in the latest episode of the Wendell Weekend Show. You can view the show online now at www.ewtv.org or on EWTV-22.