uptown magazine march 2010

1uptownwww.uptownclt.com

mar

ch.1

0

Mar 10.indd 1 2/26/2010 10:02:31 AM

2 uptown www.uptownclt.com

Ashton mixes classic design with upbeat modernism. It’s an emerging “it” spot – the ideal locale for the urban sophisticate who thrives on energy and seeks out the unique and intriguing. Here, just south of Uptown Charlotte, South End’s distinguished galleries, shopping, entertainment and dining district is just outside your door.

SOCIAL SPACES• Unparalleled views of Uptown Charlotte

• Pedestrian access to South End’s galleries, boutiques and chic eateries

• One block from the East/West Boulevard station with LYNX light rail and trolley service

• The Club with Wi-Fi Internet cafe and HDTV sports lounge with billiards

• Private HDTV screening room with surround-sound and leather club seating

• Elevated outdoor terrace with conversational seating

• Gourmet demonstration kitchen with private dining room

• Oversized spa-inspired fitness club

• Executive conference room and business center

• 11th floor Sky Lounge with resort-style pool, aqua bar, sunning cabanas, firepit and grilling areas

• Premier resident services such as valet dry cleaning, package delivery and complimentary fitness classes

• Daily coffee and hot tea service

• Multi-level private garage parking with controlled-access entry; storage rooms available

• Pet friendly

PRIVATE PLACES• Dramatic living spaces with high ceilings, sleek-lined

solar shades and custom-color accent walls

• Open-concept gourmet kitchens with granite slab countertops, wine racks, custom European-style cabinetry and stainless steel appliances

• Luxurious natural hardwood, travertine and Berber flooring

• Spacious bedrooms that accommodate king-sized beds and feature extra-large walk-in closets

• Upgraded fixtures and ceiling fans with decorative lighting

• Luxury bathrooms with custom framed mirrors, marble slab countertops, sumptuous soaking tubs and available frameless shower doors

• Full-size washer and dryer in every residence

• Oversized terraces, french balconies, street-level entries, studies, dry bars, built-in bookshelves and computer niches are available in select residences

125 W. TremonT Avenue // ChArloTTe, nC 28203 // AshtonsE.com

now leasing / / 888.890.3794 H

IGH

-RIS

E L

EA

SAB

LE L

IVIN

G

now oFFeRing UP To THRee MonTHs FRee FoR a liMiTeD TiMe onlY

Visit our sister project, The Residence at southPark, at TheResidenceliving.com.

LUXURY APARTMENTS FROM $724/MONTH Choose from a variety of floor plans featuring ample sunlight and maximum livability equipped with gourmet kitchens, granite countertops, laminate wood floors and full size washer and dryers.

AMENITIES• Resort-style saline pool with spa, & lap pool• Pool gazebo featuring an area for grilling• Outdoor living room with fireplace

• Fitness Center• Internet cafe• Sports Lounge with billiards

2225 Hawkins St.704.332.5022

FOR THOSE WHO LOVE THE FINER THINGS…

INCLUDING A GREAT DEAL.

SPECTRUMSOUTHEND.COM

Mar 10.indd 2 2/26/2010 10:02:35 AM

www.spectrumsouthend.com


Ashton mixes classic design with upbeat modernism. It’s an emerging “it” spot – the ideal locale for the urban sophisticate who thrives on energy and seeks out the unique and intriguing. Here, just south of Uptown Charlotte, South End’s distinguished galleries, shopping, entertainment and dining district is just outside your door.

SOCIAL SPACES• Unparalleled views of Uptown Charlotte

• Pedestrian access to South End’s galleries, boutiques and chic eateries

• One block from the East/West Boulevard station with LYNX light rail and trolley service

• The Club with Wi-Fi Internet cafe and HDTV sports lounge with billiards

• Private HDTV screening room with surround-sound and leather club seating

• Elevated outdoor terrace with conversational seating

• Gourmet demonstration kitchen with private dining room

• Oversized spa-inspired fitness club

• Executive conference room and business center

• 11th floor Sky Lounge with resort-style pool, aqua bar, sunning cabanas, firepit and grilling areas

• Premier resident services such as valet dry cleaning, package delivery and complimentary fitness classes

• Daily coffee and hot tea service

• Multi-level private garage parking with controlled-access entry; storage rooms available

• Pet friendly

PRIVATE PLACES• Dramatic living spaces with high ceilings, sleek-lined

solar shades and custom-color accent walls

• Open-concept gourmet kitchens with granite slab countertops, wine racks, custom European-style cabinetry and stainless steel appliances

• Luxurious natural hardwood, travertine and Berber flooring

• Spacious bedrooms that accommodate king-sized beds and feature extra-large walk-in closets

• Upgraded fixtures and ceiling fans with decorative lighting

• Luxury bathrooms with custom framed mirrors, marble slab countertops, sumptuous soaking tubs and available frameless shower doors

• Full-size washer and dryer in every residence

• Oversized terraces, french balconies, street-level entries, studies, dry bars, built-in bookshelves and computer niches are available in select residences

125 W. TremonT Avenue // ChArloTTe, nC 28203 // AshtonsE.com

now leasing / / 888.890.3794

HIG

H-R

ISE

LE

ASA

BLE

LIV

ING

now oFFeRing UP To THRee MonTHs FRee FoR a liMiTeD TiMe onlY

Visit our sister project, The Residence at southPark, at TheResidenceliving.com.

LUXURY APARTMENTS FROM $724/MONTH Choose from a variety of floor plans featuring ample sunlight and maximum livability equipped with gourmet kitchens, granite countertops, laminate wood floors and full size washer and dryers.

AMENITIES• Resort-style saline pool with spa, & lap pool• Pool gazebo featuring an area for grilling• Outdoor living room with fireplace

• Fitness Center• Internet cafe• Sports Lounge with billiards

2225 Hawkins St.704.332.5022

FOR THOSE WHO LOVE THE FINER THINGS…

INCLUDING A GREAT DEAL.

SPECTRUMSOUTHEND.COM

Mar 10.indd 3 2/26/2010 10:02:36 AM

www.ashtonse.com


WWW.CFSJETS.COM 704.359.0007

FALCON 900B - S/N 0128FOR SALE OR LEASE

CHALLENGER 601-3R - S/N 5145

CITATION SOVEREIGN - S/N 680-0174

CITATION XLS - S/N 560-5809

LEARJET 31A - S/N 31A - 0160FOR SALE OR LEASE

CHALLENGER 300 - S/N 20169

ANYTHING BUT ROUTINE

You don’t settle for routine business travel, so why settle for a routine broker?

At Corporate Fleet Services you’ll find our impeccable service, tremendous

cost-saving capabilities and invaluable industry insight anything but routine.

Corporate Fleet Services offers over 25 years of industry knowledge and a proud

resume of satisfied Fortune 500 clients. We take the complexity out of the

process to ensure a swift and seamless transaction.

WAS-CFS Feb 2010 23/2/10 16:19 Page 1

Townhome Living in a Resort-Style Neighborhood Close to Shopping

and Dining at South Park Mall

From the $190’sTour 4 Decorated Model Homes, Open Daily!

Every aspect of this luxurious community announces you’ve arrived, from the majestic gated entrance and resort-inspired amenities to the perfectly manicured greenscapes and spacious, stunning townhomes. Enjoy a truly exceptional lifestyle less than one mile from the light rail and just minutes from the world-class shopping, dining and recreation of South Park.

• 1,747 to 4,500 sq.ft.

• 2 to 4 bedrooms and 2 ½ to 3 ½ baths with owner’s bedroom up or down

• 1 or 2-car attached garage

• Bonus room, loft & rec rooms available

Phone: (704) 643-7112Directions: I-77 to Exit 5/Tyvola Rd. Go East 2.6 mi. toward South Park Mall. Right on Park Rd. Go .5 mi. to right on Archdale Dr. Go 0.7 mi. to left into community on Park Royal Avenue. Model homes ahead on right.

Model Hours: Sun–Mon. 12-6, Tues.–Sat. 10-6

Prices and offers subject to change without notice. See a Sales and Marketing Representative for details.Welcoming Families Home

for Over 60 Years

For More Information, Visit RyanHomesUM.com

Mar 10.indd 4 2/26/2010 2:16:46 PM


WWW.CFSJETS.COM 704.359.0007

FALCON 900B - S/N 0128FOR SALE OR LEASE

CHALLENGER 601-3R - S/N 5145

CITATION SOVEREIGN - S/N 680-0174

CITATION XLS - S/N 560-5809

LEARJET 31A - S/N 31A - 0160FOR SALE OR LEASE

CHALLENGER 300 - S/N 20169

ANYTHING BUT ROUTINE

You don’t settle for routine business travel, so why settle for a routine broker?

At Corporate Fleet Services you’ll find our impeccable service, tremendous

cost-saving capabilities and invaluable industry insight anything but routine.

Corporate Fleet Services offers over 25 years of industry knowledge and a proud

resume of satisfied Fortune 500 clients. We take the complexity out of the

process to ensure a swift and seamless transaction.

WAS-CFS Feb 2010 23/2/10 16:19 Page 1

Townhome Living in a Resort-Style Neighborhood Close to Shopping

and Dining at South Park Mall

From the $190’sTour 4 Decorated Model Homes, Open Daily!

Every aspect of this luxurious community announces you’ve arrived, from the majestic gated entrance and resort-inspired amenities to the perfectly manicured greenscapes and spacious, stunning townhomes. Enjoy a truly exceptional lifestyle less than one mile from the light rail and just minutes from the world-class shopping, dining and recreation of South Park.

• 1,747 to 4,500 sq.ft.

• 2 to 4 bedrooms and 2 ½ to 3 ½ baths with owner’s bedroom up or down

• 1 or 2-car attached garage

• Bonus room, loft & rec rooms available

Phone: (704) 643-7112Directions: I-77 to Exit 5/Tyvola Rd. Go East 2.6 mi. toward South Park Mall. Right on Park Rd. Go .5 mi. to right on Archdale Dr. Go 0.7 mi. to left into community on Park Royal Avenue. Model homes ahead on right.

Model Hours: Sun–Mon. 12-6, Tues.–Sat. 10-6

Prices and offers subject to change without notice. See a Sales and Marketing Representative for details.Welcoming Families Home

for Over 60 Years

For More Information, Visit RyanHomesUM.com

Mar 10.indd 5 2/26/2010 2:17:03 PM

www.ryanhomesum.com


Mar 10.indd 6 2/26/2010 10:02:45 AM

www.uptownclt.com


Nancie Woods

LUXURIOUS TWO BEDROOM DEN HOME IN SOUGHT AFTER FOURTH WARDENJOY IMPRESSIVE VIEWS FROM YOUR PRIVATE BALCONYTWO SECURED PARKING SPACESCHAPEL WATCH - 542 N. CHURCH ST.

Visit me at 218 North College

Street

iselluptown.com704.608.0964

Breathless cityscape views from one of the few end units in the most intimate building in Fourth Ward. This home sets itself apart with elegant appointments including Galaxy Gold Granite, Volcano Travertine floors and frameless shower enclosure in the luxurious master bath and tremendous walk-in closets. Rich hardwood floors throughout the formal living areas lead you from the extraordinary entry hall to the relaxing den featuring transom doors and surround sound. Enjoy breathtaking views of the Center City skyline and Chapel Watch’s own dancing fountain. Delight in the romantic glow of the gas log fireplace. Cook a gourmet meal in your beautiful kitchen and sit down in your formal dining room or grill on your own built in gas grill on the 183 square foot balcony. After a wonderful evening, retire to your oversize master suite where the evening lights of the city will lull you to sleep.

$549,000MLS # 915526

Mar 10.indd 7 2/26/2010 10:02:50 AM

www.iselluptown.com


RUFF RUFF Translation: Big Savings

• Price Match - We match all

PetMed online pricing for flea/

tick and heartworm medication

• Additional Savings - Often, there

are other discounts or rebates

from manufacturers that are

offered only through a veterinary

office; we will even process

them for you

• New Client Discount - Only

$20.00 for the first exam fee

(New clients, first visit only)

• Convenience - Once an active

client, you may order products

at MixedPet.com with free ship-

ping on orders over $40.00, or

stop by the hospital

South End704.632.8012

2135 Southend Dr. Ste 106 - 28203 (Behind Chipotle and EQ3)

Chipotle

EQ3 South End

By Design

Lowe’s

www.MixedPet.com

www.bracesincharlotte.com

Mar 10.indd 8 2/26/2010 10:02:54 AM

www.bracesincharlotte.com

www.mixedpet.com


Mar 10.indd 9 2/26/2010 10:02:57 AM

www.trafkmedia.com


Tom Selleck would have been proud of the men who participated in the Mustaches for Kids fundraiser. For four weeks the participants dedicated their upper lips to the charity, which raises funds for schools in North Carolina. They overcame ridicule, comparisons to state troopers and many other slanderous comments to raise just over $57,000! To cap off the four-week mustache-growing marathon, all the participants got together at Madison’s in Uptown on February 12 to raise a cold beer and hold a pageant to determine the best and worst of the ‘stache growers. To take part in the growing festivities next year, check out m4kclt.org.

the seenpictures: catch light studio

george lanis

Mar 10.indd 10 2/26/2010 10:03:31 AM


Mar 10.indd 11 2/26/2010 10:03:43 AM

www.ensocharlotte.com


The Black Eyed Peas played Time Warner Arena in front of close to 20,000 people, then kept the night going with their after-party at Butter and played to a lucky few. Joined by Nicky Hilton, Will.I.Am took to the DJ booth and Fergie grabbed the microphone to sing along to their own songs. No one moved toward the door of the club until the lights came on at 2 a.m.

the seenpictures: catch light studio

george lanis

YOU DON'T NEED LUCKto live in luxury.

1312 S. College Street

Call (704) 333-1530 for specials.

themillennium.com

• Upscale urban apartments

• Prime location

• Modern architecture

• Custom finishes

• Chic decor

• Stylish apartment layouts

• 24-hour fitness center

• Pool & Plaza

• Stand-up tanning booth

• Light rail access

Mar 10.indd 12 2/26/2010 2:17:36 PM


YOU DON'T NEED LUCKto live in luxury.

1312 S. College Street

Call (704) 333-1530 for specials.

themillennium.com

• Upscale urban apartments

• Prime location

• Modern architecture

• Custom finishes

• Chic decor

• Stylish apartment layouts

• 24-hour fitness center

• Pool & Plaza

• Stand-up tanning booth

• Light rail access

Mar 10.indd 13 2/26/2010 2:17:58 PM

www.themillenium.com


not

hin

g n

ew b

y Lit

tle S

hiva

Mar 10.indd 14 2/26/2010 3:05:09 PM


Mar 10.indd 15 2/26/2010 2:54:09 PM


uptown

Charlotte native Matt Kokenes is no stranger to the media-sales business in the Queen City. He has been selling both print and television for almost seven years. Through perseverance and intestinal fortitude, Matt has shown he has the toughness to succeed in this business.

Deciding to move to Charlotte a few months ago was an easy decision for Jessica Bitner. Tired of the heat and humidity in Orlando, she has now settled comfortably into the charming Plaza Midwood area. Working as an Account Executive for Uptown Magazine, Jessica is quickly learning about all the unique characteristics of the Queen City. During race season, you’ll find her hanging at the local tracks promoting her clothing line for female race fans.

Ryan Sumner is both Creative Director and Owner of Fenix Fotography, a full-service photo studio located in Plaza-Midwood that’s dedicated to creating compelling and artful images for corporate, advertising, fashion, and weddings. The studio also offers on- site studio work for executive headshots. Ryan’s photographs appear in the fashion section of this month’s issue. Click to fenixfoto.com to find out more about Ryan.

*Shelly Shepard, an editor/writer, called The Charlotte Observer home for over 10 years, writing headlines and copy editing countless front-page stories.Wanderlust has taken Shelly from teaching English in Prague, to living in a hut in Thailand. If not working, chances are you’ll find her hiking. Professionally, Shelly’s at home with a page of words in front of her, a mouse in hand and a deadline looming.

name: Little Shiva

species: mutant

here for: the smell of ink on paper

interests: juxtaposi-tion, transformation,mystery, clarity, theprocess of becoming, image and design

contributions tothis issue: table ofcontents

website:littleshiva.com

Mar 10.indd 16 2/26/2010 10:03:55 AM


“I cannot tell you how very impressed we are with Dr.

Shapiro and his entire staff!” - Kate T.

“Thank you for all that you do! Your office and staff is

the best in the Carolina’s - I always look forward to my

visits and you always make me smile!” - Matt K.

“I absolutely loved the experience and you made me feel

like a family member. I was nervous, but it was over with right

away.” - John B.

CHELSEA COOLEY- Miss U.S.A. 2005Dentistry by Dr. Shapiro

say more with your smile!

general practice | sedation dentistrycosmetic & restorative dentistry | neuromuscular dentistry

Edward I. Shapiro, DDSLatta Pavilion, Dilworth

now acceptingcigna, united healthcare, delta premiere,

and met life insurance plans

704.632.9922 www.ShapiroSmiles.com

Peter Reinhart is the Chef on Assignment at Johnson & Wales University, which means he does whatever they ask him to do and goes wherever they send him. He’s written seven books on bread, pizza, food and culture. In partnership with Pierre Bader, he opened Pie Town, an artisan pizzeria on Trade Street. And AS if he weren’t busy enough, Peter is also Uptown’s Contributing Food Editor.

A native Charlottean, Jennifer Misenheimer is a hair stylist and artistic creator with a discerning eye for style. When she’s not doing hair at Escape Hair and Skin Studio, in Dilworth, or styling fashion shoots, Jennifer finds outlet for her creative passion through painting, personal styling, and designing one-of-a-kind custom costumes.This month, Jennifer styled our fashion layout.

Mar 10.indd 17 2/26/2010 10:03:56 AM

www.shapirosmiles.com


uptown

*Bryan Reed is a man of simple interests—among them, words, records, movies, and adjusting to life as a grownup (whatever that means). Since graduating from UNC-Chapel Hill’s School of Journalism and Mass Communication, Bryan’s been living the dream, working as the assistant editor of Charlotte-based music magazine Shuffle, and freelancing for several publications includ-ing Tiny Mix Tapes and several weekly newspapers across the Carolinas.

Originally from NY, Alessandra Salvatore has called Uptown Charlotte home for a year now. An avid writer of articles, reviews, and screenplays, Alessandra’s other addictions include interior decorating, red wine, and “swapping”—she recently created SwapSassy.com, a website where fashionistas can swap clothing. When not scoping the Charlotte scene, you can find her at home in the company of her husband, Greg, and her fat cat, Marcus.

Although a Hoosier at heart, Jenn Burns is currently loving the blue skies and sun of North Carolina as she attends Davidson College. She is nearing the end of her freshman year and planning to create a major in food. She doesn’t know where she will end up or what she will be doing in the future, but is looking forward to enjoying it and hoping it will include food and travel.

A man about town with his camera, George Lanis of Catch Light Studio has been photographing people in his native Charlotte for years. From friends’ weddings to parties to family photos for the holidays, his work is creative and diverse, and he’s always looking to show you in the best light. Check out catchlightonline.com for more.

Woody Mitchell has juggled journalism and a music career for over four decades, retiring from newspaper work in 2006 to once again become a full-time music bum. As a bandleader and guitarist, he’s appeared at Neighborhood Theatre numerous times, as well as most of the Piedmont’s other top nightspots. His current band is Woody & the Stragglers, now entering their 10th year. Woody and his wife, RC, live in Mint Hill.

Mar 10.indd 18 2/26/2010 1:36:19 PM


we could have called it

uptown downtown center city noda plaza midwood south end dilworth eastover myers park southpark midtown elizabeth

M A G A Z I N E

M A G A Z I N E

but you can say uptown in only one breath

covering in-town Charlotte since 2005704.944.0551

Mar 10.indd 19 2/26/2010 10:03:58 AM

www.uptownclt.com


www.TheGarrisonAtGraham.com

· 3% down, 97% financing

· 3.89% fixed for 10 years

· 30-year amortization

· Buyers select interior finishes

· Move-in in 30 days!!!

SPECIALINCENTIVES:

Priced from

$249,500 to $899,000

CONTACT:TERRY CHILDERS

First Charlotte Properties

704.299.6925

[email protected]

3% DOWN, 3.89% FIXEDPublisher

Todd Trimakas

AdvertisingJessica BitnerMatt Kokenes704.944.0551

Executive EditorShelly Shepard

Contributing Editors

Peter Reinhart (Food)Ryan Sumner (Fashion)

ContributorsJenn Burns

George LanisJennifer Misenheimer

Woody MitchellAlessandra Salvatore

Little ShivaBryan Reed

PhotographyRyan Sumner

Todd TrimakasGeorge Lanis

Cover ArtRyan Sumner

DistributionSean Chesney

Office1600 Fulton Ave., #140

Charlotte, NC 28205Contact us at

[email protected] Magazine is a trademark of

Uptown Publishing inc., copyright 2009. All rights reserved. Uptown is printed

monthly and subscriptions are $25 annually and can be purchased online at

uptownclt.com.

I received a graduate degree from the international business school at the University of South Carolina, which with a quick bit of math reveals that I was in formal education for 18 years. Amazing to me even now. And I can say with all honesty that after the sixth grade I didn’t enjoy a single minute of class. Not one. Unless, of course, we were on a field trip.

Between the sixth grade and graduating from USC I can only remember one teacher’s name: Mrs. Fishman, senior English, 1990, at East Meck High School, here in Charlotte. Only one teacher.

Don’t get me wrong; I love knowledge, just hate school. I was never one to stay still long enough, focus long enough or stop touching others. At school I was always asked to fit into a mold that I could never quite match up with, and I always felt like a foot or arm was sticking out.

After graduating I celebrated like everyone else and praised the lord above that I would never have to

step foot in a classroom again. How wrong I was. In about a year’s time I will be leading my daughter into the public schools of Charlotte. She’s almost 4 now, and will soon be entering the jungle of kindergarten, which until recently I didn’t realize was an actual grade in school.

When I worry about Kate and school I worry about two things: transferring my distaste for formal education to her, and the educational institution stifling her creativity. Thankfully, my wife enjoyed school, so she can work on the learning part and I can focus on recess.

But creativity is another matter. How do we protect it? Right now Kate and really all children have a bottomless well of creativity. A pair of shoes will turn her into a princess, two pencils are the start of a sword fight between the three musketeers and their evil nemesis, and a wet washcloth becomes a magic carpet.

Creativity is the wellspring of the U.S.; it’s the source of who we are and where we are going. From oatmeal to superconducting nano computers, nothing existed until a creative soul came up with the idea and made it happen. And from my experiences in school and in my years in the corporate world, creativity is the bane of those in charge. It is suppressed so that everyone can meet in the middle, learn what is required, and meander down the path to retirement. It saddens me.

I mention this, but I have absolutely no solution. I wouldn’t even know where to begin. I’ll just try to do my part in sustaining creativity by picking up the other pencil on a moment’s notice, scowling like an evil nemesis and starting another sword fight with the blond musketeer.

~Todd TrimakasPublisher / [email protected]

Mar 10.indd 20 2/26/2010 1:37:17 PM


www.TheGarrisonAtGraham.com

· 3% down, 97% financing

· 3.89% fixed for 10 years

· 30-year amortization

· Buyers select interior finishes

· Move-in in 30 days!!!

SPECIALINCENTIVES:

Priced from

$249,500 to $899,000

CONTACT:TERRY CHILDERS

First Charlotte Properties

704.299.6925

[email protected]

3% DOWN, 3.89% FIXED

Mar 10.indd 21 2/26/2010 10:04:02 AM

www.thegarrisonatgraham.com


U

words: alessandra salvatore

cultu

re

the life

“Can you come over to my cube when you have a second?” Those words, uttered by a co-worker in the break room on a Monday morning, jolted me from my trance and the reality hit me that the weekend was over. “Sure, let me just finish making my coffee.” I hear a guffaw from someone behind me. I spin around. “Yes?”

“Oh, nothin,’” says another co-worker, a native Charlottean. “I’ll let you get your ‘CAW-fee’ first.” He chuckles, and leaves. It was the first time since moving here that my “accent” was made fun of, and it totally caught me off guard. I stood there for a minute. I then sipped my…caffeinated beverage, and quietly uttered an apology to my father.

My dad, born and raised in Italy, came to the U.S. as a teenager. He spoke very little English, if any, when he met my mother, and was pretty much clueless about American culture. Needless to say, there were several opportunities to mock him at the kitchen table while we were growing up. We didn’t mean any harm; we were just having fun. And his accent made it so easy. For instance, often when he speaks, the “h” is dropped where it shouldn’t be (thumbtack becomes tumbtack), and, ironically, an “h” is added before all vowels (his references to Hoprah Winfrey, and the hinternet). And it wasn’t always just the accent that fueled the laughs. Sometimes he just couldn’t get it together grammatically. Most of the time he took our pokes in stride, even chuckled at his own expense. I remember one time my sister was talking to him about how she would arrange furniture in her new room. He didn’t agree with her and wanted to tell her that she had no perception of the space. Instead, out came: “Lisa! You have no…no…self-esteem!” Another time I asked him whether we could eat outside. “Sure!” he said. “Weather promiscuous, of course.” Somewhere across town, my fourth-grade English teacher was cringing. In the midst of us cracking up, he narrowed his eyes at us and said, “Sorry if I wasn’t born-a here, like-a you did.”

Indeed he wasn’t, and neither were his brother and sister. To this day, when we get together with my cousins, we compare notes on the funny things our parents say and laugh for hours. Sometimes it’s OK to do it in front of them and they laugh with us. Other times, not so much. When my cousin was small, he was in the backseat of his mother’s car

with his siblings and he used the “F” word. My aunt yelled at him, but out it slipped again. Furious, she pulled off the road

and scolded him: “You tink is-a funny? Say it again, I dare you! Go ahead, spell it now,

F-A-K!” Another cousin was in the car with his father, my uncle, and was eating a bacon, egg

and cheese sandwich. My uncle looked over, gasped, and said: “Whatta you crazy? Dat’s a triple tret to your

hartieries!”My experience in the break room that morning put

me on the other side of the laughter for once, and got me thinking of all of the things lost in translation, in my experience,

since moving from the North to the South. Below are some key words and phrases I’ve observed and their true meanings:

*Y’all – the obvious, of course meaning “you all.” Example: “Y’all coming to the party?”*All y’all – I’ve noticed that you may want to watch out when the “all” is tossed in before the “y’all.” It tends to pack a bit more punch than the plain old “y’all.” Example: “All y’all better figure this shit out ASAP.” *Bless your heart! I’ll never forget the first time I heard this. I thought it was so sweet. Bless my heart! Wow, southerners sure are nice! I am now realizing this is often the grammatical equivalent to the northern “Cry me a river, bitch.” *Can’t - This one baffles me in terms of context. Example: “Why don’t we see if we can’t find a parking space?” Hmm…Why don’t we see if we can?* He looks like something the dog’s been keeping under the porch. That guy is one ugly mo’ fo.’ *Mawma said…This one is pretty obvious in meaning. But I do love it when people say this instead of “My mom said,” and it makes me want to bust out the MJ every time.

I hope you find this guide somewhat helpful. My apologies for ripping on you, Dad. And take it easy on us, Charlotteans - remember, we weren’t born-a here, like-a you did.Reach Alessandra at [email protected] more info go to www.uptownclt.com

Mar 10.indd 22 2/26/2010 1:10:32 PM


- One and Two Bedroom Condos

- Modern Loft-Style Design

- Storefront Windows

- 10 – 16 Foot Ceilings

- High Level Finishes

- Walk to Eclectic Shops & Restaurants

- Priced from the $180s - $250s

Unbelievable Lender Incentives:

- 2.99% and 4.75% Financing Available

- 95% Financing

- No Lender Fees

- No Private Mortgage Insurance

Located conveniently near the corner

of The Plaza and McClintock Rd.

Move in Today!

IT’S HIP. IT’S URBAN.IT’S CLOSE.

PLAZA-VU.COM

Pat Deely - (704) 604.9303 - [email protected] Laws - (704) 779.9005 - [email protected]

Over 75% Sold! Hurry, Only 5 Units Left!

2010

Mar 10.indd 23 2/26/2010 1:10:53 PM

www.plaza-vu.com



There I was at the elevator, headed to a friend’s house. I was dressed and ready to go out: heels, makeup, and my favorite pair of jeans. I felt the weight of the bakeware dish I carried, packed with layers of mini pizzas, when suddenly something seemed very

familiar. I was transported back to my 8-year-old

self, following my mother out of the house to a family birthday party for one of my 42 first cousins. She was dressed to the nines: heels, makeup, hair (sound familiar?). This scene comes into focus even more if I come across a whiff of “Obsession” by Calvin Klein. Somehow, with three trays of cookies, a bottle of wine, two cheesecakes and a tray of pasta in hand, she

managed to lock the door, walk to the car, and load up five kids and my father. We’d arrive at our destination and, in line like tiny ants, we’d carry everything in and set it upon a table that barely had room to fit it all. “Mom,” we’d say, “do you think maybe we brought too much?” Of course she couldn’t hear us, because she was too busy worrying we hadn’t brought enough.

This insanity runs throughout my extended family, as well. Say we made an unannounced stop at my aunt’s house. We’d say hello, then she’d disappear for five minutes and re-emerge from the kitchen with a heaping tray of bruschetta made from fresh tomatoes, topped with the perfect drizzle of olive oil and the most precise shake of seasoning. This would baffle me for years. I would suspiciously eyeball her kitchen cabinets, convinced there was a miniature Italian chef hiding inside, slicing away at tomatoes and stirring up gravy

when no one was looking. I could swear I had seen his cousin, the baker, scurry across my mom’s kitchen with a carton of eggs just last week. Being the youngest in my family, I never had believed in Santa Claus or the tooth fairy. But the mini cabinet dwellers simply had to exist.

My family didn’t go to restaurants for special occasions. Partly because everyone was big on cooking, but also because most restaurants wouldn’t take a reservation for 64 people celebrating 11 half-birthdays. I literally thought as a child that this was the norm; that every time there were a reason to celebrate, a giant network of extended family would emerge from the trees bearing cookies, pies, fresh mozzarella from Arthur Avenue,

antipasti, eggplant parmesan trays, and all of the aluminum trays and Sterno necessary to keep everything warm for the duration of the event. What, that’s not normal? I remember the first time I went to a friend’s family party as a kid, and none of the above occurred. I waited and waited. I was totally confused. I wanted to blurt out, like my 3-year-old cousin did when her innocent babysitter set a plate in front of her containing a nuked hot dog, “This is garbage! Where’s the pasta?”

I remember one night during college I had my friend Ashley with me, and we were coming home from a late night out in the city. It was four in the morning, and we tiptoed past my dad, who was asleep on the couch. We noticed the light on in the kitchen, and before we could sneak past, my mom emerged, cake batter in her hair, with a warm plate of cookies in hand. And then, as if it were three o’clock in the afternoon, she held it out and said: “Oh, hi girls. You want some semolina cookies?” Behind her was tray on top of tray of sweets. It was as if when we left to go out just a few hours earlier the casts of “Cake Boss” and “Ace of Cakes” had come in and had had a bake-off.

It wasn’t until I grew up a bit more that I realized somewhere in our bloodline is the impulse to feed absolutely everyone we come across. When I first moved to Charlotte I met my now good friend Jacque. We thought it would be fun to get together one night a week and cook, and we’d take turns hosting. It started with four of us and was a huge success. Shortly after, another group of girls came along with the same idea. We joined forces and now have a “Girls Cook Night” once a week. The set date keeps us all connected and trying new things. It doesn’t matter if we set off the smoke alarm, overcook the pasta, only have an hour to pop in or stay too long and polish off all the wine. What it’s really about is what’s put into the cooking and the times that are had when the food is being shared. Because no matter how much money you make, how nicely you are dressed or how many expensive restaurants you can frequent, you simply can’t put a price on a night in. Keep the tasty new restaurants coming, Charlotte – just know that we won’t be joining you on Wednesdays. Reach Alessandra at [email protected] more info go to www.uptownclt.com

food

the life

U

Mar 10.indd 24 2/26/2010 12:54:52 PM


Mar 10.indd 25 2/26/2010 12:55:28 PM

www.resluth.org


The older I get, the more I realize that I had more figured out about life as a child. Children have a total grasp on their little lives – they know who they are, what they need and exactly how to get it. They are curious and confident.

Of course, they don’t have past-due rent or work deadlines to worry about. But there is something in their nature that makes me wish I could “unlearn” all of the things that clutter my mind, cause me to second-guess, and get in the way of what I – and my “inner kid” – really need in life.

Two well-known Charlotteans – Gina H. Sheridan, senior director of marketing & visual communications with Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority, and Mary Tribble, president of Tribble Creative Group – share their thoughts on what their inner child told them, whether they listened, and where they are now.

Gina Sheridan Uptown Magazine: As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?Gina Sheridan: I always wanted to be a television anchor…not so much a reporter on the nightly news, but more entertainment focused like “E!” or “Entertainment Tonight.” I think deep down I really just always wanted to be famous.UM: Is this in line with what you are doing today? If no, then why do you think you dropped the idea?GS: Kind of…in a sense I think I have a much more exciting and meaningful job, promoting the city of Charlotte. After college graduation I moved to Atlanta with dreams of getting a job at CNN. I got my foot in the door for an interview…but lost the desire to chart that path along the way. In my first real job out of college I was blessed with what I consider a true mentor, who is responsible for the path I’m on

today. She put me under her wing, coached me, believed in me, and helped me build my first portfolio. Never underestimate the importance of the impact you can make on someone’s life. I don’t know where she is today, but I’d love to find her and give her a big hug. I wonder if she knows how instrumental she was in my professional development.UM: What was a significant lesson you learned as a child that you carried with you, that was never taught in any class?GS: Leave things better than you found them.UM: Do you feel like you’re all grown up?GS: Hardly. I turn 35 in May and still feel like I’m not old enough to be married or have children. I cringe when people say

“ma’am” to me.UM: If you could go back and tell your child self anything, what would it be?GS: Do everything passionately, surround yourself with good people, and never be afraid to celebrate the “wins” in your life. If the people around you don’t celebrate with you, perhaps you should reconsider having them in your life.

Mary TribbleUptown Magazine: As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? Mary Tribble: In a third-grade essay entitled, “All About Me,” I professed I wanted to be a kindergarten teacher or a flight attendant. I wanted to be neither; I clearly remember making it up. I just couldn’t think of anything else. In the early

’60s, the choices for women were still quite limited. UM: Is this in line with what you are doing today? If no, then why do you think you dropped the idea? MT: While I never could have imagined this would lead to a career, I spent countless hours making up plays and putting them on for the neighbors. I still have a small write-up from a local newspaper highlighting a particular production we put on that included a donation to the nearby children’s hospital. We collected $4.23 in a Dixie cup and presented it to the nurse at the front desk. So, I was planning events, some of them fundraisers, which of course is what I’m still doing today.UM: What was a significant lesson you

learned as a child that you carried with you, that was never taught in any class? MT: Life’s setbacks never turn out as bad you might imagine. When I was in fifth grade, I was asked to pet-sit for Michael Dixon’s gerbil. It died on the first day of his vacation, presumably from one too many rides in my younger brother’s mechanical train. My mother and I worried and fretted for days until Michael came home. To our relief, Mrs. Dixon was nonplussed, happy to never have to change the gerbil cage again. Michael didn’t seem to notice.

UM: Do you feel like you’re all grown up? MT: When my father died about 18 months ago, I felt like a reluctant adult. I wanted to be a little girl again, safe in my assumption that my parents would never leave me. I wasn’t ready to take on the responsibility of full adult status. Once our parents are gone, who will be the ones to remember the costume I wore that Halloween, or my performance at a particular piano recital? I feel like I have so much to remember before I can say I’ve grown up.UM: If you could go back and tell your child self anything, what would it be? MT: Stop worrying so much about what other people think. Be yourself, even if it’s a little bit goofy. Reach Alessandra at [email protected] more info go to www.uptownclt.com

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the life

U


Mar 10.indd 26 2/26/2010 2:05:49 PM


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Pizzaiolo – n. Italian for a male artisan pizza chef who specializes in the perfection of the crust, the secret ingredient to an outstanding pizza. This elusive and exclusive group obtains their titles from nearly a lifetime of experience, earning respect from their peers. f. pizzaiola pl. pizzaiolos/pizzaiolas.

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Pizzaiola

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austin in his element at pie town

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othing went as planned. Nothing was as expected. Nothing could have been better. I suddenly wanted these people to like me more than I ever did my peers in high school, which is the kingdom of the unknown where the land is ruled by wanting to be liked and the currency is nervousness. I had had the captain of the basketball team wrapped around my finger, but these guys turned me to mush. I felt like a bird without feathers, naked and vulnerable. To top things off, I knew nothing. I didn’t even really care for most pizza. Yet, I was to become a pizzaiola at Pie Town, Charlotte’s first “artisan” pizzeria, and I was terrified.

The problems began before I arrived. What does a pizzaiola wear? This was the least of my problems, as I also didn’t know how to make dough or bake a pizza. As much as I would like to say that I prepared extensively by learning everything I could, I didn’t. I was going in blind. I ate pizza for lunch that day, hoping to get in

N the mindset. This later proved to be a detriment, as the pizza was soon flowing and I was already nearing my saturation point.

This adventure had begun when I had the opportunity to spend an afternoon in the kitchen of Pie Town. Peter Reinhart, renowned baker and pizza expert, had traveled the world in search of the perfect pizza. As a result, Reinhart teamed with primary owner Pierre Bader on Pie Town. Reinhart is the executive pizzaiolo and consulting partner.

Pie Town’s professional pizzaiolos would teach me their ways so that I, too, could become a pizzaiola, or at least take one step down the path to perfection. They enticed me with the promise of learning their secrets. Normally, I would tell you that I play hard to get, but let’s be honest, I said yes before all the details were even finalized. The staff’s T-shirts ask, “Could this be the best pizza in the world?” I was ready to find out.

I arrived at 3 p.m. on a Saturday afternoon. My only knowledge of restaurant kitchens came from “Kitchen Confidential,” by Anthony Bourdain. He paints a descriptive picture of a kitchen as a brutal environment, filled with ex-cons and chaos – not a place for a young suburban co-ed. After a round of formal introductions, the cooks went about their work of barbecuing chicken and slicing prosciutto, listening to my battery of questions but remaining a little distant. As this was a new

the dough preparing to rise

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experience for everyone – my first time in a kitchen and their first time showing the ropes to an outsider – no one knew how to act.

We began by making dough. Not just any dough of course, but a dough that is capable of creating “a crust that has balanced but complex flavors and a texture that contains both a crisp and smoky snap and a creamy texture inside the puffy edge,” as the menu touts. I was quickly enrolled in Pizza 101. We went over the precise ratio of water, flour and mixing. My first lecture was a brief history of pizza and the differences among varieties.

I don’t know whether I proved myself by being an active listener or if they simply got tired of having a follower, but I was soon given an apron and cap and became part of the in crowd. I was a professional – or at least I looked like one. It was the easiest initiation I had ever been a part of: no embarrassment, no pain. I helped slice pig jowl, a big hunk of creamy fat with some meat hidden inside, and immediately showed my amateur status by holding the meat with elongated fingers. In a tone mixed with urgency, distress (he probably didn’t want any blood squirting into his bacon) and respect for a near-stranger, Austin Krum, the head of the Pie Town kitchen, explained that it would behoove me to hold the pig jowl with curled fingers and rounded knuckles. “You wouldn’t want to lose a fingertip!” I got the point and we made some delicious guanciale, cured bacon, from that jowl (not the belly, the source of regular bacon).

We then moved onto the true nuggets of pizza gold, the dough balls. As my compatriots in white churned out ball after ball, I struggled to have any control over my pieces. As dough quickly swam through their hands, it somehow got stuck in mine. Each pizzaiolo offered his special tip. Unfortunately, their three strategies did not meld into one perfect hybrid, but I did at least earn passing marks. With so many hands, this task was quickly over, with all of the dough converted into pizza dough balls. All that was left was to wait with baited breath for the diners to join us and order a pizza pie.

Most of the duties had been completed by this point, a classic case of hurry up and wait. Conversation began to flow as we waited for the first customers of the evening. The manager, bartender, wait staff – everyone – came into the kitchen to chat during this downtime. Just like at a dinner party, everyone congregated in the kitchen. Anecdotes were shared as we began to get to know one another. People shared stories about their past lives as culinary students or bulk food distributors. I was even able to add my two cents about my expertise in ice cream (see the September 2009 issue of Uptown for my ice cream initiation). Food’s greatest strength was at work again – bringing people together. These strangers suddenly began to become friends.

Like a medieval ball, I had been chained to Austin for the evening. He had been at Pie Town since day one dough on the way to becoming a pizza

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the final product

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and had an amazing ability to move everyone forward; he was a team captain, not a dictator. Chris Reinhart, Peter’s nephew, was the first to offer me a sample slice, so I liked him immediately. I quickly realized this was no special treatment as I soon had whole pizzas coming my way, but he made a good first impression. Gino was the new guy, despite being the oldest, at about 45. He had been in the pizza business since he was 18, but wanted something new and extraordinary, so, he headed to Pie Town. Gino took me under his wing as we manned the pizzas for the rest of night. I knew it would be a fun night when Gino joked, “Now, that is G-I-N…” to ensure I spelled his name correctly in his Uptown debut. These men were true pizza freaks, eating pizza nearly every day of the week, even on their days off.

At first I practiced with dough left over from the day before, waste dough. I was not yet trusted with the good stuff. I felt like I was trying to entice a jellyfish to reshape itself. Flour on my hands was key, in the right proportion. This wasn’t a case of more is better. The dough was in a smooth half-dome about the circumference of a CD and a couple of inches thick. I started in the middle, pressing down the dough with the pads of my fingertips, working my way to the edges. The crust was to be as thin as four or five pieces of paper, but strong enough to hold all the goodies. Meanwhile, what a layman (myself mere hours before) would refer to as the crust, the often-rejected bit, could be thicker. In the world of artisan pizzas, the crust edge is the cornicione, and is the star of the show.

Just when I thought I was getting a handle on the finger pressing, it was time to move onto the next step. Again, the three competing styles of each pizzaiolo showed their faces. Austin told me to use my middle knuckles while I interpreted Gino’s method of choice as using the flat sides of his fingernails. Gino told me, “Gravity is your friend,” while softly stretching the dough as long as the table still supported some of it. At the same time, Austin encouraged me to free the dough of any outside support. Chris had his own tricks. I fused all of the styles to craft a new creature that at least appeared pizza-like in the end. Toppings and sauce were the easy part. A dollop of sauce in the middle was spiraled out with the bottom of a ladle. Adding cheese, if you want to be efficient, is a two-handed endeavor.

The oven demands your respect. It is the centerpiece of the kitchen, taking up most of the room and easily making its presence known by its constant heat. The gas-fired brick oven kept a constant temperature of about 800 degrees. With only a couple of feet between the oven and the production space, the back of my neck was treading the line between hot and uncomfortable. My eyes burned as I kept a constant watch on the pizzas, but I could not tear them away from the cheese that boiled like rolling ocean

waves. Mere seconds were the difference between done and overdone.

A long-handled wooden board, a pizza peel, was used to transfer the pizzas from the assembly area to the oven and from the oven to the plate. It took a delicate shimmy of the wrist to smoothly slide the pizza into the oven. At this I proved to be a natural. It may seem like a minor detail of the process, but without the proper transfer a pizza could be lost. The outer edges of the oven are drastically warmer than the center, so the

pizzas had to be rotated every 30 seconds to cook evenly. This is done with a different peel – one that has a smaller metal disk at its head.

At last, mission accomplished: I made a pizza of customer quality!

From dough to finishing salt, I had a hand in every step of the process. More important, I was proud to be a part of the operation.

Guests at Pie Town are welcomed into the kitchen to see the process and ask questions. They had no idea it was my first day, that I was just a visitor like them. By the end of the night, “Reinhart” (Chris and I were now on an informal footing) was taking pictures of me spinning dough in the air. The rigidity of measurements and protocols had been replaced by laughter and fun.

As we were saying our goodbyes, I mentioned that this wasn’t at all the experience I had been expecting; it had far exceeded my expectations. First off, I wasn’t planning on staying for nearly seven hours. Secondly, I wasn’t expecting their kindness or patience. And finally, I wasn’t expecting the calm and quiet of people working hard at what they do best. Austin, the pizza guru, responded, “You exceeded our expectations too.”

As I reflected on these words, I realized that maybe they weren’t looking forward to my arrival, and I certainly understood why I might first be perceived as a burden; they wouldn’t want someone coming into their space for a night, adding responsibility and work to an already full plate. But they told me that I did what I was supposed to, without even knowing it, and that I was even helpful. I saw how this microcosm is representative of life. Is it human instinct to have low expectations of the unknown, of outsiders? Probably. At the same time, it suggests that we are also willing to be proven wrong. We may put up our guard initially and test newcomers, but relationships can be built quickly in the heat of fire. Although I technically became a pizzaiola by making a customer-quality pizza, I think the true test was in being accepted by the community. For one day I was able to become someone new, from restaurant guest to restaurant chef, from outsider to insider. I was a pizzaiola.

Reach Jen at [email protected] more info go to www.uptownclt.com

My eyes burned as I kept a constant watch on the pizzas, but I could not tear them away from the cheese that boiled like rolling ocean waves. Mere seconds were the difference between done and overdone.

U

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Everybody loves a happy ending, and for Charlotte music lovers, news that the Neighborhood Theatre will continue without missing a beat was welcome indeed.

THE NEIGHBORHOOD THEATRE

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35uptownwww.uptownclt.comwords: woody mitchellpictures: todd trimakas

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s a musician, music writer and diehard fan, I was as stunned as anybody when the theater’s operator, JEM Entertainment, announced in January that the partnership would likely be folding its tents at the end of March.

The theater’s funky charm and broad array of top talent over the past 12 years have made it special among folks

who take their live music seriously. As it grew, it pumped life into the blossoming North Davidson community – galleries, restaurants, and shops – by attracting people to NoDa who might have never visited otherwise.

An outpouring of public sentiment over the theater’s rumored demise, backed up by advance ticket sales and pledges of support, convinced JEM to press on.

“(Shutting down) was a planned business decision, based on a thorough evaluation of our situation,” says JEM partner Zach McNabb. “It wasn’t like we were in default of anything. But we could

clearly see things couldn’t continue as they were.” Words to that effect were posted on the Neighborhood Web site.

Then the Facebook “Save the Neighborhood Theatre” page erupted with well over 7,000 members as word spread on the grapevine and in the press. Attendance and interest picked up, and public demand brightened the grim picture.

“We’ve got a good fresh start,” Zach says, sitting on a March calendar that includes Robert Earl Keen, Ani DiFranco, Cross Canadian Ragweed and another All Arts Market event.

Tyler Foster, owner of the theater property since 2007, is glad the hullabaloo’s over without a wrenching transition. The theater was never in danger of closing, he says – he’d been looking over promoters who could pick up the flag if the worst happened – but continuity works for him.

“I’m just glad Zach and company will keep trucking along,” Tyler says.

So, that’s the news! But, there’s always a story behind the news, and the Neighborhood’s is storied indeed.

Termed an “arts district,” NoDa is the closest thing Charlotte’s ever seen to a bohemian community – a vibrant urban environment with overtones of consciousness. But it wasn’t always that way.

From the 1900s through the 1950s, North Charlotte grew into a thriving textile-mill village beyond the outskirts of town – but when the mills collapsed like dominoes in the late ’60s and early ’70s, it began a two-decade spiral into degeneration and blight: crime, drugs, dives, streetwalkers, seedy storefronts and empty buildings.

By the time Center of the Earth and other galleries and businesses established a beachhead in the mid- to late 1980s, you could buy a four-room

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mill house there for under $20,000. Paul McBroom and his partner/wife, Sharon Pate, early on saw the potential in reviving the neighborhood and established a real estate business, buying, improving and selling houses to attract residents who would help the community outgrow its reputation as an irredeemable slum.

“Some of the people living there now wouldn’t believe what it was like back then,” Sharon says.

Among the ruins sat the old Astor Theater just off the northeast corner of Davidson and 36th streets – unoccupied for 20 years, grossly dilapidated. Built after WWII to serve the booming mill community, the Astor made a splash with a classy design (main theater, big lobby and balcony) and a village to support it. But when the mills went bust and the community tanked, the theater, then next door to a topless bar, resorted to

X-rated films until its slow death in the ’70s. In December 1997, Paul and Sharon

struck a deal for the northeast-corner property, which now includes the theater, Boudreaux’s restaurant and Wine Up. They tore into renovation as if sweat equity were gold, intent on building a venue aimed at a more upscale-alternative audience with an accent on top-shelf roots music.

Sharon ran the day-to-day operations and bookings while Paul, still involved in his real estate business, took care of the facility (including the sound system) and acted as “quasi-bouncer.”

Paul and Sharon didn’t shy from the gamble they were taking in the early going. Conventional wisdom said their

strategy was lunacy: Shows starting at 8 p.m.? Cover charges steep enough to cover top talent? In a neighborhood where faint hearts dare not tread?

No problem, Paul says. “(During the late ’90s), no concert venue sold beer and wine you could take to your seat. People could see a great show and be on the way home by 11 o’clock. Spirit Square had quit

booking music, so there was a vacuum we filled.

“We were totally focused on music rather than barroom mating … it was well-received, and people came, and came back.”

Their first show featured newgrass masters Tony Rice and Peter Rowan, and a nearly sold-out crowd showed up. Back then, the only heat was from a wood stove in the lobby; the tiny restrooms downstairs were allocated to the women, and the men were asked to go upstairs and use the bathtubs (yep, bathtubs) in the

“Some of the people living there now wouldn’t believe what it was like back then,” Sharon says.

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www.buyuptowncharlotte.com


long-abandoned tenement-style apartments, among the ghosts of post-beatnik winos.

Americana singer/songwriter Michael Reno Harrell opened that show, so it can be rightfully said that he sung the first song in the Neighborhood. His recollection:

“At that time, the balcony was closed off from the rest of the theater and was used as the green room, which meant you had to walk down the stairs, through the lobby, down the aisle and climb onto the stage via a piano bench … fun carrying a guitar.

“The stage had about a 5 percent slope toward the audience, so the performers felt as if they might tumble head-first into the front row at any moment. But, all that aside, we had a wonderful show and an enthusiastic audience. And none of us fell off the stage!”

Doc Watson, Newgrass Revival, Taj Mahal, Richard Thompson – the roots-music revival was in full flower, and many great acts crossed the Neighborhood stage over those early years. Randy Ivey, an ardent roots-music supporter from Charlotte, says: “There hadn’t been that much Americana and bluegrass around here before that … (after the theater opened), we were seeing Sam Bush, David Thompson, Will Kimbrough.

“When people would complain there’s no good music happening around here, I’d tell them, ‘That’s because when it is, you’re not there!’ ”

Events also popped up outside the theater. One winter, Paul got a notion to promote a street festival, Mardi Grass, in the middle of February. He asked if my nutty band Lunatic Fringe could cobble together a bluegrass set for a change of pace, and I said, “Sure!” …

Thinking, well, he’s the real lunatic here, but he’s paying the freight. We worked up a spirited set as the Good Ol’ Lunatic Boys

and checked our Arctic gear for leaks.Paul says, “I figured if the worst

happened, we could throw frozen turkeys down an icy runway at bowling pins.”

But the day turned out with blue skies and 70 degrees – a perfect midwinter day. Dancing in the streets!

During our set, Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Casady

of Hot Tuna passed by the street stage en route to their sound check for that night’s

“The stage had about a 5 percent slope toward the audience, so the performers felt as if they might tumble head-first into the front row at any moment...”

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show at the theater, and they hung around to listen. I had met them briefly in San Francisco during the Jefferson Airplane glory days ... so after our set, they gracefully pretended they remembered me and we shot the breeze awhile about how the universe can sometimes be unpredictable in a good way, and how the gig reminded them of the old days when live music was a community event.

Enough people had responded to that community spirit that, by the end of their run, Paul and Sharon had upgraded the infrastructure, installed spacious restrooms and knocked a huge hole in the wall to provide a view of the main stage from the spacious lobby, nearly tripling capacity from 350 to 930. “We were working on a shoestring, but good business allowed us to make improvements,” Sharon says.

Late in 2003, the couple made “a considered decision” to lease the theater to JEM, a partnership of younger folks with a slightly different vision.

“Our intent was never to stay,” Paul

says. “We wanted to build up the business to improve the neighborhood, then turn it over as part of our retirement plan.”

JEM’s plan was to expand beyond roots music. “We wanted to broaden the genre base and do, well … everything!” says partner Gary Leonhard. And from jam bands to George Clinton to notable indies such as Kings of Leon, Metric and Band of Horses, the Neighborhood has delivered on that mission.

JEM continued to plow money into improvements over time, upgrading the sound system and stage lights, installing a 16-foot fan in the main theater, creating a dance floor and building a small stage in the lobby area to bring in smaller

acts on nights when the theater might have otherwise been dark.

“I like to stand at the back of the room as the show ends and watch the people

Mar 10.indd 39 2/26/2010 10:04:50 AM

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going out – 95 percent of them are smiling,” Gary says. “That’s my reward – a recurring special moment.”

Special moments abound for longtime fans – Laurie Koster, who puts out the Charlotte Events Weekly Newsletter (www.carolinamusicconnection.com), has so many it’s hard to pick out even a few. She and her husband, Don, log more shows per year than many do in a lifetime. Standouts for her were Rodney Crowell (2002) and George Clinton (2008).

“Wow! I never stopped dancing and could not believe my ears,” Laurie says.

“But among the brightest moments Don and I have had were the benefits in which we were involved,” she says – five consecutive years of the Spread Your Wings breast cancer benefits and the 2005 tsunami benefit. Those shows featured big names such as Alejandro Escobedo and the Gourds along with the cream of area talent – David Childers, Malcolm Holcombe and the Avett Brothers in the early days of their roll, among many others.

“The Neighborhood Theater has always been stellar in helping to organize, promote and bring these shows together,” Laurie says.

Zach is quick to plug the folks who keep things running smoothly: “Our staff is our most important asset,” he says. In testimony: Christ Central Church, sponsor of NoDa School of the Arts, meets in the theater basement every Sunday. After Saturday night shows, Neighborhood employees work late to make sure churchgoers don’t walk into a place that reeks of beer.

And the beat goes on. The theater continues, and the clouds have broken now. But in the feast-and-famine of show biz, particularly in the current economy, it’s shrewd to balance risks against benefits, Zach says: “One big show doesn’t make your year, and one disaster can cancel out months of profit.”

So my fervent hope is that the recent outpouring of support for the theater is not just a flash in the pan, but a wake-up call

and consciousness-raising to generate long-term support for performers, promoters and venues across the board in Charlotte.

Live music is a treasure, the most fleeting of the arts, one moment that can change your soul forever. For a working musician, the grail is connecting with the audience members and making them part of the show. For an audience, the grail is connecting with a performance that brings them in.

And that bond extends beyond the big-name acts: Local bands are always stoked over the opportunity to open for big names, and the times my bands have opened at the Neighborhood, our reception was always warm and appreciative – even if everybody in the room was chafing for the headliner. That’s musical community, sustainable only by the continued involvement of those who’ll back up their good wishes at the ticket booth.

Reach Woody at [email protected] more info go to www.uptownclt.com

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Mar 10.indd 41 2/26/2010 10:04:53 AM


176

words & pictures:todd trimakas

Mar 10.indd 42 2/26/2010 10:04:56 AM


With my hands on my knees and sweat dripping off my face onto the worn Astroturf, I glance at my heart-rate

monitor connected to my watch. It’s 176. For some reason I always run the numbers in my head. My heart is beating almost three times a second. I’m breathing as hard and as deeply as I can, I can’t talk and the only thing I am truly aware of is my blood screaming through my veins. I know this because I can hear it in my ears. I stay this way for not nearly long enough to catch my breath, and Matt Kokenes returns with the Prowler, a personal-sized sled typically loaded with 90 pounds or more of black steel. Matt’s return is my signal to start pushing again. I don’t want to, and I procrastinate long enough to hear Chris Frye let me know that I can rest when we’re done, but NOW is time to push, so get going. Because I’ve been programmed by 1,000 coaches before, I say nothing, reach out with my pulsing arms, latch onto the Prowler and start pushing again.

the frye gym

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he first time Matt Kokenes and I go to the Frye Gym, we spend 15 minutes driving around looking for the entrance. We know it’s in a converted warehouse on Tremont between South and Tryon, but there are a lot of brick warehouses on Tremont in that area, so which one? We are looking for a sign that we come to find out doesn’t exist. The gym turns out to be one of those places that you don’t know is there unless you know it’s there. We finally see something of a sign on a door next to a loading dock, figure out that, yes, this is Frye’s Gym.

It’s like no other gym I’ve seen before. Where we entered is a poorly painted garage door that upon opening announces to all that you’ve arrived. The walls inside are bare gray concrete block, and there is a full-size Mixed Martial Arts cage in the near corner with a group of men wrestling and taking turns sparring. Plenty of weights with handles on them fill the area, but there’s not a machine to be had and just one treadmill that’s not plugged in. Colorful artistic graffiti covers the outside of the changing area, and there is a 20-foot wide strip of green Astroturf that runs the length of one side of the gym. We have no idea where to begin, but we do realize who Frye is because he is “encouraging” one of his clients in a loud and demanding voice.

Frye is your typical 6-foot-plus, 245-pound, shaved-head, single-digit body fat, tattooed fitness motivator. Whether you consciously decide to or not, you end up listening to him and his instructions because they’re hard to ignore when coming from that figure.

Frye is a local, grew up here in Charlotte, played football at South Meck and was good enough to go on to play football at the Citadel. From grunt to upperclassman he completed his four years in Charleston and came back home to start a cabinet business and a family, and try to stay in physical shape around those things in life that typically get in the way. He added two of his own boys to the mix and took on coaching high school football. His own fitness suffered mightily, complicated by his love of food, and Frye ballooned to 330 pounds. But as part of his football coaching duties, Frye trained

his players and took a more thoughtful approach to their training. Neuromuscular is the word, but what it works out to is an athletic way to train. None of those machines with pulleys, cables, a lap belt and concise instructions on what specific muscles are trained, but instead active training on all the muscles of the body.

The Prowler today is a go between for me. Between warm-ups and what comes next, a five-step exercise of Olympic lifts. I have just enough time to go from my high heart rate of 176 to a more manageable rate in the 140s. But even in the 140s I imagine I can feel myself moving mentally backward toward the medulla or the reptilian part of my brain, the part of the brain that we started with, and the more “civilized” part of the brain grew around it as we evolved. I naturally stop talking, get slightly angry at the process, don’t really look at anyone and reach a point where I can work through physical levels that I didn’t think I could before I started coming to this gym. Halfway through the lifts that I’ve now memorized, RDL to bent-over row to clean and then press, squat and good morning, I’m ready to go home, but can’t yet because our workout isn’t over. I just wish it was.

Chris took his exercise strategy from the football field and athletes to everyday folks in the gyms in and around uptown. He worked as a trainer at most all of them, big and small, national chains and not, and left or was kicked out of all of them. His views didn’t mesh with the typical trainer who worked at these gyms, and so out of this conflict the Frye Gym was born.

Chris’ gym was constructed with a specific purpose, and that is to sweat. There are no mirrors to watch yourself, no place to sit to check e-mail or listen to a voice mail. I haven’t seen anyone try, and I haven’t even thought about bringing my phone into a workout session. I imagine it would be greeted with loud disapproval. But with his bare bones approach to the gym and to the hypoxia-inducing workouts, a bond is created among all the folks who work out at the gym, a friendship that is formed out of mutual survival of these calorie-destroying workouts. And these bonds cross any and all boundaries: a UPS driver trades good-natured jabs with venture capitalists and stay-at-home moms challenge Matt and me to races the length of the gym with 25-pound heavy balls lifted over our heads.

And with my two young daughters at home I can’t help but stop mid-workout and smile as three very determined pre-teen girls strap on their pink boxing gloves and commence to learning the sweet science from Daniel, one of Frye’s instructors. Two to three days a week they get dropped off by their dads and enter what I imagine to be a pretty intimidating environment. Ignoring the loud music pumping from the speakers, and Dingo the shirtless MMA fighter walking around between rounds, they focus on footwork, form and defense with a concentration unmatched in the gym. Can’t help but think what my girls will be doing at their age.

With each overhead press of 100 pounds, I can feel my heart rate rocket upward, hitting that number again: 176. Followed by rest, walking the gym for as long as it takes Matt to go through his sets, maybe a minute or two, giving my heart time to slow back to the 140s, then it’s my turn again – back to RDL, and clean and press, and 176. I start to think maybe that’s as high as my heart rate monitor goes, maybe I should hold my breath just to see if it’ll hit 180. Nah, might

Mar 10.indd 44 2/26/2010 10:05:00 AM


chris frye

Mar 10.indd 45 2/26/2010 10:05:02 AM


not be a good idea, passing out with 100 pounds of steel overhead will not have a good outcome.

Our sets of Olympic lifts are over and according to the digital clock on the wall we have five minutes left in the workout. Thank God. Maybe Chris will have mercy on our quads and let us go early, but with that thought comes a response from Frye. “Almost done, come on over to the tire. Eight times up and eight times back, five sets and you’re done!” It seems like this happens almost every time; I’m nearing the point where I don’t think I can go on, I definitely don’t want to go on, and I’m being asked to move this massive 500-pound tire end over end 40 times.

My first reaction is anger. I’m not talking to anyone, I’m not looking at anyone, and I scowl. I can’t believe I’m being asked to do this. My whole body is already vibrating, and I’m soaked to the core in my own sweat and now I have to do this. I really can’t believe it. But I grab some more water, move toward the tire and start lifting. The first lift is the hardest, but once again I turn my civilized mind off, reptilian on and push forward. One set of eight flips down, four more to go. I have a minute for Matt to do his thing and then I step back in, eight flips down, three more sets to go. I glance down at my heart rate, in the 140s, which at the beginning of our workout felt like breathlessness but is where I now catch my breath and recover. Amazing how the body works.

Matt’s done and I get eight more groaning flips in and have two more sets to go; I can see the end. I’m not aware of who is in the gym, or what music is pumping through the speakers, I’m just sitting, listening to my breathing, feeling my heart pump and watching the sweat pour off my face. Nothing else matters at this moment. Matt’s turn is done, and so is my down time. Chris says something motivating,

left: the prowler // the flipping tire. below: dingo

Mar 10.indd 46 2/26/2010 10:05:09 AM


I take the cue and step up and flip, eight times and I just have one set left. What started as a monumental task has been reduced to just one set of eight flips of this nasty ass tire and that’s it. Matt finishes, it’s my turn and I squat, lift and push, squat, lift and push. I’m done.

I lie down on the turf, spent. More spent than I ever have been in my life, more spent than any time playing any sport, ever, including my time in Division I tennis. That was nothing compared to this, and now I just want to lie here and catch my breath. Let my blood make a lap through my body at a slightly slower pace. Then while I’m lying on the ground, Chris comes over, gives me a congratulatory high five, says nothing and moves on to the next client, his job done here.

Eventually, I pick myself up off the ground, mix up a concoction to help my muscles recover, slip back to the changing area, jump into the nicest gym shower in town, and slowly recover from the mental and physical trauma of the workout. By the time I exit the shower, I’m back to the civilized world and ready to continue my day. But I now have a deeper understanding of my mental and physical limits and a confidence that comes from pushing myself far beyond anything I thought I could do before.

As I walk out of the gym a smile comes to my lips: The Prowler is moving, gliding along the Astroturf – and I’m not the one pushing it.Reach Todd at [email protected] more info go to www.uptownclt.com

top: graffitti art at the gym // dan. bottom: tools of the trade

U

Mar 10.indd 47 2/26/2010 10:05:16 AM


inylits back

words: bryan reedpictures: fenix fotography

Mar 10.indd 48 2/26/2010 1:28:20 PM


erched behind his old Apple laptop and a glass counter filled with stickers and buttons emblazoned with the names of punk bands, Scott Wishart is an anomaly. Lunchbox Records, the Central Avenue storefront he owns, is one of an ever-slimming number of truly independent record stores. As the posters for local shows and indie-label releases plastered on the windows of the shop can attest, Lunchbox isn’t the place to go to pick up the latest T-Pain or Taylor Swift CDs. But that’s precisely what drives Wishart’s business.

P

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s a specialty shop, Lunchbox has been largely unaffected by the record industry’s catastrophic fall from grace that began around the turn of the millennium when a kid named Shawn Fanning developed a little computer program he called Napster. Internet file-sharing boomed, then gave way to digital music sales through services such as iTunes. All the while, CD sales busted with little help from the antagonizing efforts of the Recording Industry Association of America. Big box stores like Best Buy and Wal-Mart continually downsize the floor space devoted to music. At large, the future of recorded music looks dismal.But at Lunchbox, business is just fine, thanks in no small part to the store’s

Athe stacks at lunchbox

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unique and eclectic offerings—and helped along by a surprising resurgence in the popularity of the most outmoded of recording formats, vinyl records. Wishart, who has been in the music retail business since 1997, says, “I’ve always bought records, but when I first started, records were on the way out. Labels, especially big ones, weren’t even releasing them and it kind of continued that way until a few years ago.”Today, I’m talking to Wishart with an armload of new (at least, new to me) records stretching the flimsy handles of the plastic bag in which they’re ensconced. He’s blasting “Old Wounds,” the latest CD from the Louisville, Ky.-based punk band Young Widows, through the store’s speakers as customers comb through shelves for hidden treasures. In the course of our conversation, Wishart sells three copies of the Charlotte-based band Yardwork’s self-titled EP to three customers. He sells an armload of obscure metal LPs to

a couple who sheepishly admit that they didn’t intend to spend so much money. They couldn’t help it. “People like to own things,” Wishart says. “Even though you can go and download anything in the world, if you want to look at the art or something physical, it’s a nicer, more tangible product.”“Me buying 1,000 records is just like some guy that has 200 pairs of shoes in his closet,” he adds. “It’s just different consumer addictions.”And he’s happy to be the well-stocked dealer of choice for the Queen City’s discerning music junkies. As record stores close nationwide, Lunchbox keeps its doors open. As the record industry as we know it spirals downward, Lunchbox’s CD sales stay constant, and even rise some months. And with vinyl’s new vogue status, Lunchbox reaps the benefits of being one of only a small number of retail outlets in town carrying the hip toy. Says Wishart, “Most stores it’s like less than 10 percent of their sales, and for me it’s like around 40 percent from [vinyl] records.”Success stories like Lunchbox are beginning to perk journalists’ ears nationwide, too. News stories in big-time publications like Time, “The Chicago Tribune,” and Wired Magazine and on NPR all point to

“Then people talk about, ‘Oh, I like the pops and clicks of vinyl.’ If you have

pops and clicks in your vinyl you have scratched-up records and you’re not taking care of them. That’s not what records are

about. Good records sound good.”

Mar 10.indd 51 2/26/2010 1:29:47 PM


a dramatic resurgence in vinyl’s viability as a recording format. Industry statistics showed a 15.4 percent increase in vinyl sales from 2006 to 2007 – from 858,000 records to 990,000, overall. But that doesn’t include small stores like Lunchbox. More telling are the record-pressing plants that can’t keep up with demand, the small record labels offering vinyl editions of albums also available on CD or digital formats, or the mere fact that retail giants such as Best Buy and Amazon.com have begun making room for vinyl records.

inside lunchbox records

Mar 10.indd 52 2/26/2010 1:30:14 PM


What, then, would bring a younger generation of music fans back to the format their parents discarded years ago? Well, price could be a factor. Used records often sell for much less than a new – or even a used – CD. While visiting Lunchbox, I bought used vinyl copies of Willie Nelson’s classic “Red Headed Stranger” and Marvin Gaye’s essential “Let’s Get It On” for a paltry $6 each. There’s the collectible nature of records, as well. The cover art is much bigger, making them seem more like a keepsake than CDs for many consumers. Records also tend to be more limited in quantity than their 5-inch counterparts. Most records are limited to only a few thousand – even for bigger releases. Boutique records are often made into limited-edition items with mere hundreds of copies in existence. Plus, say some consumers, a record just sounds better.Or does it? “If you have good equipment, yes it does sound better,” says Wishart. “But, I mean, most people have crappy record players. If you get one of those crappy USB Ion turntables, and you play it on that, versus a CD player through a real stereo, the CD player’s gonna sound way better.”He adds, “Then people talk about, ‘Oh, I like the pops and clicks of vinyl.’ If you have pops and clicks in your vinyl you have scratched-up records and you’re not taking care of them. That’s not what records are about. Good records sound good. If you have pops and clicks then you’re doing something wrong. That’s like saying, ‘I

got a hamburger and there’s pieces of bone in it, but I like that because it makes it more homey.’” So without audiophile equipment or misguided notions of aural “authenticity,” it would seem consumers are left with little incentive to purchase a record over a CD. And that’s why many records offer a little something extra. On their Top 100-charting album “The Second Gleam,” Concord’s favorite sons The Avett Brothers offer two extra songs exclusive to the LP version. Many record labels also have begun to include coupons for free MP3 downloads with LPs, giving customers the improved sound quality and novelty of owning vinyl and the convenience of the digital format.But even at a vinyl-centric store like Lunchbox, CDs are still the most prevalent format. “There’s only been a couple months where I’ve sold more records than CDs,”

says Wishart. Despite the Chicken Little claims of music-industry reports, it seems unlikely the CD will ever disappear entirely. “They’re too cheap to make,” Wishart opines, suggesting the 5-inch plastic discs might eventually assume an entirely promotional role, or become the province of small, local bands eager to get their music out quickly and cheaply.

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inside lunchbox records

Mar 10.indd 53 2/26/2010 1:30:36 PM

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Alkaline Trio – This Addiction (Heart and Skull/Epitaph)The stalwart pop-punks return to an indie label after the Epic-released Agony and Irony, and make up for lost time with a new collection that recalls their old ones by capturing the Trio’s trademark: witty wordplay in manic, punchy cuts.

The Go Find – Everybody Knows It’s Gonna Happen Only Not Tonight (Morr Music)On their latest, The Go Find keeps the rhythmic bounce and keyboard shimmer one might expect from the Morr Music label – known for Postal Service/Owl City-type electronic pop. But here there’s a strong current of Countrypolitan shuffle that gives the record just the songwriter bent it needs to illuminate the craftsmanship in these songs.

Carolina Chocolate Drops – Genuine Negro Jig (Nonesuch)The old-time revivalists have been picking up buzz from the NPR crowd lately, and it’s easy to see why. The trio’s back-porch string band aesthetic gets a contemporary list on this sophomore effort from covers of Blu Cantrell’s hit “Hit ‘Em Up Style” and Tom Waits’ “Trampled Rose.”

Hot Chip – One Life Stand (Astralwerks)Unlike too many of their synth-pop peers, London’s Hot Chip actually knows how to write a song. The band had a hipster break out with the 2006 single “And I Was A Boy From School.” One Life Stand, the band’s fifth proper LP, is jam-packed with stellar “Boy From School”-worthy singles, not least of which is the gold-medal pop song that gives the album its title.

Minor Stars – The Death of The Sun in The SIlver Sea (Summer Secret)Minor Stars is a start-up rock band from Chapel Hill with an ambitious and promising debut that draws psychedelic sprawl, power-pop hooks, heavy metal trudge and shograze ambience into a concoction as sweet as it is brawny.

Shearwater – The Golden Archipelago (Matador)Shearwater is, and this is important to note, a rock band. They don’t shy away from dissonance or abrasive, bombastic bursts. But Shearwater’s music will always be pretty. And that’s all thanks to frontman Jonathan Meiburg and his Swarovski crystalline vocals. And his songs go much farther than the novelty of a classically-trained singer fronting an indie rock band.

Shellshag – Rumors In Disguise (Don Giovanni)This duo blasts shaggy garage rock as catchy as a cold. Their slacker nonchalance is perfected in these 15 shuffling cuts. The songs are short, but once these earworms dig into your brain, they’re far from short-lived.

This, of course, leaves a wide opportunity for vinyl to reassume its position as the dominant physical format for audio – especially in the realm of independent music. “Some genres never stopped making records,” Wishart says. “All the indie rock stuff always came on records…if you go down to Reggae Central they still sell 45s that they get from Jamaica because they never stopped making them.” And as more and more independent – and even local – bands begin to release records, it certainly

seems to be possible. The Raleigh-based punk band Double Negative released its debut, “The Wonderful And Frightening World of Double Negative,” exclusively on vinyl in 2007. It sold out its initial pressing in a matter of days. Wishart runs a boutique label that has released 7-inch EPs from local bands Obstruction and Calabi Yau. And the sale of turntables has increased, as has their availability in mainstream outlets like Urban Outfitters and Target. Already, vinyl records have moved beyond

the scope of obsessive collectors and teenagers unearthing their parents’ dusty collections in the attic. The once-obsolete format, it seems, is regaining its footing in a very real way. Just spend some time in Lunchbox Records watching the customers entering in waves as they file through the store’s inventory for a dusty classic or a shrink-wrapped new release.You can reach Bryan at: [email protected] more info go to: www.uptownclt.com

U

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Dining and Nightlife GuideA M E R I C A N

Alexander Michael’s – $ 401 W. 9th St. 704.332.6789BlackFinn – $$ 210 E. Trade St. 704.971.4440Camilles – $ 1518 E. 3rd St. 704.342.4606Cedar Street Tavern – $ 120 N. Cedar St. 704.333.3448 Champions – $ 100 W. Trade St. - Marriott Hotel 704.333.9000Comet Grill – $ 2224 Park Rd. 704.371.4300Cosmos Cafe – $300 N. College St. 704.372.3553Dogwood Cafe – $ 138 Brevard Court 704.376.8353East Boulevard Grill – $ 1601 East Blvd. 704.332.2414Ember Grille – $$$601 S. College St. WestinHotel 704.335.2064Fenwick’s – $ 511 Providence Rd. 704.333.2750Fox and Hound – $330 N. Tryon St. 704.333.4113French Quarter – $ 321 S. Church St. 704.377.7415John’s Country Kitchen – $1524 East Blvd. 704.370.1177Lebowski’s Grill & Pub - $1518 Central Ave. 704.333.9551Nix – $201 N. Tryon St. 704.347.2739Pike’s Soda Shop – $1930 Camden Rd. 704.372.0097Presto Bar and Grill – $445 W. Trade St. 704.334.7088Providence Café – $ $ 829 Providence R d. 704.376.2008Providence Road Sundries – $1522 Providence Rd. 704.366.4467Rock Bottom – $ 401 N. Tryon St. 704.334.2739Selwyn Pub – $ 2801 Selwyn Ave. 704.333.3443Simmons Fourth Ward Restaurant – $516 N. Graham St. 704.334.6640Something Classic Café – $715 Providence Rd. 704.347.3666South 21 – $ 3101 E. Independence Blvd. 704.377.4509Stool Pigeons – $ 214 N. Church St. 704.358.3788The Gin Mill South End – $1411 S. Tryon St. 704.373.0782The Graduate – $ 123 W. Trade St. 704.358.3024The Penguin – $ 1921 Commonwealth Ave. 704.375.6959The Philosopher’s Stone – $1958 E. Seventh St. 704.350.1331The Pub – $ 710 West Trade St. 704.333.9818Thomas Street Tavern – $ 1218 Thomas Ave. 704.376.1622 Tic Toc Coffeeshop – $ 512 N. Tryon St. 704.375.5750Union Grille – $ 222 E 3rd St. – Hilton Towers 704.331.4360Vinnie’s Sardine – $ 1714 South Blvd. 704-332-0006Wild Wings - $210 E. Trade St. 704.716.9464Zack’s Hamburgers – $ 4009 South Blvd. 704.525.1720

A M E R I C A N M O D E R N

131 Main – $$ 1315 East Blvd. 704.343.0131300 East – $$ 300 East Blvd. 704.332.6507

Bentley’s on 27 – $$$ 201 S. College St. Fl. 27 704.343.9201(Charlotte Plaza Building)BLT Steak – $$$ 201 E. Trade St. 704.547.2244Bonterra Restaurant – $$$ 1829 Cleveland Ave. 704.333.9463Carpe Diem – $$$ 1535 Elizabeth Ave. 704.377.7976Coastal Kitchen & Bar – $$$ 222 E. 3rd St. 704.331.4360Custom Shop – $$$ 1601 Elizabeth Ave. 704.333.3396Fig Tree – $$$ 1601 E. Seventh St. 704.332.3322Lulu – $$ 1911 Central Ave. 704.376.2242McNinch House – $$$ 511 N. Church St. 704.332.6159Mimosa Grill – $$ 301 S. Tryon St. 704.343.0700Monticello – $$ 235 N. Tryon St. – Dunhill Hotel 704.342.1193Pewter Rose Bistro – $$ 1820 South Blvd. 704.332.8149Ratcliffe on the Green – $$ 435 S. Tryon St. 704.358.9898Zink – $$ 201 N. Tryon St. 704.444.9001

A S I A N

88 China Bistro – $ 1620 E. 4th St. 704.335.0288Basil Thai – $ 210 N. Church St. 704.332.7212China King – $ 128 Brevard Ct. 704.334-7770 China Queen Buffet – $ 127 N. Tryon St. Ste 3 704.377.1928China Saute – $ 2214 Park Rd 704.333.1116Creation – $ 1221-A The Plaza 704.372.2561Cuisine Malaya – $ 1411 Elizabeth Ave. 704.372.0766Dim Sum – $ 2920 Central Ave. 704.569.1128Eggroll King – $ 8907 Steelechase Dr. 704.372.6401Emperor Chinese – $ 337 S. Kings Dr. 704.333.2688Fortune Cookie – $ 208 East Independence Blvd. 704.377.1388Fujiyama – $ 320 S. Tryon St. 704.334.5158 Fuse Box – $ 227 W. Trade St. 704.376.8885 Ginbu 401 – $ 401 Providence Rd. 704.372.2288Great Wok – $ 718 W Trade St. Ste M 704.333.0080Hong Kong – $ 1713 Central Ave. 704.376.6818Indochine Asian Tapas Lounge - $210 E. Trade St. 704.688.0078Koko – $ 6609 Elfreda Rd. 704.338.6869Monsoon Thai Cuisine – $ 2801 South Blvd. 704.523.6778Orient Express – $ 3200 N Graham St. 704.332.6255Pho An Hoa – $ 4832 Central Ave. 704.537.2595Pho Hoa – $ 3000 Central Ave. 704.536.7110SOHO Bistro – $ 214 N Tryon St. 704.333.5189Thai Taste – $ 324 East Blvd. 704.332.0001Taipei Express – $ 731 Providence Rd. 704.334.2288Tin Tin Box & Noodles – $ 101 N. Tryon St. 704.377.3223

Zen Asian Fusion – $ 1716 Kenilworth Ave. 704.358.9688

B A K E R Y

Cloud 9 Confections – $ 201 S. College St. Suite 270 704.334.7554Great Harvest Bread – $ 901 S. Kings Dr. 704.333.0431Amelie’s Bakery – $ 2424 N. Davidson St. 704.376-1781Nova’s Bakery – $ 1511 Central Ave. 704.333.5566Panera Bread – $ 601 Providence Rd. 704.374.0581

B A R B E Q U E

Art’s Barbecue – $ 900 E. Morehead St. 704.334.9424Jolina Tex Mex & BBQ – $ 500 S. College St. 704.375.0994Mac’s Speed Shop – $ 2511 South Blvd. 704.522.6227Rib Palace – $ 1300 Central Ave. 704.333.8841

B R E A K F A S T

Art’s Barbecue – $ 900 E. Morehead St. 704.334.9424Coffee Cup – $ 914 S. Clarkson St. 704.375.8855Einstein Brothers – $ 201 S. Tryon St. 704.332.4015Einstein Brothers – $ 1501 South Blvd. 704.333.4370IHOP – $ 2715 E. Independence Blvd. 704.334.9502Monticello – $$ 235 N. Tryon St. – Dunhill Hotel 704.342.1193Owen’s Bagel & Deli – $2041 South Blvd. 704.333.5385Tic Toc Coffeeshop – $ 512 N. Tryon St. 704.375.5750

B R I T I S H

Big Ben’s Pub – $ 801 Providence R d. 704.334.6338

C A J U N & C R E O L E Boudreaux’s Louisiana Kitchen – $ 501 E. 36th St. 704.331.9898Cajun Queen – $$ 1800 E 7th St. 704.377.9017

C A R I B B E A N

Anntony’s Caribbean Cafe – $ 2001 E. 7th St. 704.342.0749Austin’s Caribbean Cuisine – $ 345 S. Kings Dr. 704.331.8778

C H I N E S E

88 China Bistro – $ 1620 E. 4th St. 704.335.0288Vanloi Chinese Barbecue – $3101 Central Ave. 704.566.8808Wok Express – $ 601 S. Kings Dr. 704.375.1122

C O F F E E S H O P S

Caribou Coffee – $ 100 N. Tryon St. 704.372.5507Dilworth Coffee – $1235 East Blvd # B, 704.358.8003330 S Tryon St, 704.334.4575 Dilworth Playhouse Cafe – $1427 South Blvd. 704.632.0336

Einstein Brothers – $ $ - 201 S. Tryon St. 704.332.4015 Einstein Brothers – $ 1501 South Blvd. 704.333.4370Java Passage – $ 101 W. Worthington 704.277.6558Jump N Joe’s Java Joint – $ 105 E. Morehead St. 704.372.3217La Tea Da’s – $ 1942 E. 7th St. 704.372.9599Nova’s Bakery – $ 1511 Central Ave. 704.333.5566PJ’s Coffee & Lounge - $210 E. Trade St. (Epicentre) 704.688.0366 Port City Java – $ 214 N. Tryon St. (Hearst) 704.335.3335SK Netcafe – $ 1425 Elizabeth Ave. 704.334.1523Starbucks – $ 545 Providence Rd. 704.372.1591Starbucks – $ 101 S. Tryon St. 704.374.9519Tic Toc Coffee shop – $ 512 N. Tryon St. 704.375.5750

D E L I

Adams 7th Street Market – $ 401 Hawthorne Ln. 704.334.0001Art’s Barbecue – $ 900 E. Morehead St. 704.334.9424Blynk – $ 200 S. Tryon 704.522.3750Common Market – $ 2007 Commonwealth Ave. 704.334-6209Dikadee’s Deli – $ 1419 East Blvd. 704.333.3354Dogwood Cafe – $ 138 Brevard Court 704.376.8353Fresco Cafe & Deli – $ 3642 Moultrie St. 704.376.5777Grand Central Deli – $ 101 N. Tryon St. 704.348.7032Great Harvest Bread Co. – $901 S. Kings Dr. 704.333.0431Groucho’s Deli – $ 201 N. Tryon St. 704.342.0030Halfpenny’s – $ 30 Two First Union Ctr. 704.342.9697Jason’s Deli – $ 210 E. Trade (Epicentre) 704.688.1004Jersey Mike’s Subs – $ 128 S. Tryon St. 704.343.0006Jersey Mikes Subs – $ 2001 E. 7th St. 704.375.1985Jump N Joe’s Java Joint – $ 105 E. Morehead St. 704.372.3217Laurel Market South – $ 1515 South Blvd. 704.334.2185Leo’s Delicatessen – $ 1421 Elizabeth Ave. 704.375.2400Li’l Dino – $ 401 S. Tryon St. 704.342.0560Matt’s Chicago Dog – $ 425 S. Tryon St. 704.333.3650Owen’s Bagel & Deli – $ 2041 South Blvd. 704.333.5385Philadelphia Deli – $ 1025 S. Kings Dr. 704.333.4489Phil’s Tavern – $ 105 E. Fifth St. 704.347.0035Rainbow Café – $ 400 South Tryon 704.332.8918Reid’s – $ 225 E. 7th St. 704.377.1312Ri-Ra Irish Pub – $ 208 N. Tryon St 704.333.5554Salvador Deli – $ N. Davidson St. 704.334.2344Sammy’s Deli – $ 1113 Pecan Ave. 704.376.1956

Mar 10.indd 65 2/26/2010 10:06:35 AM


Dining and Nightlife Guide

Sandwich Club – $ 525 N. Tryon St. 704.334.0133Sandwich Club – $ 435 S. Tryon St. 704.344.1975Substation II - $ 1601 South Blvd 704-332-3100 1941 E. 7th St. 704-358-8100

D E S S E R T

Crave the Dessert Bar – $ 501 W. 5th St. 704.277.9993Dairy Queen – $ 1431 Central Ave. 704.377.4294Dolce Ristorante – $$ 1710 Kenilworth Ave. 704.332.7525Luce Ristorante – $$ 214 N. Tryon St. – Hearst Plaza 704.344.9222Monticello – $$ 235 N. Tryon St.– Dunhill Hotel 704.342.1193

E C L E C T I C

The Melting Pot – $$$ 901 S. Kings Dr. Stuite 140-B 704.334.4400Therapy Cafe – $ 401 N. Tryon St. 704.333.1353The Fig Tree – $$ 1601 E. 7th St. 704.332.3322

F R E N C H

Terra – $$545-B Providence Rd. 704.332.1886

G R E E K

Greek Isles – $$ 200 E. Bland St. 704.444.9000Little Village Grill – $ 710-G W. Trade St. 704.347.2184Showmars – $ 214 N. Tryon St. 704.333.5833

I N D I A N

Copper – $$311 East Blvd. 704.333.0063Maharani – $ 901 S. Kings Dr. 704.370.2824

I T A L I A N

Carrabba’s Italian Grill – $$ 1520 South Blvd. 704.377.2458Coco Osteria – $$ 214 N. Tryon St.–Hearst Plaza 704.344.8878Dolce Ristorante – $$ 1710 Kenilworth Ave. 704.332.7525Fig Tree – $$$1601 E. 7th St. 704.332.3322Hawthorne’s NY Pizza – $ 1701 E. 7th St. 704.358.9339Intermezzo Pizzeria & Café – $1427 E. 10th St. 704.347.2626Luce Ristorante & Bar – $$$ 214 N. Tryon St. – Hearst Plaza 704.344.9222Mama Ricotta’s – $$ 601 S. Kings Dr. 704.343.0148

Open Kitchen – $ 1318 W. Morehead St. 704.375.7449Pasta & Provisions – $ 1528 Providence Rd. 704.364.2622Portofino’s Italian – $$ 3124 Eastway Dr. 704.568.7933Primo Ristorante – $$ 116 Middleton Dr. 704.334.3346Cafe Siena – $$ 230 N. College St. 704.602.2750Salute Ristorante – $$ 613 Providence Rd 704.342.9767Terra – $$ 545-B Providence Rd. 704.332.1886Villa Francesca 321 Caldwell St. 704.333.7447Volare – $$1523 Elizabeth Ave. 704.370.0208Zio Authentic Italian – $$ 116 Middleton Dr. 704.344.0100

L A T I N

Havana – $ 145 Brevard Ct. 704.342.4700

M E A T & T H R E E

Dish – $1220 Thomas Ave. 704.344.0343Mert’s Heart & Soul – $ 214 N. College St. 704.342.4222Blue – $$$214 N. Tryon St. 704.927.2583Intermezzo Pizzeria & Café – $1427 E. 10th Street 704.347.2626

M E X I C A N

Cabo Fish Taco – $ 3201 N. Davidson St. 704.332.8868Johnny Burrito – $ 301 S. Tryon St. 704.371.4448La Paz – $$ 1910 South Blvd. 704.372.4168Phat Burrito – $ 1537 Camden Rd. 704.332.7428Salsarita’s – $ 101 S. Tryon St. 704.342.0950Taqueria La Unica – $ 2801 Central Ave. 704.347.5115

M I D D L E E A S T E R N

Kabob Grill – $ 1235-B East Blvd. 704.371.8984

O U T D O O R D I N I N G

Big Ben’s Pub – $$ 801 Providence Rd. 704.334.6338 Cans Bar – $500 W. 5th St. 704.940.0200East Boulevard Grill – $ 1601 East Blvd. 704.332.2414Ember Grille – $$$ 601 S. College St. - Westin Hotel 704.335.2064Ri-Ra Irish Pub – $ 208 N. Tryon St 704.333.5554

Sullivan’s – $$$ 1928 South Blvd. 704.335.8228The Corner Pub – $ 335 N. Graham St. 704.376.2720

P I Z Z A

Brixx – $225 East 6th St. 704.347.2749Donato’s Pizza - $718-A West Trade St 704.714.4743Domino’s Pizza – $ 343 S. Kings Dr. 704.331.9847Fuel Pizza – $ 214 N. Tryon St. 704.350.1680Fuel Pizza – $ 1501 Central Ave. 704.376.3835Hawthorne’s NY 1701 E. 7th St. 704.358.9339 Latta Pizza – $ 320 S. Tryon St. 704.333.4015Papa John’s Pizza – $ 1620 E. 4th St. 704.375.7272Picasso’s – $ 214 N. Church St. 704.331.0133 Pie Town – $$ 710 W. Trade St. 704.379.7555Pizza Hut – $ 901 S. Kings Dr. 704.377.7006Rudino’s Pizza & Grinders – $ 2000 South Blvd. - Atherton Mill 704.333.3124UNO Chicago Grill – $ 401 S. Tryon St. 704.373.0085Villa Francesca 321 Caldwell St. 704.333.7447Zio Authentic Italian – $ 116 Middleton Dr. 704.344.0100

Q U I C K B I T E S

Bojangles’ – $310 E Trade St. 704.335.1804Boston Market – $ 829 Providence Rd. 704.344.0016Burger King – $ 310 E. Trade St. 704.334.3312Chick-fil-A – $ 101 S. Tryon St. 704.344.0222Chicks Restaurant – $ 320 S. Tryon St. – Latta Arcade 704.358.8212Church’s – $ 1735 W. Trade St. 704.332.2438Dairy Queen – $ 1431 Central Ave. 704.377.4294Domino’s Pizza – $ 343 S. Kings Dr. 704.331.9847Fuel Pizza – $ 214 N. Tryon St. 704.350.1680Fuel Pizza – $ 1501 Central Ave. 704.376.3835Green’s Lunch – $ 309 W. 4th St. 704.332.1786Mr. K’s – $ 2107 South Blvd. 704.375.4318Papa John’s Pizza – $ 1620 E. 4th St 704.375.7272Pasta & Provisions – $ 1528 Providence Rd. 704.364.2622Pita Pit – $ 214 N. Tryon St. 704.333.5856

Quiznos Sub – $ 127 N. Tryon St. 704.374.9921Quizno’s – $ 320 S. Tryon St. – Latta Arcade 704.372.8922Roly Poly Sandwiches – $ 317 S. Church St. 704.332.6375Sbarro – $ 101 S. Tryon St. 704.332.5005Simply Subs – $ 212 S. Tryon St. 704.333.0503Smoothie King – $ Epicentre - 210 Trade St. 704.979.6911Smoothie King – $ One Wachovia Center 704.374.0200Spoons – $ 415 Hawthorne Ln. 704.376.0874Woody’s Chicago Style – $320 S. Tryon St. - Latta Arcade 704.334.0010Zack’s Hamburgers – $ 4009 South Blvd. 704.525.1720

S E A F O O D

Aquavina – $$$ 435 S. Tryon St. 704.377.9911Cabo Fish Taco – $ 3201 N. Davidson St. 704.332.8868Capital Grille – $$$ 201 N. Tryon St. 704.348.1400Fig Tree –$$$1601 E. Seventh St. 704.332.3322 LaVecchia’s – $$$ 225 E. 6th St. 704.370.6776McCormick & Schmick’s – $$$ 200 South Tryon St. 704.377.0201Outback Steakhouse – $$ 1412 East Blvd. 704.333.0505

S O U T H E R N & S O U L

Lupie’s Cafe – $ 2718 Monroe Rd. 704.374.1232Mert’s Heart and Soul – $214 N. College St 704.342.4222 Price’s Chicken Coop – $ 1614 Camden Rd. 704.333.9866Savannah Red – $$ 100 W. Trade St. 704.333.9000Marriott City Center

S P A N I S H

Sole Spanish Grille – $$$ 1608 East blvd.. 704.343.9890

S T E A K H O U S E

Beef & Bottle – $$$ 4538 South Blvd. 704.523.9977Capital Grille – $$$ 201 N. Tryon St. 704.348.1400Chima – $$$ 139 S. Tryon St. 980.225.5000Flemings - $$$210 E. Trade St. 704.333.4266LaVecchia’s – $$$ 225 E. 6th St. 704.370.6776Longhorn Steakhouse – $$ 700 E. Morehead St. 704.332.2300

Mar 10.indd 66 2/26/2010 10:06:36 AM


Morton’s – $$$ 227 W.Trade St.- Carillon bldg. 704.333.2602Outback Steakhouse – $$ 1412 East Blvd. 704.333.2602Ruth’s Chris – $$$ 222 S. Tryon St. 704.338.9444Sullivan’s – $$$ 1928 South Blvd. 704.335.8228

S U S H I

Cosmos Cafe – $$ 300 N. College St. 704.372.3553Enso – $$ 210 E. Trade St. 704.716.3676Fujo Uptown Bistro – $$ 301 S. College St 704.954.0087KO Sushi – $$ 230 S. Tryon St. 704.372.7757Nikko – $$ 1300-F South Blvd. 704.370.0100Room 112 – $$ 112 S. Tryon St. 704.335.7112Ru-San’s Sushi – $$ 2440 Park Rd. 704.374.0008

T A P A S

Arpa Tapas – $$$ 704.372.7792 121 W. Trade St. Cosmos Cafe – $$ 704.372.3553 300 N. College St.

V E G E T A R I A N

Blynk – $ 200 S. Tryon 704.522.3750Dish – $ 1220 Thomas Ave. 704.344.0343Something Classic Café – $715 Providence Rd. 704.347.3666

V I E T N A M E S E

Pho An Hoa – $ 4832 Central Ave. 704.537.2595

B A R S

Amos SouthEnd – $ 1423 S. Tryon St. 704.377.6874Apostrophe Lounge – $$ 1400 S. Tryon St. 704.371.7079BAR Charlotte – $ 300 N. College St. 704.342.2557Big Ben’s Pub – $$ 801 Providence Rd. 704.334.6338 Buckhead Saloon – $ 201 E. 5th St. 704.370.0687Cans Bar – $ 500 W. 5th St. 704.940.0200Cedar Street Tavern – $ 120 N. Cedar St. 704.333.3448Connolly’s on 5th – $ 115 E. 5th St. 704.358.9070Cosmos – $$ 300 N. College St. 704.375.8765Coyote Ugly – $ 521 N. College St. 704.347.6869Crave the Dessert Bar – $ 501 W. 5th St. 704.277.9993Dilworth Bar & Grille 911 E. Morehead St. 704.377.3808

Dilworth Billiards 300 E. Tremont Ave. 704.333.3021Dixie’s Tavern 301 E. 7th St. 704.374.1700DoubleDoor Inn 218 E. Independence Blvd. 704.376.1446Ed’s Tavern 2200 Park Rd. 704.335.0033Evening Muse 3227 N. Davidson St. 704.376.3737Fox and Hound – $ 330 N. Tryon St. 704.333.4113Hartigans Pub – $ 601 S. Ceder St. 704.347.1841Hawthorne’s NY Pizza – $ 1701 E. 7th St. 704.358.9339Howl at the Moon – $ 210 E. Trade St. 704.936.4695Jillian’s SouthEnd – $ 300 E. Bland Street 704.376.4386Loft 1523 – $$ 1523 Elizabeth Ave. 704.333.5898Madison’s – $$ 115 Fifth St. 704.299.0580Morehead Tavern – $ 300 East Morehead St. 704.334.2655Mortimers -$210 E. Trade St. 704.334.2655Phil’s Tavern – $ 105 E. Fifth St. 704.347.0035Picasso’s – $ 214 N. Church St. 704.331.0133Pravda – $$ 300 N. College St. 704.375.8765Presto Bar and Grill – $ 445 W. Trade St. 704.334.7088Ri-Ra Irish Pub – $ 208 N. Tryon St 704.333.5554Selwyn Pub – $ 2801 Selwyn Ave. 704.333.3443Stool Pigeons – $ 214 N. Church St. 704.358.3788Suite – $ 210 E. Trade St. 704.999.7934The Attic – $ 200 N. Tryon St. 704.358.4244The Corner Pub – $ 335 N. Graham St. 704.376.2720The Forum – $$ 300 N. College St. 704.375.8765The Gin Mill – $ 1411 S. Tryon St. 704.373.0782The Penguin – $ 1921 Commonwealth Ave. 704.375.6959The Pub – $ 710 West Trade St. 704.333.9818Thomas Street Tavern – $ 1218 Thomas St. 704.376.1622Tilt – $$ 127 W. Trade St. 704.347.4870Town Tavern – $ 200 N. Tryon Tremont Music Hall – $ 400 W Tremont Ave. 704.343.9494Tutto Mondo – $ 1820 South Blvd. 704.332.8149Tyber Creek Pub – $ 1933 South Blvd. 704.343.2727Vinnie’s Sardine – $ 1714 South Blvd. 704.332.0006Whiskey River – $ 210 E. Trade St. 704.749.1097Wild Wings - $210 E. Trade St. 704.716.9464

Dining and Nightlife Guide

Mar 10.indd 67 2/26/2010 10:06:41 AM

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