I live in Glenwood South and was presented with a great question. Where are good places to walk our canine friends? Please blog your suggestions for all downtown residents to share.
Category: Glenwood South (Page 13 of 14)
My wife, Donna and I bought our condo in Glenwood South nearly 9 years ago, when 510 Glenwood stood alone as the first condo building in Raleigh’s entertainment district. Today, newer and taller condos have followed the trend and sprung up in the neighborhood, beckoning us to jump ship. We’ve stayed put.
We are empty nesters, and have always been happy with our decision to sell our house in the suburbs 10 years ago when our children left for college. We have lived in much larger condo buildings, including a turn of the century skyscraper in downtown Philadelphia where we could view the city from 20 floors up. But we’ve found that urban anonymity increases with the number of building units. At 510 Glenwood there are only 36 units, located on the top three floors. It’s easy to get to know our neighbors. If someone’s new on the elevator, introductions are soon made. We’re also pleasantly surprised at the number of condo owners that have been in the building along with us since the beginning. Their friendship has always given us a feeling of belonging, even when we were newcomers.
Also an important reason for staying at 510 all these years is the abundant outdoor space. Our condo has one of the larger terraces in the building, doubling the size of our living area. It’s practical living space for us, as evidenced by outdoor furniture (with seating for 10), where we spend a large portion of our time.
We’re pleased that there are so many more options for downtown living today in Raleigh, adding to the energy and diversity of our neighborhood, but we plan for now to watch it happily from our terrace.
SpiritWorks Studio, located at 608-A, Glenwood AvenueDonna Belt, the founder of SpiritWorks art studio on Glenwood South swears she can’t draw a straight line without blindfolding herself first.
Whether she’s working with individuals or groups, the goal is the same and it’s not about the art, she claims. So what is it?
An interfaith minister, Donna encourages visitors to her studio to participate in what she calls a left brain vacation. What they find when they shut down their inner critic is the voice of healing, the power of the 
Using pastels, this artist drew while looking at her subject upside down.present moment, and the just plain fun of being a kid again.
So, why downtown? Donna finds her studio space (in a greenblue clapboard bungalow off Glenwood Avenue)
has just the right feel – kind of like wandering in your grandmother’s attic. Plus it’s only a few doors away from her condo at 510 Glenwood, so it acts as overflow space for doing her own art work.
Having lived many years in cities (from Tokyo, to London and Philly), Donna loves;)
This artist drew without looking at her paper. Later she used watercolor pencils to color in the forms she found, like a child finding shapes in the clouds. being part of the diversity in Raleigh’s downtown development. Commenting on all the new construction, she sees herself as being in the middle of an urban stage set.
Tell us about others who are making Raleigh a unique stage for people to gather and explore…
This is an example of Intuitive Painting, done simply by allowing drum music to come through the paint brush.
Residential living in the heart of Glenwood South….222 Glenwood Condominums. Come join us…we would love more neighbors. After 12 years of owning a home outside the city limits of Raleigh, cutting the grass, and spending countless time, money and energy on landscaping projects, we decided to move to downtown. It was an easy decision. Where did we spend most of your time on the weekends? Our answer was Downtown Raleigh. There has been an explosion of growth in the past 5 years.
We love to eat out. During the week, 222 Glenwood offers 30+ restaurants in walking distance with awesome weekly specials. It’s cheaper to eat out in Downtown Raleigh during the week then it is to cook at home. On the weekends, we can decide to relax during a quiet afternoon by the pool with neighbors surrounded by 222 Glenwood complex or participate in many downtown events within walking distance. The walk home is simple as there are many “watering holes” to visit along the way. Best of all, once the car is parked on Friday in a private garage, it doesn’t move until Monday morning. Watch out, weekends on Glenwood Avenue are never dull. It’s amazing to see Glenwood South “turn the lights on”
Elise Okrend with fellow artist Nora Philips at her studioStarting her own business, MixedBlessing, has become a full blessing for Elise Okrend and her family.
Elise’s career started in the corporate world of advertising and design in NYC, but her journey of creativity along with her desire for personal flexibility and freedom led her to open a studio in downtown Raleigh. Here Elise creates and displays her original pastel paintings.
Moving to Raleigh was a choice Elise made with her husband as a way to spend more time with their family while enjoying a slower paced lifestyle. But what made it work was an idea that allowed her to start her own business so that she could
“Floating”, original pastel by Elise Okrend work from home. Elise says, the idea to start her own greeting card business, MixedBlessing, came to her when she doodled a carddesign that incorporated a Christmas Tree and a Star of David for an interfaith couple.
Elise was first introduced to the downtown arts community through First Fridays, where she says, “I loved the the variety of art and music that would feed the evening”. Her studio is located at the Carter Building in the Glenwood South District, a popular First Friday destination, featuring a collection of studios with 60+ working artists.
Like other artists, Elise was drawn to the downtown area. She says, 
“Winter Morning”, original pastel by Elise Okrend“I like the diversity in the community and the activities the downtown area offers.” “As artists, we tend to work alone, and knowing that there are other artists around to share your work and experiences is invaluable”.
Take advantage of First Fridays to stop in and visit with Elise and other downtown artists, who are helping to foster our city’s sense of community.
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