Uptown Magazine March 2009

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Element at Craig Avenue – Where modern architecture breaks away from condo living • Charlotte’s premiere green, single-family, modern community. • Solar panel options available. • HERS Rating 62: homes are 38% more efficient than standard home. • Features 10’-19’ ceilings, outdoor living with fireplaces, covered parking. • Upgrade specials with purchase contract by April 1, 2009. • Up to $10,100 available in Federal Tax Credits. • With rates as low as 4.75%, this is the time to buy. • Learn more today: Model open daily.

Office 704.375.3408 4547 Craig Ave. Charlotte, NC 28211

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Rusty Gibbs 704.345.8209 [email protected] cobaltdbs.com

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Enjoy South Park Living! Townhomes From The $180’s.

ToUr 6 decoraTed Model hoMes, open daily! • 1,747 to 4,500 square feet • 1 or 2 car attached garage • 2 to 5 bedrooms and 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 baths with owner’s bedroom up or down • Bonus room, loft & rec rooms available •Gated entrance with clubhouse, fitness center & Jr. olympic pool •1 mile from South Park mall and Lynx light rail station

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704-643-7112 Directions: I-77 to Exit 5/Tyvola Rd. Go East 2.6 mi. toward SouthPark 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. Prices and offers subject to change without notice. See a sales representative for details.

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Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre offers one of the most unique atmospheres to entertain you and your clients. We offer an unmatched season ticket program with box suites and season seats available now for the 2009 concert season. All season ticket packages include the following amenities: • Membership to our Private VIP Club • VIP Parking Passes to each concert • Private VIP Entrance into the venue • Guaranteed location for every show • Ability to order additional tickets • Advance notice of upcoming events

For more information and available locations please contact the Director of Premium Seats Sales! Cat Obleski • 704.887.6514 • [email protected]

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Because the only thing you have to fear is missing out on a remarkable opportunity. If you’re ready to move Uptown,we’re ready to help make it happen.

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O D N O C R U O Y

2/24/2009 5:15:27 PM

An exciting new group of unique urban lofts in the heart of the vibrant First Ward neighborhood – just a short walk from Tryon Street and all of Uptown’s excitement. Condos at The Quad are affordably priced from $140,000 to $250,000.

EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY: THE CENTRO SOLUTION. I HAVE A GOOD JOB, BUT I’M AFRAID OF LOSING IT IN THE NEAR FUTURE. We understand. So now at The Quad, you can buy, close and move into your new condo with our guarantee that if you lose your job as a result of employee cutbacks within the next year, Centro will make your mortgage payment for up to six months. No repayment necessary. We’re willing to bet on YOU. And on Charlotte.

I PRE-QUALIFIED FOR A MORTGAGE A YEAR AGO, BUT TODAY I CAN’T MEET THE INCREASED DOWN-PAYMENT REQUIREMENT. You might be surprised. Centro has access to several special loan programs with down-payment requirements ranging from zero to 5%. There’s a good chance that one of these programs will fit your needs.

I’M WORRIED ABOUT LIMITED APPRECIATION ON MY INVESTMENT. Short-term, it’s true – housing as an investment is generally on “pause” nationwide. But Centro is confident in the robust future of Charlotte overall and Uptown in particular. That’s why, to compensate for any potential investment stall, Centro is offering $5,000 worth of incentives that you can apply at The Quad as you see fit (upgrades, closing costs, buying down to a lower interest rate, reducing your purchase price, etc.).

I’M CONCERNED THAT AFTER I BUY MY CONDO, PRICES WILL GO EVEN LOWER. We can’t predict the market in general, but we can guarantee ours. If you buy a condo at The Quad, and Centro subsequently lowers its sales price on a comparable Quad unit, we’ll pay you the difference. Period. I WOULD LOVE TO LIVE UPTOWN, BUT I CAN GET MORE VALUE IN THE ‘BURBS. A 45-minute commute to work adds up to more than 360 hours in your car every year. We recommend that you ask yourself, “How much is my time worth?” Because now is a great time to take back your life.

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NO ONE BRINGS YOU THE CITY LIKE CENTRO.

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pictures: fenix fotography

jeweler ernest perry poses between 1984 olympics gold medalists tyrell biggs and mark breland

eric womack lands a vicious punch to the face of fellow Charlottean omar pena

Black ties and brawlers mixed it up at the 10th annual Fight Night For Kids presented by the Charlotte Bobcats and held at the Convention Center. Live music, gourmet food, and boxing sanctioned by the World Boxing Council—all to raise money for children’s charities throughout Mecklenburg County. angie cottone with friend camille key

beautiful blond version of charlie daniels times three

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Nova’s Bakery A gift from Nova’s Bakery is the perfect way to say “I love you!”

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Come see why Peak Fitness on Morehead is Uptown Charlotte’s most popular Health Club! All specials for this location only.

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* North Carolina native Ryan Sumner is Creative Director of Fenix Fotography. Though Sumner’s been shooting in the Queen City professionally for years, he spent nearly a decade as a designer at the Levine Museum until he set up his studio last year in NoDa’s historic Highland Mill. This month Ryan handled the gorgeous models in this month’s fashion shoot as well as other work throughout the magazine.

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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 and was recently promoted to Ad Director for the magazine. Shake Matt’s hand if you see him—he deserves it, plus he looks much better in person.

Celina Marann Mincey is an emerging artist in many forms. She is the editor of Central Speak, a community magazine. As a singer/songwriter, she is beginning to perform locally while completing an album in the studio. Capturing people with a lens as well as with words, Celina is a freelance photographer and dabbles in oil painting. This month Celina opens her mind and her pores to holistic healing.

name: Little Shiva species: mutant here for: the smell of ink on paper interests: juxtaposition, transformation, mystery, clarity, the process of becoming, images, and design contributions to this issue: table of contents website: littleshiva.com ** Thanks to Shiva for the yummy cover photography.

Bryan Reed is a man of simple interests— among them, words, records, movies and adjusting to life as a grown-up (whatever that means). Since graduating from UNCChapel 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 including Tiny Mix Tapes and several weekly newspapers across the Carolinas.

Whitney Ferrall smiled at birth (so swear her parents), colored on her purple bedroom wall at age four, took second place in the schoolwide spelling bee at nine, spent her first summer in New York at 11, fell in love with an architect’s son at 15, got lost in Amsterdam at 17 (and again at 22), wrote about squash at 26, and became a mother twice-over at 28.

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Ellen Ward is a graphic designer and illustrator working in Concord, North Carolina. Originally from scenic Long Island, Ms Ward enjoys all that Charlotte has to offer but still occasionally longs for a bialy. Ellen created the fantastic cover for the February issue of Uptown, but was mistakenly left off the contributors’ section. Please make sure she feels lotsa love for such a beautiful piece of art. And for jumbo or wee creative projects, contact : wardworx@ yahoo.com

Freelance writer Andy Graves spent his childhood and teenage years on a small, muddy dairy farm in upstate New York. He came by higher education in Helsinki, Finland; Baltimore, Maryland; Cork, Ireland; and Buffalo, New York. When pressed about what he does for a living, he will explain that he is a hobo. This is not as much a lie as he would have you believe. Feel free to ply him with wine.

Born and raised in a small Connecticut town, Erica A de Flamand migrated south looking for warmer weather. A graphic designer by degree and do-gooder at heart, she spends equal time “creating” and working with special needs children in the world of equine therapy. She always has a camera and a dog by her side, and is known to drink too much coffee.

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* Catherine Rabb opened Fenwick’s on Providence in 1984, and is very grateful to folks who eat there, because Fenwick’s is still there today. Catherine also had another place, Catherine’s on Providence, for a number of years. Although she is a cook, her hobby is wine, and she teaches beverage classes (wine, spirits, beer) to culinary students at Johnson & Wales University. It’s a tough job to drink wine and pair it with food every day, but someone has to do it!

Chris Wooten is a designer, artist, builder of tree houses, father, and avid traveler who is known for a neurotically meticulous attention to detail. Since the 1990s, Chris has been designing print and interactive solutions with zeal! Modry Design Studio was born after he hooked up with his partner in 2003. For now the company is firmly rooted in NoDa. If you want to talk design, stop by their studio or find them them online at ModryDesignStudio. com

Jim McGuire has been doing commercial and fashion photography and video since 1986. Clients include fashion designer Otilio Salazar, GQ and Modern Bride. His work has been printed in Japan, Italy, Venezuela, Turkey, and Holland. Jim has lived in Plaza Midwood since 1985 and is known for throwing outrageous parties. To top it all off, he’s a father, too! See Jim’s photography throughout the magazine or at jimmcguire.com.

Responding to whatever makes you smile, Melissa Fazio—also known as the Faz, Fazerati, or Emmy—is the newest addition to the Uptown Magazine family. A “military brat” who moved all over the world as a kid, she now makes her home in the Queen City, where for the past six years she worked in Charlotte radio as a senior account executive. Now with Uptown, Melissa is ready to help your business succeed—and of course she’s always ready to have fun!

At one time a dancer, choreographer, and aspiring writer, one day Amanda Pagliarini woke up to find herself in a cubicle. Since relocating from DC two years ago, she has found a happiness as the Sales Diva at the Pursuit Group. In the off hours you can find her trotting around Uptown with her boxer JJ or buried in her laptop working on the next great American novel. And even though it fits so very well, please don’t call her “Mandi”.

CUTE PUPS GOT YOUR ATTENTION?

SO SHOULD HISTORIC LOW INTEREST RATES AND GREAT PRICES ON HOMES AND CONDOS.

THE TIME TO BUY IS NOW!

Dilworth under $200,000? Wilmore for $170,000? Uptown condos for $150,000? There are great homes and condos at great prices all over Charlotte…we should know, we’ve been helping people buy them. Let us help you too. Combine the low prices with low interest rates – you can buy more now for the same monthly payment or buy less and pay less for years. Don’t be the one in a couple years that says: “I wish I would have…”

USE ME TO BUY OR SELL YOUR HOME AND I’LL DONATE $1000 AT CLOSING TO THE HUMANE SOCIETY!

urban realty

scott lindsley // 704.906.1645 // [email protected]

LEttER FRoM thE EditoR

Editor/Publisher Todd Trimakas Advertising Melissa Fazio Matt Kokenes 704.944.0551

It’s not due to a lack of technical prowess. I’ve taught myself Photoshop, Quark, InDesign, and Illustrator, and I can FTP and PHP, with the best of them. And while some people have gone as far as calling my behavior downright antisocial, that’s simply not the case: certain of my friends I’ve known for bordering on 20 years. No, I like to think of it more as a stand against the encroaching de-humanization of mankind, or maybe something even bigger: I am now and forever boycotting Facebook. I’m adamant about this. I refuse to even visit the site. No go. No way. No how. They might as well put a Red China censorship block on the site for all I care. And Twitter, Facebook’s funny-acting stepchild, can kiss my ass. If I talk about it long enough, it just pisses me off. Can you imagine communicating in the real world in 144-character increments? (I’m embarrassed to admit that I know about Twitter’s techno-based constraint, but I do.) But back to the subject at hand, Facebook: Maybe my mind is less flexible in my old age, but

I cannot stretch my brain around the fact that people will spend HOURS on Facebook’s website, staring at pixels on a screen in an attempt to meet people—”friends” whom they may never see, hear, touch, or enjoy a spoken conversation with, EVER. From what I understand, it’s a status symbol to have a collection of as many friends as possible. It’s a positive wink at capitalism, this “keeping up with the Jones’s” Facebook race, but what, truly, is the point? Is it really feasible to stay in touch with 6,000 virtual friends? Facebook’s information-sharing that stands in for actual human contact doesn’t sound much like friendship to me. Instead, it seems like the modern-day equivalent to the group-family Christmas letters of the past—perhaps those letters’ inevitable logical conclusion. Sure, we all found out that you went to Disney World this year, and saw Goofy and Mickey Mouse. But why in the Magic Kingdom should I care? I have quite a few friends on Facebook and all of them say exactly the same thing. They tell me that it’s an excellent resource for staying in touch with friends and family, and that sometimes it makes it possible to even (gasp!) actually meet up with folks they haven’t seen in years. Once again, I probably sound antisocial, but isn’t the very reason you don’t stay in touch with certain folks due to the fact that you don’t like them? For instance, remember how you couldn’t wait to lose that one coworker’s number once you left? Then why is it that 13 years later it’s so magical to re-connect? Do what you will. Collect Facebook cyberfriends by the millions. Just don’t come crying to me when you’ve lost all touch with reality, or when Facebook starts charging your account per friend. Or when you realize your Mom is in fact paying your friends to be nice to you. Anyway, I’ve got to go find my ‘Berry; I need to text my wife to wish her a happy birthday. ~Todd Trimakas Editor [email protected]

Contributing Editors Joey Hewell (Fashion) Peter Reinhart (Food) Executive Editor Andy Graves Contributors Sheri Joseph Celina Mincey Little Shiva Chris Wooten Bryan Reed Amanda Pagliarini Catherine Rabb Ellen Ward Photography Ryan Sumner Todd Trimakas Jim McGuire Cover Art Little Shiva distribution Sean Chesney office 1600 Fulton Ave., #140 Charlotte, NC 28205 Contact us at [email protected] Uptown 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.

ERIN G O BRAG H .

It’s the Luck O’ the Irish. And everyone’s Irish in March, right? But you don’t have to be Irish or lucky to take advantage of the opportunities that exist in the current real estate market. Prices continue to be affordable, interest rates low, and new incentives for first time home buyers are on the horizon. So don’t be left out. Let the team at 5 Points Realty help you find your pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Give us a call today.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

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food

words: whitney ferrall

The buzz about eating local is everywhere. The benefits are widely recognized, and the movement’s popularity is making it even easier to enjoy local food. Eating nutrientrich fresh food—hold the chemicals, please—is healthier, tastes better, and it’s fun. Sustainable practices of small farms are easier on the environment. And, especially resonant these days, keeping more money in Charlotte helps support our local economy. More flavor, more money, longer life, cleaner air . . . that’s luxury. The message is out there—are you?

the life

hoME GRoWN The sweetest picks of all are home grown. A pot or two on the terrace is all it takes to yield the makings of a colorful and delicious summer salad. Tomatoes, baby greens, and any number of herbs all respond well to container gardening. Master Gardener Don Rosenberg suggests choosing plastic pots over clay, potting soil with organic fertilizer, and water crystals for the best results with the least effort. Local residents Kim Shaw and Rohan Gibbs have been so successful with their half-acre backyard garden, Small City Farm, that they are able to sell much of the bounty to restaurants and market shoppers. Their raised beds boast over 40 edible crops, many favored by top area chefs. You might also want to make a trip to the Asheville area March 21 through 22 for the Organic Growers School, which, at only $40 a day, is an affordable opportunity to learn “down-to-earth, practical advice on growing and sustainable living” through over 70 classes and hands-on workshops. Visit OrganicGrowersSchool.org for details. tAKE it EASY If you’re intrigued by the idea of a garden but unsure of where to begin, Don Rosenberg, founder of Instant Organic Garden can help. Rosenberg offers a service that takes the guesswork out of gardening. Brimming with useful information and easy-to-follow tips,

Rosenberg’s website first shows how to begin planning your backyard garden by choosing a smart location for it. He explains what makes a good site, how to measure sun exposure, and how to determine what size garden you will best you’re your needs. According to Rosenberg, you can feed a family of four with about 50 square feet. His online “Veggie Quiz” helps make sense of what to grow. Take it with the members of your household, ranking vegetables on a scale of 1-10 by how often you would eat them, from “like to try” to “as often as possible.” If it turns out that you’re onion people, your customized garden layout will allot more space to the pungent alliums. If it’s only Dad who likes mustard greens, he’ll have a tiny patch all to himself. Throw in a couple of unique varieties for interest in the garden and on the plate. Red Velvet loose-leaf lettuce offers striking color, and

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food

Chioggia beets reveal beautiful red and white rings when sliced. Once you’ve reviewed the plan and approved the installation, Instant Organic Garden will set everything up in your yard, complete with weedless soil and organic fertilizers. All you’ll have to do, says Rosenberg, is “plant seeds, water them, and eat them.” Okay, there might be a weed or two every now and then, but planting in raised beds and using weedless soil minimizes maintenance. With limited effort, you will be able to harvest the bulk of your produce from your own garden. “There is nothing fresher than walking out to your backyard five minutes before you start cooking, and picking what you’re going to have for dinner,” says Rosenberg. If you’ve got kids at home, Rosenberg’s No Green Thumb Required! Organic Family Gardening Made Easy suggests ways to involve them in the gardening process and to get them excited about it, too. When kids are involved in planning and maintaining a garden, they take ownership of the food and are more willing to try it. “They see the garden as a pet. They take care of it, watch it grow, and in the end they’re rewarded with tasty food.” Kids learn that fruits and vegetables don’t necessarily have to come waxy and shrink-wrapped. Backyard gardens also encourage families to slow down and appreciate that some things take time.

the life

tAiLGAtiNG While it’s not your backyard, the Charlotte Tailgate Farmer’s Market, located in the South End, comes pretty close. While most area farmers markets host resellers in addition to local farmers, the Tailgate is different. At the other spots, watermelons in November may tip you off to the resellers, but at the Tailgate there is no question that all crops are not only local and in season, but usually

words: whitney ferrall

picked shortly (sometimes only hours) before coming to market. The Tailgate also offers meat, poultry, cheese, and eggs—all local. Local farms are also more likely than large grocery suppliers to experiment with small crops of unusual varieties, taking your palate (and your eyes) well beyond Red Delicious and Yukon Gold. Tailgate delights include delectably sweet and intense Yellow Currant tomatoes, delicate Baby Butter Lettuce, and light lavender Chinese eggplant, which is less bitter than Italian varieties. The Tailgate offers an opportunity to chat with the farmers about their crops and practices, and perhaps pick up a couple of tips to take home. Become a regular and you’ll have the grower setting aside a basket of plums just for you—because she knows how much you love them and that you can never make it before the plums have usually disappeared. In addition to offering multiple personal benefits, shopping at the farmer’s market is also a sound environmental decision and an economic development tool. Avoiding flashy packaging and processed goods reduces the percentage of your food dollars channeled towards advertising. Local markets have the potential to generate significant additional income for surrounding businesses, thereby keeping even more money in the local economy. Additionally, local farms typically practice sustainability, which conserves oil and other fossil fuels. In contrast, the packaging, refrigeration, and transportation required to truck onions and apples from coast to coast generate carbon emissions that contribute to global warming. Common small farm practices like crop rotation and, on some farms, integrated pest management also reduce environmental contamination. While some argue that they are too deep in the throes of

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food

self-preservation to worry about the greater economy and environmental concerns, what they have yet to realize is that by contributing to the progress of the local food and sustainability movement, they are also making the best personal choices. Grocery store standards and fast food value meals may be cheaper than local and organic foods, but they are also far less nutritious. Basically, “eating good food means less sick days and less medical bills, which actually saves you money,” reminds Tailgate manager Lynn Caldwell. The same reasoning holds for stimulating the local economy—it all comes back to you. If you’re interested in learning about these practices first hand, consider joining a Local Food Club or Community Supported Agriculture with a working option. Community Supported Agriculture assists farmers by allowing consumers to advance-purchase shares of the harvest. Working Share members commit to spending a certain number of hours on the farm during the season in exchange for lower share fees. As long as there are crops to be had, all members get a share each week of the season. With food clubs, members place orders to various farm’s à la carte funds, which are distributed between multiple local farms. KnowYourFarms.com, the namesake site for a local food club based in Davidson, delivers to multiple locations in Charlotte. Either way, receiving your overflowing box of freshly picked, still dusty fruits and vegetables is exhilarating. Slow Food International has an active convivium (the Slow Food Movement’s term for “chapter”) here in Charlotte, “supporting food that is good, clean, and fair.” Ardent proponents of eating local, Slow Food members often host dinners centered on returning focus to the pleasures of the table. This practice reminds us that whether you’re growing, marketing, or receiving, eating local makes

the life

words: whitney ferrall

food fun. Designing a dinner around what’s fresh is an exercise in creativity and innovation. To learn more about local food sources, browse SlowFoodCharlotte.org. oN thE toWN On those occasions when you’d rather eat out, do yourself a favor and visit restaurants that emphasize the use of local products. Fresh ingredients in capable hands become phenomenal meals. Chef Mark Hibbs follows a farm-to-fork philosophy at Ratcliffe on the Green. When called a great chef earlier in his career, he replied, “I don’t think so, I just use great ingredients.” Hibbs was quickly set straight: “That’s what makes you a great chef.” Soon, Hibbs understood. “Garbage in, garbage out,” he says. The chef describes an intimate relationship with his food, from sourcing to serving. Instead of calling in orders to farmers, he visits them onsite, learns about their methods, and regularly meets them at the market. Hibbs also values the experience of working the soil himself and appreciates tactile interaction with his ingredients. “You should feel the food and know what it should feel like—everything has a different texture, a different feel. Understand your ingredients and what they can do for you.” This sensory awareness is also essential at the stove, Hibbs explains. “Feel the food with all of your senses, the sound that it makes, the smell—you can always tell when food is done.” This familiarity comes from experience: Hibbs has been in one kitchen or another since childhood, professionally since age 16. “I knew from a very young age this was what I was going to do.” Still, he says, “I’ve always got to be constantly evolving, constantly moving.” His latest move is a conceptual one, revamping Ratcliffe on the Green from a high-end contemporary Carolina cuisine restaurant to a more casual brasserie. Driven by both long-term desire and economic pressure, the new menu will feature à la carte entrées starting at $12, and “great French wine” for under $10. “We’ll still have the same great service, the same beautiful dining room. We’re still going to be farm-to-fork. Greg and I will still be in the kitchen cranking it out. It’s just going to be a different side of food than we did before.” U

You can reach Whitney at whitneyferrall@ gmail.com For more info go to www. uptownclt.com

Everyone needs an outlet. Even us. Our outlet helps manage our flow of continuous market samples, factory over runs, and discontinued items. This provides you with an ever-changing assortment of well-designed, quality merchandise priced at an extraordinary value (up to 50% off suggested retail value). It’s our hope that our outlet provides you with comfort for the mind, body, and wallet. Happy shopping.

furniture. lighting. rugs. accessories. photography. Hickory Furniture Mart, level 1, west entrance • 2220 Hwy 70 SE, Hickory, NC 28602 Tel: 828.261.0051 • Monday - Saturday 9am to 6pm For directions please visit: www.mgbwhome.com/outletmap.asp Cash, checks, Visa and MC accepted. All items sold as-is and without warranty. Wrapping and shipping available. Items featured may vary from actual stock.

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Competitively priced from the $170’s.

words: amanda pagliarini

GEt MARRiEd?

When I showed up solo to Christmas Eve dinner this year, before I could even say please pass the eggnog, I was met with numerous variations of the same question: Why aren’t you married yet? The looks and comments of pity were more laughable to me than insulting. I’m 26 years old and I’m not married. Apparently, I’m the only one who doesn’t see this as a gross misfortune.

I

have had three opportunities to get married. My boyfriend at 21 took me into a jewelry store, grabbed my left hand and stuck it out to the guy behind the counter and said, “Measure her.” I bought a house with the boyfriend I moved to Charlotte with. When we shopped for trinkets for our new home, we separated the things we really needed from the things we would register for when we got married. One afternoon, when I walked into my last boyfriend’s room, he beckoned me to the computer screen full of ring designs and told me to pick one. Any of these three guys will make excellent husbands one day. Correction-two of them will. Unless there is a woman out there who would readily accept a husband who compulsively solicits sex with strangers met on the internet, my former real estate partner might have some trouble. So I cut and ran before any of these guys asked me to marry them. Why? My parents would tell you that I wasn’t willing to stop playing around and take life seriously. I would tell you that had I married anyone I’ve dated up until this point, that instead of “Here Comes the Bride,” I would have found Pearl Jam’s “Better Man” a more appropriate song to walk down the aisle to. But I will be honest. As I approach 27, purchase another bridesmaid’s dress, view 60 percent of my Facebook friends’ status as “Married,” and as my alreadymarried friends are starting to cancel their birth control prescriptions, I can’t help but wonder if the truth of why I’m not married is perhaps somewhere in the middle. Am I refusing to settle, or am I refusing to settle down?

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Perhaps a great deal of my resistance comes from the one regrettable act of my life. I dated a married man for over a year. I’m both embarrassed and ashamed to admit that truth. It was the same old story of any affair, though I would have vehemently insisted at the time that our case was different. He told me he’d leave her. He never did. My younger self justified the affair with notions of “true love.” Today I cannot justify the completely self-centered, malicious act of trying to lure away another woman’s husband. I can only hope the universe will forgive my selfish ignorance and have mercy on my karma. After I came to grips with the fact that he would never leave and I subsequently left him, we had some very candid conversations about his marriage and how it started. I needed to understand. More than just obsessive curiosity, I needed to understand so I wouldn’t find myself in this situation, on either side of it, ever again. He told me that when he married her, he was at a point in his life where marriage was the next logical step. Graduate: check. Get a job: check. Get his own place: check. Get a wife: check. He told me his friends liked her, his family liked her, she “fit” into his life nicely. At their rehearsal dinner the night before they were to marry, he recalled looking at her and thinking that one day, as they went through life events together, he would eventually feel in love with her. And so I have lived with the fear of being the “next logical step” ever since. I fear, maybe irrationally, being part of one of those couples who dates for years until my boyfriend, either begrudgingly or “logically,” decides its time to check the next box off of his list. But maybe that is the right way to approach the decision of matrimony. Maybe those who think their decision through, who wait for the right time in their lives, who underwrite their mate’s natural fit into their life, are the ones on the right path. Rather than wax philosophically about it, I decided to ask people. I asked people who are married, people who were divorced, people who are married for the second time: Why did they get married?

A lot of what I heard, I had expected. I heard several times in different variations: “I loved him/her and knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with them.” “I knew once I was with him/her that I could never live my life without them.” Though not one woman said it, some men who were still married echoed my fear. They had gotten married because it was the next step in life. Their friends were all getting married, they had the financial means to get married, so they married the girl they were dating at the time. I had to ask: Was their wife the right girl, or the girl at the right time? One guy told me he didn’t know. The other two said it was a little bit of both.

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ome answers were unexpected. Two people told me that their decision to get married terrified them and went against a lot of their instincts. They both were drawn to chaos and excitement, and had always dated people who brought those qualities to their lives. Then they each dated someone who was consistent, thoughtful, and level headed. It was then that they realized that they had mistaken chaos for fun, and excitement for happiness. They equated consistency with boredom. But years of chaos and unstable relationships with unstable people had exhausted them. As one man put it, he was looking for a place to call home and he found that in the woman he married. These two see their decision to marry as a decision to no longer live impulsively by simply choosing to do what feels good in the moment. Their marriages were a decision to grow up. I was most fascinated with the responses from those who were married for the second time. I was interested to hear how their decision-making processes had varied from their first marriage to their second. One man I spoke to told me that he dated his first wife for seven years before he popped the question. I figured seven years was an ample enough vetting period, but he said the “relationship was over way before we got married, but we thought by getting married, we would salvage it.” Unfortunately, the exact opposite

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living in a fantasy.” Not the first time I’d heard this. “Want to know why I married my second husband? Security.” She said her current husband was good to her and good to her children and that’s what she needed at this point in her life. It was soon after these conversations I noticed the underlying determiner in almost all of these marital cases: intentionality. There seemed to be a correlation between “happy” unions and intention, both in the decision to get married and in the decision to stay married. I decided I needed to discuss this theory with the one man I know who strives to live with intention, intentionally. I met Mike Whitehead over a year ago during a business meeting with his company, Whitehead Associates, to discuss his project, The Center for Intentional Leadership. I had never heard the word “intention” used in the context he was

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using it. My use of the word intention was usually in the context of an explanation of my procrastination. “It was my intention to get that done, but….” When Mike spoke of intention he was speaking of awareness, and with that awareness, acting on purpose. It sounded so obvious to me, but after a bit of introspection I realized that a lot of what I do or say is done or said in reaction, in a daze, without thought, or out of habit. Mike never wanted to be married. Growing up surrounded by unfaithful, broken relationships, the notion slowly yet deeply was ingrained in him was that nothing lasts, everyone leaves. Even after meeting and dating his wife Beth, he so feared this would happen in his own life that he almost willed it to come true. Soon after they were engaged, Mike called the engagement off. When he went to her and told her he couldn’t do it, he couldn’t marry her, Beth calmly removed

the ring and told him it was OK, she didn’t want him to do anything he didn’t want to do. I waited for Mike to tell me that her calm exterior was a means to trick him and when he got up, she kicked him in the groin while telling him to eat shit and die. But she didn’t. And soon thereafter he realized that if he was going to get married, Beth was the only one who could be his wife. When she agreed again to marry him, he further realized that this was all he ever wanted. He wanted someone who loved him no matter what. And that’s what Beth had done when she took him back, and that’s what they’ve continue to do throughout their 21 years of marriage. They have loved one another no matter what, despite rough patches, inconsiderations, distractions, and wrongdoings. Beth broke Mike’s previous game--she didn’t leave despite his pattern of pushing people away. I started to tell Mike about my findings, from both talking to other people and in my own experiences. He warned me that he might start to put on his professional coach hat and I conveyed my

Sarah Palin-like eagerness to learn. He told me that he watched people hit those relationship bumps in the road and think that’s the end. He talked about how young people interpret feelings of attraction as “falling in love.” The problem is that when those initial feelings of attraction go away, there is the misconception that they are no longer in love. “Feelings of attraction come and go. This can be a shocker to a lot of people. You have to be yourself and be that way early on in the relationship. Have someone like the real you.” If people were connected that way, when that initial euphoric attraction fades, you have something bigger that keeps you connected until the attraction comes back around. Personally, I had always thought that when attraction faded, it died. I had no idea that it was cyclical and would return. I explained my “settle vs. settle down” debate and asked the ultimate question. The key to a good relationship is a lifetime attempt at putting someone else before yourself. But how do you know when

you’ve found the right one to do that with? “You don’t find the right person. You pick a person who has the qualities you want and you make them the right person.” What Mike meant when he used the word “make” was that you make the decision to stick. The “right” person is ultimately the one who you become willing to put the work in for. It then occurred to me that I had heard this before. Everything he was saying brought me back to a conversation I had with a woman in Italy when I was 19. I was sitting in a café with my fellow American students when she overheard our conversation about breakups. She was divorced, which was rare in her time and in Italy. She told us that no relationship between two people would ever just naturally work. You had to make it work. As Mike and I concluded our conversation, I fished for advice, asking him how he would advise his children when they got to the stage of life I’m in today. He reemphasized the importance of being who I am and letting the person I’m dating really see me for me. How that person reacted to me would tell me everything.

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hen I began to pen this article, I stopped to discuss with the person I’m dating how he felt about my writing. I explained that I thought it was important that a writer be transparent and I wanted to know what he was comfortable with. I feared embarrassing him, or saying something I shouldn’t, or telling a story that he wouldn’t like to hear about me. He told me he wasn’t going anywhere and to write anything I wanted. If Mike was right, his reaction did tell me everything. Despite my questions, fears, internal debates of the past, the streaming “should” dialogue in my head, the voices of my family, and the paths of my friends, one thing I knew for certain: This definitely isn’t settling. And I think I can settle down with that for a while. U Reach Amanda at [email protected] For more info go to www.uptownclt.com

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Bankruptcies? Bailouts? Foreclosures? Stock losses? It’s all enough to drive a person to drink. Here, at least, is good news. There has never been a better time to have that drink--especially if you’re in the mood for something interesting and delicious, uplifting and fun. It hasn’t always been easy in North Carolina for adventurous spirits lovers. Since the repeal of Prohibition in 1933, states have had the power to regulate and control the trade of alcoholic beverages within their boundaries. North Carolina is a “control state,” meaning that the state itself, rather than private firms, is in charge of selling distilled spirits. Restaurant folk have complained for years about higher prices charged to restaurants, draconian controls, intricate reporting requirements, and lack of convenience.

words: catherine rabb pictures: jim mcguire

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My husband was stunned when he came to Charlotte from freewheeling New Orleans and learned that he would be required to pick up liquor at an inconvenient Uptown location. The state makes no deliveries. The Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission--or, commonly, the “ABC” Commission--has since expanded its distribution centers, but restaurants still have to do their own pick-ups. What really graveled people, though-hospitality operators and customers alike--was that the products were chosen by the state. Only the most pedestrian, commercialized products were available. Folks transplanted from states with better selections smuggled good Scotches and cognacs from home into their Charlotte liquor cabinets. All that really seems to be changing, though, particularly in Mecklenburg County, where the local ABC has been busy updating the look and feel of local stores. Jason Hughes, Director of Operations, says that several new retail outlets have been built, and a few old ones relocated or updated in the last few years, all designed to be user friendly and accessible. North Carolina has increased the number of liquors that are permitted to be sold in stores by several hundred, so the selection is more extensive. The new stores are modern and compulsively shopable with enticing displays, televisions

playing drink-making demonstrations, in-store access to computers for recipes, and knowledgeable staff. The dimly lit square concrete building you slunk into when no one was looking is a thing of the past. Recently, I visited a Cotswold store at 8 o’clock on a Saturday night, and it was packed with shoppers busily perusing the products and asking questions. It felt a bit like a party, and was about as far from the old days as imaginable. Distilled spirits, which have been enjoyed for centuries, are produced by taking a fermented beverage, such as beer or wine, and heating it. Alcohol in the base beverage is separated from the water and captured. The base can be just about anything, from grapes or grain to sugar cane or even agave cactus. The distilled alcohol can be further treated by aging in oak, filtering, or by adding flavors. The process is intricate, complex, and time consuming. Quality spirits often are an expression of the place in which they are produced, reflecting years of tradition and history. What excites spirits-lovers today is the ability to sample some of these wonderful products and experience the artistry that goes into creating them. I’ve chosen a few worth your attention--some for their quality, some because we can now legally enjoy them in North Carolina, and some just for fun. Get out the cocktail shaker and enjoy! WhiSKEY Lovers of whiskey can rejoice. Spirit makers of all styles are more and more focused on small-batch, high quality whiskeys. :: oban Scotch comes from one of the oldest distilleries in Scotland, where single malt whisky has been produced for over 200 years. Pricey, but a rare treat with an expressive smoky, malty aroma--some say with a hint of seaside saltiness. This is too good to put in any recipe, so drink it alone and savor. $79 :: Eagle Rare Single Barrel is a delicious bourbon that comes from the family-owned Buffalo Trace Distillery, America’s oldest distilling site, in Franklin Country, Kentucky. A true American classic, this bourbon is aged ten years in American oak barrels. The aromas are sweet: vanilla, toffee, and caramel. Lovely alone over ice, or as a base for that retro classic, the Manhattan. $27 :: Balvenie old Wood Scotches are an extra-smooth specialty, a splurge for a Scotch aficionado. Check out the selection aged in old rum, sherry, or port barrels--perhaps sampling all three to compare the effect of the aging process on the finished spirit. $150 – $170 VodKA Vodka is the most popular spirit in North Carolina, and according to Jason Hughes, the category is still growing fast. :: hangar one Vodkas are a huge hit on the West Coast, where this small distillery, housed in an old airplane

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hangar, produces both plain and amazingly flavored vodkas: mandarin orange, kaffir lime, passion fruit, and the mildly citrus-infused Buddha’s Hand. It hasn’t taken off yet here, as it’s a bit pricier than its competitor, Grey Goose, but their Straight (i.e., unflavored) and Mandarin Blossom vodkas are available locally. The vodka is so well balanced it is almost silky on the palate. $50 :: three olives Flavored Vodkas are just plain fun. A steal at twenty bucks, newest flavors include tomato, chocolate, root beer, mango, and green apple. I couldn’t help but try to make a grown-up root beer float, my favorite childhood drink! $20 :: FireFly Sweet tea Vodka is crafted in Charleston from tea grown on South Carolina’s Wadmalaw Island and sweetened with sugarcane from Louisiana. This clever vodka is a party in a bottle. Several of my chef friends at Johnson & Wales (names withheld to protect the guilty) say that it’s best to put the bottle in the freezer, and, when it gets good and cold, just serve shots. $22 :: EFFEN Black Cherry Vodka, produced in Holland, is so deeply flavored and integrated that it’s like candy in a glass. Loved this as a base mixed with chocolate vodka for a chocolate-covered-cherry martini. $33 RUM Rum comes in a variety of styles available from a number of places, but the best rums are produced in the areas where the sugarcane they’re made from grows. :: 10 Cane Rum, from Trinidad, is lively and full on the palate with aromas of honey and sugarcane. The white rum category has been overlooked, but 10 Cane puts it on the map. Try a classic mojito or any

variation of the minty sipper with this extremely tasty rum. $27 tEQUiLA Produced in Mexico from the blue agave, tequila is the base liquor in margaritas. Lately, higher and higher quality tequilas have taken the local bar scene by storm. The pair here make amazing margaritas but each is smooth enough to sip without mixing. :: Milagro Select Barrel Reserve Silver is fresh tasting and lively, and this popular tequila has the best packaging on the shelf, with a specially shaped, internal part of the bottle that mimics the piña, or heart, of the blue agave used to produce this tequila. $70 :: Patrón has led the charge toward a resurgence of interest in quality tequilas. The distinctively shaped bottle stands out on the shelf, and tequila lovers reach for it again and again. The integration and balance are a hallmark of Patrón. It’s about as far away from the harsher versions of tequila as you can imagine. I’m also crazy about the new orange liqueur, called Patrón Citronge, from the same company. This summer I infused it with pineapple and watermelon by pouring the liqueur over chunks of the fruit and letting it sit for a week. It was fabulous. Prices vary by product. LiQUEURS A liqueur is a spirit that usually consists of three parts: a base liquor, a sweetener, and flavor. Generally, a little goes a long way when using these intensely flavored spirits, but they are prized for their zing, even when mixed. They are fun to use as accents in mixed drinks, and the selection is endless. :: Limoncello di Sorrento is a classic Italian liqueur, very lemony and perfect with soda over ice on a hot day, or with vodka for a limoncello martini. For a special dinner event, I mixed Limoncello with Patrón Citronge, vodka, pineapple and orange juices, and it was luscious. $27 :: Navan Vanilla Cognac is so lusciously layered with the flavors of vanilla and caramel that you could practically spoon it over ice cream. $25 :: St. Germain Elderflower is a floral and exotic liqueur terrific as a grace note in other drinks. Float a little on an apple martini or put a few drops in champagne for a new-age kir. I also love to cook with this--it makes a beautiful flavoring for crème brûlée. $30 :: domaine de Canton French ginger liqueur is one you’ll want to try in all kinds of ways, from cocktails to highballs. Gingery and sweet, yet with an interesting herbal and floral quality, I liked it in a vodka-based martini garnished with a cinnamon stick. U

Find Catherine’s drink recipes online at uptownclt.com Reach Catherine at [email protected] Check out the Mecklenburg ABC Board at MeckABC.com for store locations, availability of liquor, product prices, and more.

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Camille Edwards and Janice Maleyeff work in law offices in Uptown Charlotte. They have families, jobs, bills—the same concerns of most people. They also share a commitment to a holistic approach to health.

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amille has been a student of nature her whole life. Of Cherokee ancestry, she grew up in the country learning about roots and plants from her grandmother. Camille started serious study after an experience with her daughter, who suffered from a prolonged, undiagnosed illness. Despite several antibiotics and other treatments, she wasn’t improving. Out of frustration, Camille researched alternative solutions, which led to a course of herbal treatments and accompanying nutritional adjustments. Her daughter improved, never having to return to the hospital. Camille became so intrigued that she continued studying, and after several years of college-level study dedicated to learning the properties of herbs and how to best harness them, Camille is now a certified herbalist and herbal nutritionist. She now serves as the President of the North Carolina Herb Association, and Janice Maleyeff is Secretary.

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Janice grew up in an urban environment with her Russian mother and grandmother, who instilled in Janice the spirit, music, and traditions of the Old World. Janice had been through a tough divorce and worked her way out of the resulting depression by exploring natural remedies and creative expression. She relocated from Pennsylvania to North Carolina for a fresh start, and once in Charlotte, she met Rebecca Nagy, founder of the Charlotte Whole Life Center, who became an indispensable mentor. Janice, now a student of esoteric studies for some 13 years, is a certified Reiki Master. When Janice met Camille, the two combined their talents and knowledge to form Soulful Sages, a company dedicated to enhancing physical and spiritual lives of people through the use of fine herbs, essential oils and natural products. Soulful Sages offers an inventory of over one hundred herbal creations such as lotions, soaps, balms, and aromatherapy products. Feeling stressed, aching, itchy, or depressed? Soulful Sages encourages you to turn to Mother Nature first. Yet Janice and Camille are not naysayers

when it comes to Western Medicine. Camille calls allopathic medicine a blessing for diagnosis and possible treatments. She often goes to her doctor for diagnosis, and then discusses both natural and standard remedies deciding how to proceed. Their intention with Soulful Sages is to provide information and alternatives. They feel that we’ve become overly dependant on science and pharmaceutical drugs, and simply want to bring balance back to healthcare. Soulful Sages has an active, standard product line available at their website,

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Call me today for a complimentary financial and insurance review. JC Alvarado (704) 954-0003 112 South Tryon Street, Suite 300 Charlotte [email protected]

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products designed to address common ailments and complaints. One of the coolest things about Soulful Sages is that they can personalize a product to suit your needs. For a client with a specific skin disorder, similar to psoriasis, for which none of the prescribed medicines were working, Janice found herbs with specific properties that addressed that person’s problem. In fact, she mixed up a balm that was so effective that the client ordered three more jars. Neither Camille nor Janice are doctors, nor do they pretend to be. What they are is knowledgeable about the naturally occurring properties of useful plants, and they apply this knowledge for creative, specific health solutions. They don’t diagnose medical conditions; they address the symptoms a person is experiencing. This can have very broad applications. Janice worked with

Extracting the healing properties from a calendula flower takes weeks. one woman through her entire stint of chemotherapy and radiation treatments for cancer. Though the woman underwent the standard course of care with her doctor, she also turned to Soulful Sages for natural products that would ease her discomfort throughout the process. During a chemo treatment, for example, aromatic therapy helped her relax. After, a course of herbal treatments eased her side effects. It’s not a stretch to believe that using an all-natural product is preferable to a chemical. If I want to moisturize my face, it seems to make more sense to apply aloe or chamomile than benzyl acetate and petroleum-based synthetics. However, “natural,” “organic,” “essential oils”—these terms are all buzzwords for hundreds of products. How, I asked Janice and Camille, can one know if something is truly natural?

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There’s no simple answer. “Education,” both women said in unison. “You’ve got to educate yourself.” Distinguishing the quality of a product is tough. Let’s start with essential oils. Janice loves to use calendula flower in her moisturizing products because of its healing properties for dry skin. Reaping the benefits of calendula (or any plant or herb), requires a labor-intensive process to extract the vital essence of the flower. About 700 kinds of plants contain useful essential oils. Their use dates back to ancient times and continues to be popular for their wide variety of therapeutic, medicinal, and culinary uses. Extracting the healing properties from a calendula flower takes weeks. It is not necessarily difficult, however, and in fact anyone, with study, can learn the process and perform it with a little equipment at home. Because of the special techniques and time involved, however, mass-produced products tend not to use quality essential oils, and instead rely on derivatives or synthetically created blends, which can be obtained much faster and at less expense. Does the use of synthetics make much sense for an individual consumer? Chemists take, say, lavender, and dismantle its unique chemical compound, then re-assemble chemicals to mock lavender’s properties. Why not just use the lavender itself? The term “organic” can also lead to confusion. Organic suggests relating to, derived from, or characteristic of living things. According to Janice and Camille, for the purposes of the FDA, “organic” refers to any product that was grown or created without the use of chemical pesticides, fertilizer, hormones, antibiotics, or artificially-derived chemical additives. Have you ever looked at the ingredient list of a typical “organic” body lotion? To be eligible for organic labeling, a full 70 percent of the oftentimes unpronounceable elements used to manufacture the product had to be certified to be of organic origin. Unfortunately, organic ingredients are often then mixed with synthetic preservatives and other additives. Companies contend they need these preservatives to extend the

shelf life of their products. To get around the 70 percent measure, many companies label their products “all natural,” a term not regulated by the FDA. Confused yet? Here’s my suggestion: talk with Janice and Camille at Soulful Sages, who will lend an ear, offer suggestions and advice, and then mix up something to meet your needs. Everything they make is 100 percent organic, natural, pure, blessed, touched, sanctified— whatever you want to call it. They make small, fresh batches using old-fashioned, slow processes. Every ingredient is a naturally occurring substance, grown organically. Even the preservative they use is a natural, organic base. In other words, when you massage a Soulful Sages lotion into your skin, you are rubbing in Mother Nature. However, the founders of Soulful Sages don’t want you to stop with lotion. For complete well-being, they believe you have to be physically, mentally, and spiritually in tune. To promote this holistic wellness, they are opening The Universal School of Holistic Healing and Esoteric Studies. Students can take a variety of classes to learn about herb identification, herbal nutrition, determining herbal therapies, the chakra energy system, Reiki, holistic health for children, aromatherapy, and other alternative health options. The purpose of the school is to place responsibility for health back into the hands of the individual. You won’t have to rely solely on your doctor, or the Soulful Sages ladies, to make decisions about the most appropriate responses to your health concerns. You can improve your ability to be in touch with your body, prevent disease, and treat your symptoms with natural products. U To check all this out for yourself, start online at SoulfulSages.com. You can also visit the North Carolina Herb Association’s website at NCHerbAssociation.org. And don’t forget to have a look at the video short featuring Camille and Janice at uptownclt.com. Reach Celina at [email protected]

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This ain’t Hollywood. Film is far from the top of the list of things people think of when you mention Charlotte. But just because our humble burg doesn’t carry the same silver screen cachet as New York or L.A. doesn’t mean there isn’t a wealth of moving imagery right here in the Queen City. Ranging from independent features to big-ticket commercials, the stunning array of films being produced locally is almost as impressive as the fact that they’re being produced locally.

words: bryan reed pictures: jim mcguire

“We’re this blip going off in the Southeast,” says William Boyer, executive director at SIGNAL, a production firm based on Central Avenue. He says Charlotte’s position on the map makes it a central location for reaching out to clients and crew members overseas as well as in New York and L.A. And, he says, “We want people to know there’s a place they can go and do that kind of work.” Ivi Bilich, a co-founder of the NoDa-based WonderWorld Film, remembers a “boom time” in Charlotte for filming TV and features, in the early ’90s. Bilich was commuting between Charlotte and Miami for various projects. But it ended when the Canadian government began offering tax incentives for filmmakers looking for a location to shoot. Charlotte only recently caught up. More recent post-boom blockbusters filmed on location in Charlotte include the 2001 Jack Black and Gwyneth Paltrow vehicle “Shallow Hal” and 2006’s “The Ultimate Gift,” starring “Little Miss Sunshine”’s Abigail Breslin. The end of the ’80s and beginning of the ’90s was also a good time for advertising in Charlotte, says Dorne Pentes, Bilich’s business partner. But the general departure of major production companies— “Hollywood is not here making big-budget feature films anymore,” says Bilich—hasn’t left a void, just a shifting landscape of filmic arts in the state’s largest city. Googling “film production charlotte nc” yields four pages of listed local businesses devoted to the craft—with varying experience and credentials. “There’s tons of people out there with cameras,” says Pentes. But those tons of people with cameras are constantly contributing to the evolution of film in Charlotte. And production is only part of it. Organizations like The Light Factory and the NoDa Film

previous : the guys of wonderworld left: william boyer of signal

March 09 issuu.indd 51

2/24/2009 5:17:22 PM

Festival screen hard-to-find independent films for Crown Town movie buffs. Behind the lens, though, the breadth of work coming out of Charlotte is remarkable. Bilich and Pentes, whose firm mostly does commercial work, recently celebrated the airing of their first Super Bowl commercial—a spot for CPI Security Systems. In addition to commercials and online film for various clients including, WonderWorld Film also has branched into creative works. In 2006, the duo released “Flower Child,” a DVD combining music, film, and readings of poems to introduce poetry to children. They’ve also assembled a 3-D installation called “The Cloud,” which was featured at this year’s First Night, the New Year’s celebration Uptown. The 18-foot-long, nine-foot-wide nylon structure has projectors inside it that cast moving images and light against the walls, shining through to the outside. At SIGNAL, when not developing sequences for NASCAR, film trailers, and music videos for acts such as of Nine Inch Nails, Boyer—a two time Emmy winner—has been working as a producer on a feature film called “The Killing Jar,” the latest from local feature filmmaker Mark Young, whose 2007 horror film “Southern Gothic” earned a distribution deal from the Independent Film Channel. Boyer crafted the preview trailer for “Southern Gothic.” Boyer says Young, now five films into his career, is “one of the only local filmmakers who’s actually sold a movie.” A

remarkable feat in the competitive field of independent film. But as a cursory exploration of film work being done in the area reveals, feature productions are only the tip of a much larger iceberg. The prolificacy of broadband internet provides a whole new canvas for the moving image. From YouTube clips spreading like an epidemic to polished video productions designed specifically for web viewing, the internet opens a hallway’s worth of new doors for filmmakers to create unique means of communicating. It also makes the process much more accessible for the adept amateur. “There’s always competition,” says Pentes. “But there is no competition.” Instead of dissolving the need for professional production, the film industry’s digital revolution only gives top-notch producers a new stage to claim. “Our favorite projects are the kind of projects where someone gives us a very difficult task, and then gives us the freedom to attack it,” says Pentes. Bilich echoes, adding “Commercial work is very creative.” With its own unique challenges, he says, working under a client’s parameters is different from work driven purely by an individual vision—but no less creativity is required. The fundamentals are the same. “It’s like a jigsaw puzzle,” he says. “But you have to make the pieces. When you begin, you have to know what it’s going to look like in the end.” And with so many diverse projects to be done, versatility becomes the professional producer’s greatest asset. “We go from start to finish,” says Boyer. From concept, writing, and preproduction to filming, editing, and delivering the final product, most smaller production companies handle each stage of bringing a film project into the world. And each new project brings its own demands—which for filmmakers hungry for regular work is an escape from the long-term commitments and creative doldrums

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a major motion picture can require. Bilich and Pentes had been working on that schedule. It was a shift in focus—from work to family, from jetsetting to seeking stability—that led the two to found WonderWorld. Boyer—who went to drama school in London— sought new, more-involved ways to put his training in storytelling to work. And as new media and technology uncovers new ways to put motion to images, there will be work to be done. Web-based advertising campaigns, meetings of animation and traditional filming for exciting sequences and music videos, corporate meeting videos, and feature films all need talented and creative individuals to direct. And, in what shouldn’t really come as much of a surprise, Charlotte is in no short supply—even if it isn’t emblazoned on the city’s marquee. “I feel like this area needs something a little more international,” says Boyer. “A lot of people don’t know we’re here. We’ve just worked and grown, and now we want to meet people.” But it’s not that Charlotte needs that world-class creative work. It’s that the world needs to know that Charlotte already has it. “It’s a growing city,” says Pentes. “It’s a young city. There’s a lot of that activity.” And as the city grows, that activity does, too. No, Charlotte isn’t Hollywood. It isn’t New York. It doesn’t have to be. Charlotte has its own voice in the world of moving pictures. U You can reach Bryan at [email protected] For more info go to www.uptownclt.com

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March 09 issuu.indd 61

Design

Market

Connect

2/24/2009 5:17:58 PM

Dining and Nightlife Guide AMERICAN Alexander Michael’s – $ 401 W. 9th St. 704.332.6789 Brevard Court Sundries – $ 145 Brevard Court 704.342.4700 Camilles – $ 1518 E. 3rd St. 704.342.4606 Cans – $ 500 W. 5th St. 704.940.0200 Cedar Street Tavern – $ 120 N. Cedar St. 704.333.3448 Champions – $ 100 W. Trade St. - Marriott Hotel 704.333.9000 Comet Grill – $ 2224 Park Rd. 704.371.4300 Cosmos Cafe – $ 300 N. College St. 704.372.3553 Dogwood Cafe – $ 138 Brevard Court 704.376.8353 East Boulevard Grill – $ 1601 East Blvd. 704.332.2414 Ember Grille – $$$ 601 S. College St. WestinHotel 704.335.2064 Fenwick’s – $ 511 Providence Rd. 704.333.2750 Fox and Hound – $ 330 N. Tryon St. 704.333.4113 French Quarter – $ 321 S. Church St. 704.377.7415 The Graduate – $ 1308 E. The Plaza 704.332.8566 John’s Country Kitchen – $ 1518 Central Ave. 704.333.9551 Pike’s Soda Shop – $ 1930 Camden Rd. 704.372.0097 Presto Bar and Grill – $ 445 W. Trade St. 704.334.7088 Providence Café – $ $ 829 Providence R d. 704.376.2008 Providence Road Sundries – $ 1522 Providence Rd. 704.366.4467 Rock Bottom – $ 401 N. Tryon St. 704.334.2739 Selwyn Pub – $ 2801 Selwyn Ave. 704.333.3443 Simmons Fourth Ward Restaurant – $ 516 N. Graham St. 704.334.6640 Something Classic Café – $ 715 Providence Rd. 704.347.3666 South 21 – $ 3101 E. Independence Blvd. 704.377.4509 Southend Brewery – $$ 2100 South Blvd. 704.358.4677 Stool Pigeons – $ 214 N. Church St. 704.358.3788 The Gin Mill South End – $ 1411 S. Tryon St. 704.373.0782 The Graduate – $ 123 W. Trade St. 704.358.3024 The Penguin – $ 1921 Commonwealth Ave. 704.375.6959 The Philosopher’s Stone – $ 1958 E. Seventh St. 704.350.1331 The Pub – $ 710 West Trade St. 704.333.9818 Thomas Street Tavern – $ 1218 Thomas Ave. 704.376.1622 Tic Toc Coffeeshop – $ 512 N. Tryon St. 704.375.5750 Union Grille – $ 222 E 3rd St. – Hilton Towers 704.331.4360 Vinnie’s Sardine – $ 1714 South Blvd. 704-332-0006 Zack’s Hamburgers – $ 4009 South Blvd. 704.525.1720

AMERICAN MODERN 131 Main – $$ 1315 East Blvd. 300 East – $$ 300 East Blvd.

704.343.0131 704.332.6507

Bentley’s on 27 – $$$ 201 S. College St. Fl. 27 704.343.9201 (Charlotte Plaza Building) Bonterra Restaurant – $$$ 1829 Cleveland Ave. 704.333.9463 Carpe Diem – $$$ 1535 Elizabeth Ave. 704.377.7976 City Tavern – $$ 1514 East Blvd. 704.343.2489 City Tavern – $$ 214 N. Tryon St. 704.334.6688 Custom Shop – $$$ 1601 Elizabeth Ave. 704.333.3396 Fig Tree – $$$ 1601 E. Seventh St. 704.332.3322 Harry & Jeans 201 S. Tryon St. 704.333.4300 Lulu – $$ 1911 Central Ave. 704.376.2242 McNinch House – $$$ 511 N. Church St. 704.332.6159 Mimosa Grill – $$ 301 S. Tryon St. 704.343.0700 Monticello – $$ 235 N. Tryon St. – Dunhill Hotel 704.342.1193 Pewter Rose Bistro – $$ 1820 South Blvd. 704.332.8149 Ratcliffe on the Green – $$ 435 S. Tryon St. 704.358.9898 Taverna 100 – $$$ 100 N. Tryon St. – Founder’s Hall 704.344.0515 Zown Restaurant – $$ 710 W. Trade St. 704.379.7555 Zink – $$ 201 N. Tryon St. 704.444.9001

ASIAN 88 China Bistro – $ 1620 E. 4th St. 704.335.0288 Cherry Blossom – $ 2001 E. 7th St. 704.376.0880 China King – $ 128 Brevard Ct. 704.334-7770 China Queen Buffet – $ 127 N. Tryon St. Ste 3 704.377.1928 China Saute – $ 2214 Park Rd 704.333.1116 Creation – $ 1221-A The Plaza 704.372.2561 Cuisine Malaya – $ 1411 Elizabeth Ave. 704.372.0766 Dim Sum – $ 2920 Central Ave. 704.569.1128 Eggroll King – $ 8907 Steelechase Dr. 704.372.6401 Emperor Chinese – $ 337 S. Kings Dr. 704.333.2688 Fortune Cookie – $ 208 East Independence Blvd. 704.377.1388 Fujiyama – $ 320 S. Tryon St. 704.334.5158 Fuse Box – $ 227 W. Trade St. 704.376.8885 Ginbu 401 – $ 401 Providence Rd. 704.372.2288 Great Wok – $ 718 W Trade St. Ste M 704.333.0080 Ho Ho China Bistro – $ 1742 Lombardy Cir. 704.376.0807 Hong Kong – $ 1713 Central Ave. 704.376.6818 Koko – $ 6609 Elfreda Rd. 704.338.6869 Monsoon Thai Cuisine – $ 2801 South Blvd. 704.523.6778 Orient Express – $ 3200 N Graham St. 704.332.6255 Pho An Hoa – $ 4832 Central Ave. 704.537.2595 Pho Hoa – $ 3000 Central Ave. 704.536.7110 SOHO Bistro – $ 214 N Tryon St. 704.333.5189

Thai Taste – $ 324 East Blvd. 704.332.0001 Taipei Express – $ 731 Providence Rd. 704.334.2288 Tin Tin Box & Noodles – $ 101 N. Tryon St. 704.377.3223 Zen Asian Fusion – $ 1716 Kenilworth Ave. 704.358.9688

BAKERY Cloud 9 Confections – $ 201 S. College St. Suite 270 Great Harvest Bread – $ 901 S. Kings Dr. Marguerite’s Bakery – $ 2424 N. Davidson St. Nova’s Bakery – $ 1511 Central Ave. Panera Bread – $ 601 Providence Rd.

704.334.7554 704.333.0431 704.675.5756 704.333.5566 704.374.0581

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

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

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

704.334.6338

CAJUN & CREOLE Boudreaux’s Louisiana Kitchen – $ 501 E. 36th St. 704.331.9898 Cajun 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. 704.342.0749 Austin’s Caribbean Cuisine – $ 345 S. Kings Dr. 704.331.8778

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

COFFEE SHOPS Caribou Coffee – $ 100 N. Tryon St.

704.372.5507

Dilworth Coffee – $ 1235 East Blvd # B, 704.358.8003 330 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. 704.333.4370 Java Passage – $ 101 W. Worthington 704.277.6558 Jump N Joe’s Java Joint – $ 105 E. Morehead St. 704.372.3217 La Tea Da’s – $ 1942 E. 7th St. 704.372.9599 Nova’s Bakery – $ 1511 Central Ave. 704.333.5566 PJ’s Coffee & Lounge - $ 210 E. Trade St. (Epicentre) 704.688.0366 Port City Java – $ 214 N. Tryon St. (Hearst) 704.335.3335 SK Netcafe – $ 1425 Elizabeth Ave. 704.334.1523 Starbucks – $ 545 Providence Rd. 704.372.1591 Starbucks – $ 704.374.9519 101 S. Tryon St. Tic Toc Coffee shop – $ 512 N. Tryon St. 704.375.5750

DELI Adams 7th Street Market – $ 401 Hawthorne Ln. 704.334.0001 Art’s Barbecue – $ 900 E. Morehead St. 704.334.9424 Common Market – $ 2007 Commonwealth Ave. 704.334-6209 Dikadee’s Deli – $ 1419 East Blvd. 704.333.3354 Dogwood Cafe – $ 138 Brevard Court 704.376.8353 Fresco Cafe & Deli – $ 3642 Moultrie St. 704.376.5777 Grand Central Deli – $ 101 N. Tryon St. 704.348.7032 Great Harvest Bread Co. – $ 901 S. Kings Dr. 704.333.0431 Groucho’s Deli – $ 201 N. Tryon St. 704.342.0030 Halfpenny’s – $ 30 Two First Union Ctr. 704.342.9697 Jersey Mike’s Subs – $ 128 S. Tryon St. 704.343.0006 Jersey Mike’s Subs – $ 1408 East Blvd. 704.295.9155 Jersey Mikes Subs – $ 2001 E. 7th St. 704.375.1985 Jump N Joe’s Java Joint – $ 105 E. Morehead St. 704.372.3217 Laurel Market South – $ 1515 South Blvd. 704.334.2185 Leo’s Delicatessen – $ 1421 Elizabeth Ave. 704.375.2400 Li’l Dino – $ 401 S. Tryon St. 704.342.0560 Matt’s Chicago Dog – $ 425 S. Tryon St. 704.333.3650 Owen’s Bagel & Deli – $ 2041 South Blvd. 704.333.5385 Philadelphia Deli – $ 1025 S. Kings Dr. 704.333.4489 Phil’s Tavern – $ 105 E. Fifth St. 704.347.0035 Rainbow Café – $ 400 South Tryon 704.332.8918 Reid’s – $ 225 E. 7th St. 704.377.1312 Ri-Ra Irish Pub – $ 208 N. Tryon St 704.333.5554 Salvador Deli – $ N. Davidson St. 704.334.2344 Sammy’s Deli – $ 1113 Pecan Ave. 704.376.1956

Dining and Nightlife Guide Sandwich Club – $ 525 N. Tryon St. Sandwich Club – $ 435 S. Tryon St. Substation II - $ 1601 South Blvd 1941 E. 7th St.

704.334.0133 704.344.1975 704-332-3100 704-358-8100

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

ECLECTIC The Melting Pot – $$$ 901 S. Kings Dr. Stuite 140-B 704.548.2431 Therapy Cafe – $ 401 N. Tryon St. 704.333.1353 The Fig Tree – $$ 1601 E. 7th St. 704.332.3322

FRENCH Terra – $$ 545-B Providence Rd.

704.332.1886

GREEK Greek Isles – $$ 200 E. Bland St. Showmars – $ 2004 East 7th St. Showmars – $ 214 N. Tryon St.

704.444.9000 704.376.0565 704.333.5833

INDIAN Copper – $$ 311 East Blvd. Maharani – $ 901 S. Kings Dr. Suruchi’s – $ 129 W. Trade St.

Luce Ristorante & Bar – $$$ 214 N. Tryon St. – Hearst Plaza 704.344.9222 Mama Ricotta’s – $$ 601 S. Kings Dr. 704.343.0148 Open Kitchen – $ 1318 W. Morehead St. 704.375.7449 Pasta & Provisions – $ 1528 Providence Rd. 704.364.2622 Portofino’s Italian – $$ 3124 Eastway Dr. 704.568.7933 Primo Ristorante – $$ 116 Middleton Dr. 704.334.3346 Cafe Siena – $$ 230 N. College St. 704.602.2750 Salute Ristorante – $$ 613 Providence Rd 704.342.9767 Terra – $$ 545-B Providence Rd. 704.332.1886 Villa Francesca 321 Caldwell St. 704.333.7447 Volare – $$ 1523 Elizabeth Ave. 704.370.0208 Zio Authentic Italian – $$ 116 Middleton Dr. 704.344.0100

L AT I N Cloud 9 Confections – $ 201 S. College St. 704.334.7554 Latorre’s – $$ 118 W. 5th St. 704.377.4448 Coffee Cup – $ 914 S. Clarkson St. 704.375.8855

M E AT & T H R E E Dish – $ 1220 Thomas Ave. 704.344.0343 Mert’s Heart & Soul – $ 214 N. College St. 704.342.4222 Blue – $$$ 214 N. Tryon St. 704.927.2583 Intermezzo Pizzeria & Café – $ 1427 E. 10th Street 704.347.2626

MEXICAN 704.333.0063 704.370.2824 704.372.7333

I TA L I A N Carrabba’s Italian Grill – $$ 1520 South Blvd. 704.377.2458 Coco Osteria – $$ 214 N. Tryon St.–Hearst Plaza 704.344.8878 Dolce Ristorante – $$ 1710 Kenilworth Ave. 704.332.7525 Fig Tree – $$$ 1601 E. 7th St. 704.332.3322 Frankie’s Italian Grille – $$ 800 E. Morehead St. 704.358.8004 Hawthorne’s NY Pizza – $ 1701 E. 7th St. 704.358.9339 Intermezzo Pizzeria & Café – $ 1427 E. 10th St. 704.347.2626 Little Italy – $ 2221 Central Ave. 704.375.1625

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

704.332.8868 704.371.4448 704.372.4168 704.332.7428 704.342.0950 704.347.5115

MIDDLE EASTERN Kabob Grill – $ 1235-B East Blvd.

704.371.8984

OUTDOOR DINING Big Ben’s Pub – $$ 801 Providence Rd. Cans Bar – $ 500 W. 5th St.

704.334.6338 704.940.0200

East Boulevard Grill – $ 1601 East Blvd. Ember Grille – $$$ 601 S. College St. - Westin Hotel Ri-Ra Irish Pub – $ 208 N. Tryon St Sullivan’s – $$$ 1928 South Blvd. The Corner Pub – $ 335 N. Graham St.

704.332.2414 704.335.2064 704.333.5554 704.335.8228 704.376.2720

PIZZA Brixx – $ 225 East 6th St. 704.347.2749 Donato’s Pizza - $ 718-A West Trade St 704.714.4743 Domino’s Pizza – $ 343 S. Kings Dr. 704.331.9847 Fuel Pizza – $ 214 N. Tryon St. 704.350.1680 Fuel Pizza – $ 1501 Central Ave. 704.376.3835 Hawthorne’s NY 1701 E. 7th St. 704.358.9339 Italian Village Pizza 1225 East Blvd 704.332.2880 Latta Pizza – $ 320 S. Tryon St. 704.333.4015 Papa John’s Pizza – $ 1620 E. 4th St. 704.375.7272 Picasso’s – $ 214 N. Church St. 704.331.0133 Pizza Hut – $ 901 S. Kings Dr. 704.377.7006 Rudino’s Pizza & Grinders – $ 2000 South Blvd. - Atherton Mill 704.333.3124 UNO Chicago Grill – $ 401 S. Tryon St. 704.373.0085 Villa Francesca 321 Caldwell St. 704.333.7447 Zio Authentic Italian – $ 116 Middleton Dr. 704.344.0100

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

Pasta & Provisions – $ 1528 Providence Rd. 704.364.2622 Pita Pit – $ 214 N. Tryon St. 704.333.5856 Quiznos Sub – $ 127 N. Tryon St. 704.374.9921 Quizno’s – $ 320 S. Tryon St. – Latta Arcade 704.372.8922 Roly Poly Sandwiches – $ 317 S. Church St. 704.332.6375 Sbarro – $ 101 S. Tryon St. 704.332.5005 Simply Subs – $ 212 S. Tryon St. 704.333.0503 Smoothie King – $ Epicentre - 210 Trade St. 704.979.6911 Smoothie King – $ One Wachovia Center 704.374.0200 Spoons – $ 415 Hawthorne Ln. 704.376.0874 Woody’s Chicago Style – $ 320 S. Tryon St. - Latta Arcade 704.334.0010 Zack’s Hamburgers – $ 4009 South Blvd. 704.525.1720

S E A F O O D Aquavina – $$$ 435 S. Tryon St. 704.377.9911 Cabo Fish Taco – $ 3201 N. Davidson St. 704.332.8868 Capital Grille – $$$ 201 N. Tryon St. 704.348.1400 Fig Tree –$$$ 1601 E. Seventh St. 704.332.3322 GW Fins – $$ 525 N. Tryon S 704.716.3467 LaVecchia’s – $$$ 225 E. 6th St. 704.370.6776 McCormick & Schmick’s – $$$ 200 South Tryon St. 704.377.0201 McIntosh’s – $$$ 1812 South Blvd. 704.342.1088 Outback Steakhouse – $$ 1412 East Blvd. 704.333.2602

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

S P A N I S H Arpa Tapas – $$$ 121 W. Trade St. 704.372.7792 Sole Spanish Grille – $$$ 1608 East blvd.. 704.343.9890

S T E A K H O U S E Beef & Bottle – $$$ 4538 South Blvd. Capital Grille – $$$ 201 N. Tryon St.

704.523.9977 704.348.1400

Dining and Nightlife Guide LaVecchia’s – $$$ 225 E. 6th St. 704.370.6776 Longhorn Steakhouse – $$ 700 E. Morehead St. 704.332.2300 McIntosh’s – $$$ 1812 South Blvd. 704.342.1088 Morton’s – $$$ 227 W.Trade St.- Carillon bldg. 704.333.2602 Outback Steakhouse – $$ 1412 East Blvd. 704.333.2602 Ruth’s Chris – $$$ 222 S. Tryon St. 704.338.9444 Sullivan’s – $$$ 1928 South Blvd. 704.335.8228

S U S H I Cosmos Cafe – $$ 300 N. College St. Fujo Uptown Bistro – $$ 301 S. College St KO Sushi – $$ 230 S. Tryon St. Nikko – $$ 1300-F South Blvd. Restaurant i – $$ 1524 East Blvd. Ru-San’s Sushi – $$ 2440 Park Rd.

704.372.3553 704.954.0087 704.372.7757 704.370.0100 704.333.8118 704.374.0008

T A P A S Arpa Tapas – $$$ 121 W. Trade St. Cosmos Cafe – $$ 300 N. College St. Town Restaurant – $$ 710 W Trade St.

704.372.7792 704.372.3553 704.379.7555

V E G E T A R I A N Dish – $ 704.344.0343 1220 Thomas Ave. Something 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. Apostrophe Lounge – $$ 1400 S. Tryon St. BAR Charlotte – $ 300 N. College St. Big Ben’s Pub – $$ 801 Providence Rd. Brick & Barrel – $ 200 N. Tryon St. Buckhead Saloon – $ 201 E. 5th St. Cans Bar – $ 500 W. 5th St. Cedar Street Tavern – $ 120 N. Cedar St. Connolly’s on 5th – $ 115 E. 5th St. Cosmos – $$ 300 N. College St. Coyote Ugly – $ 521 N. College St. Crush – $ 300 E. Stonewall St. Dilworth Bar & Grille 911 E. Morehead St.

704.377.6874 704.371.7079 704.342.2557 704.334.6338 704.370.2808 704.370.0687 704.940.0200 704.333.3448 704.358.9070 704.375.8765 704.347.6869 704.377.1010 704.377.3808

Dilworth Billiards 300 E. Tremont Ave. 704.333.3021 Dixie’s Tavern 301 E. 7th St. 704.374.1700 DoubleDoor Inn 218 E. Independence Blvd. 704.376.1446 Ed’s Tavern 2200 Park Rd. 704.335.0033 Evening Muse 3227 N. Davidson St. 704.376.3737 Fox and Hound – $ 330 N. Tryon St. 704.333.4113 The Graduate – $ 1308 E. The Plaza 704.332.8566 Grand Central Deli – $ 101 N. Tryon St. 704.348.7032 Hartigans Pub – $ 601 S. Ceder St. 704.347.1841 Hawthorne’s NY Pizza – $ 1701 E. 7th St. 704.358.9339 Howl at the Moon – $ 210 E. Trade St. 704.936.4695 Jillian’s SouthEnd – $ 300 E. Bland Street 704.376.4386 Loft 1523 – $$ 1523 Elizabeth Ave. 704.333.5898 Madison’s – $$ 115 Fifth St. 704.299.0580 Morehead Tavern – $ 300 East Morehead St. 704.334.2655 Phil’s Tavern – $ 105 E. Fifth St. 704.347.0035 Picasso’s – $ 214 N. Church St. 704.331.0133 PJ’s Coffee & Lounge - $ 210 E. Trade St. (Epicentre) 704.688.0366 Pravda – $$ 300 N. College St. 704.375.8765 Presto Bar and Grill – $ 445 W. Trade St. 704.334.7088 Ri-Ra Irish Pub – $ 208 N. Tryon St 704.333.5554 Selwyn Pub – $ 704.333.3443 2801 Selwyn Ave. Southend Brewery – $$ 2100 South Blvd. 704.358.4677 Stool Pigeons – $ 214 N. Church St. 704.358.3788 Suite – $ 210 E. Trade St. 704.999.7934 The Attic – $ 200 N. Tryon St. 704.358.4244 The Corner Pub – $ 335 N. Graham St. 704.376.2720 The Forum – $$ 300 N. College St. 704.375.8765 The Gin Mill – $ 1411 S. Tryon St. 704.373.0782 The Penguin – $ 1921 Commonwealth Ave. 704.375.6959 The Pub – $ 710 West Trade St. 704.333.9818 Thomas Street Tavern – $ 1218 Thomas St. 704.376.1622 Tilt – $$ 127 W. Trade St. 704.347.4870 Tremont Music Hall – $ 400 W Tremont Ave. 704.343.9494 Tutto Mondo – $ 1820 South Blvd. 704.332.8149 Tyber Creek Pub – $ 1933 South Blvd. 704.343.2727 Vinnie’s Sardine – $ 1714 South Blvd. 704.332.0006 Visulite Theater – $ 1615 Elizabeth Ave. 704.358.9250 Whiskey River – $ 210 E. Trade St. 704.749.1097

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March 09 issuu.indd 67

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March 09 issuu.indd 68

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