Feb 8-14, 2011

Feb 8-14, 2011 / Vol. 24 / No. 50

Obama’s budget: This guy’s a liberal??

If you believe the exaggerations of the far right about Barack Obama, you really need to come down to earth. And if you’re one of Obama’s die-hard progressive supporters who think that, any day now, the mega-liberal president you thought you were voting for will show up, then you, too, need to get real. The…

53rd Annual Grammy results

Wow, what a night! First off, big congratulations to The Avett Brothers for a fantastic performance and great job backing up Bob Dylan! Who wasn’t surprised by some of the night’s biggest awards? Lady Antebellum received the award for Song and Record of the Year, Esperanza Spalding won Best New Artist and Arcade Fire won…

Tex-Mex and tequila dinner @ Paco’s Tacos

Paco’s Tacos & Tequila hosted a Tex-Mex and tequila dinner with award-winning cookbook author Chef Robb Walsh last night. The dinner event featured a cocktail hour with passed appetizer bites and a welcoming margarita, followed by four other courses … and three other Cazadores tequila cocktails. The recipes for each course came from Walsh’s books.…

It’s CIAA 2011 time (the official press conference)

Each year the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association Basketball tournament seems to get bigger and bigger. The 2011 edition of the CIAA is proving to do the same thing. And we’re not talking parties here. We’re talking money.  According to the Charlotte Regional Visitor’s Authority research, the tournament accounted for direct spending of more than $24…

Blogger Will Folks on alleged Haley affair: ‘Nikki climbed on top of me, rubbing her crotch back and forth’

Last campaign season’s story about an alleged  “inappropriate physical relationship” between now-Gov. Nikki Haley of South Carolina and conservative political blogger Will Folks is exploding again today. Folks has released excerpts from an upcoming book, which he nicknames his “tome of love,” which detail an encounter that allegedly took place in Haley’s SUV. Keep in…

Carolina Rebellion announced

The first-ever Carolina Rebellion has been announced. It’s a new event bringing a whole bunch of metal and hard rock acts to Charlotte. The lineup includes Avenged Sevenfold, Godsmack, Three Days Grace, Stone Sour, Seether, Bullet For My Valentine, Theory of a Deadman, Alter Bridge, Hinder, Skillet, Saving Abel, Halestorm, Black Stone Cherry, My Darkest…

Bonnaroo lineup coming Feb. 15

Finally, there has been some kind of confirmation… The Bonnaroo page on Facebook has posted that the lineup will be announced on Feb. 15. The swirling rumors at this point are that the main acts for Friday are Arcade Fire and My Morning Jacket. Saturday’s pre-headliner is The Black Keys. Sunday will feature Robert Plant…

GOP: Huge business tax increase = an end to insured abortions

Republicans who won control of the U.S. House of Representatives vowed, first and foremost, to create jobs and get the deficit under control. They passed a repeal of health care reform because, they claimed, the new law would “kill jobs”; that was obvious nonsense, but we’ll give them a pass on it. Since then, however,…

New taxes-for-school poll is flawed

The Observer reports today on a new poll by Public Policy Polling, in which more than three-quarters of Mecklenburg residents questioned said they would be OK with paying more taxes to support public schools; almost as many said the same thing in terms of saving the Bright Beginnings pre-K program. If the poll was more…

Hit shows in Charlotte’s crosshairs

Whether you’re interested in catching an early peep at the blockbusters headed toward the Charlotte’s PAC, or you’re curious about the edgier fare that our smaller homegrown companies are drooling over, the places to go are Broadway and off-Broadway. That’s where the Queen City’s deciders sneak off to as they fashion their theater menus, and…

CD REVIEW: Gregg Allman’s Low Country Blues

THE DEAL: Bluesman in need of a soul transplant. THE GOOD: Good thing his name is on the cover. Otherwise, you wouldn’t recognize his voice. On his latest solo release, Gregg Allman doesn’t sound like himself. Sounding like a bad Robert Plant impersonation, Allman limps through a sampler of blues classics that deserve more than…

Aaron, Full-time student/”shot boy”

What’s your favorite feature on a person’s body? The butt. Has to be a cute little bubble butt. What is one vanity item/routine you can’t live without for more than a week? Working out, lifting weights. I work out every other day, doing a full-body workout. Sexting and hooking up on Facebook — a good…

Exhibit: Images Captured and Shared

This exhibit showcases many forms of photography, including computer-generated artwork and Polaroid snapshots (e.g. David Gaertner’s “Driving In Cleveland”). Those attending the opening reception can mingle with local photographers whose works are featured in the exhibit. In addition, complimentary wine and cheese will be provided. Feb. 11-March 3. Reception Feb. 11, 7 p.m.-9 p.m. Free…

Will there be justice for Zahra Baker?

Speculation is raging in legal and law enforcement communities. Will there be justice for Zahra Baker? Genuine doubts exist, though no one will admit it on the record. By this time in most murder cases — if that’s what this is — a cause of death has long since been determined. Yet that remains a…

Naresse, Restaurant “jack of all trades”

What’s your favorite feature on a person’s body? I would have to say chest; that’s usually where we as women cradle our little heads when it’s time to cuddle. What is one vanity item/routine you can’t live without for more than a week? My flat iron. My hair is naturally wavy, so in order to…

Book Signing: Gail Z. Martin

Local author Gail Z. Martin is best known in the literary world for her Chronicles of the Necromancer series. The fictional series — containing four books — falls into the realm of fantasy/adventure. Her newest release, The Sworn, is the first of a debut series, The Fallen Kings Cycle. Related to and containing characters from…

Charlotte’s No. 1 religion: Boosterism

In his 1996 book Dixie Rising, Peter Applebome of The New York Times wrote that Charlotte was “home to the purest strain of the Southern booster gene.” I hope Applebome is paying attention to the hoopla here over the 2012 Democratic convention — because the city is once again proving him right. If you thought…

Shane, Bartender

What is one vanity item/routine you can’t live without for more than a week? It would have to be dental floss. I have to floss on the regular. Describe your last date. What made it great and/or suck? Delicious Thai food and a good flick — The King’s Speech. What made it great was I…

Bizarre crimes from Charlotte police files

Family Matters: A 48-year-old woman called police after she and her daughter were assaulted by a family member. She told officers that she was arguing with her son when he punched her in the mouth with a closed fist and cut her lip open. As the suspect left the house, his sister confronted him about…

DNC in the Q.C.

Charlotte is in the Super Bowl of political conventions. But, while many believe we have already won, the game is just beginning. Like Green Bay — which few saw being a Super Bowl contender this year — Charlotte is in the game; however, we’ve got a long way to go before we officially clinch the…

How come pet food never contains pork?

Over many years of buying pet food for a variety of domestic co-inhabitants, I have noticed the “wet” varieties purport to be made from any number of meats and fishes. I can immediately recall cat and/or dog food made of beef, lamb, liver, tuna, salmon, chicken, turkey . . . the list seems almost endless.…

Commission Chair Jennifer Roberts on CMS budget

  The background was fitting for a talk about school funding with County Commission Chair Jennifer Roberts. She and I met last Monday at West Charlotte High School, just before the announcement of the big Project LIFT initiative, which is tailored to strengthen schools that feed into West Charlotte High. Roberts was expansive in her…

Weekly horoscope (Feb. 9-15)

Aquarius The Waterbearer Jan. 19-Feb. 18 Your old fears concerning your sense of self-worth may crop up for examination. Throughout life, sometimes you have overvalued your abilities and at other times you undervalue them. Rarely do you have a fully realistic handle on this. Now it will become important to gain clarity about what you…

Capsule reviews of films playing the week of Feb. 9

BIUTIFUL An Academy Award nominee for Best Foreign Language Film and Best Actor, the Mexican import Biutiful has much in common with writer-director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu’s previous film. Like Babel, it takes some interesting ideas and belabors them for well over two fidgety hours. In a typically compelling performance, Javier Bardem stars as Uxbal, a…

THEATER: Blue Door

Right on time for Black History Month comes playwright Tanya Barfield’s Blue Door. The drama — with original music by Larry Gilliard Jr. — is making its thought-provoking way to the stage of Actor’s Theatre of Charlotte with a heavy message: the importance of knowing your roots. In the production, Lewis, an African-American professor with…

All About Eve, Broadcast News, Network among new home entertainment releases

ALL ABOUT EVE (1950). Writer-director Joseph L. Mankiewicz’s enduring masterpiece — and, incidentally, my all-time favorite film — is a biting look at the theater world and the machinations of those individuals who inhabit it. Bette Davis stars as Margo Channing, the established (and aging) diva who comes to realize that her fresh-faced understudy Eve…

Another Year: As time goes by

ANOTHER YEAR ***1/2 DIRECTED BY Mike Leigh STARS Jim Broadbent, Ruth Sheen A character in a ’70s movie — Gene Hackman’s private eye Harry Moseby in Night Moves, if we’re pointing fingers — opined that watching an Eric Rohmer film is like watching paint dry. I imagine similar charges have been lobbed against the oeuvre…

When corporations choose despots over democracy

“People holding a sign ‘To: America. From: the Egyptian People. Stop supporting Mubarak. It’s over!” so tweeted my brave colleague, Democracy Now! Senior Producer Sharif Abdel Kouddous, from the streets of Cairo. More than 2 million people rallied throughout Egypt Tuesday, most of them crowded into Cairo’s Tahrir Square. Tahrir, which means “liberation” in Arabic,…

The Mechanic doesn’t deserve your business

In the annals of “tough guy” cinema, there’s not much to say about the 1972 Charles Bronson vehicle The Mechanic except that its leading character displays a refreshing lack of sentimentality (not unusual in the days of vintage squinters like Lee Marvin, Robert Ryan and Bronson) and its script manages to end on a neat…

COMEDY: ‘My Funny Valentine Comedy Tour’

Whether you’re single, in a relationship or married, you could probably use a laugh. In that case, head over to Ovens Auditorium as the “My Funny Valentine Comedy Tour” brings some lovin’ to the stage. The show, hosted by Chris “Funnyman” Robinson, will feature performances by comedians Eddie Griffin and George Willborn. $35 and up.…

Where to find it: Afghan bread

Last week, I wrote about the Turkish simit that is being carried at Yafa Market and Café, 10703 Park Road (near Black Lion). This week, the shop finally received the long-awaited order of Afghan bread. Afghan bread, also known as barbarry bread, is similar to breads found in both Iran and Armenia. This ridgeless barbarry,…

Lust List 2011

During this time of year (you know, Valentine’s Day), it seems like heart-shaped boxes, chocolate and roses are everywhere. It’s nearly impossible to escape the feelings of warmth associated with the love-centric holiday. But with this issue of Creative Loafing, we hope to elicit a different kind of warm feeling — as we bring you…

THEATER: Sweeney Todd

CPCC Theatre continues to stage a bloody affair, Sweeney Todd. The Stephen Sondheim musical — transformed into a dark brooding tale for the big screen — is thrilling, as it follows an exiled (and very vengeful) barber from London and his mad company, a pie shop owner with a secret recipe to die for. $14-$18.…

Bowled over: A sampling of the city’s soup

Indications that the cold and flu season is upon us are made evident by the amount of people applying copious amounts of hand sanitizer, and those buying soups at the grocery store. One way or the other, cold weather or a cold may be in our near future. Time to ladle up. Here are some…

Ember, Go-go dancer/VIP server

What’s your favorite feature on a person’s body? The first things I always look at are the eyes. The thing that really gets me right out the gate, though, is the smile. Let’s say you’re strapped for cash — for a part-time gig, would you rather become a stripper or septic tank cleaner? I would…

FILM: For-Adults-Only Monday Movies: Welcome

Gaston County Public Library’s 2011 For-Adults-Only Monday Movies series (featuring award-winning foreign and independent films) continues today with a screening of the documentary, Only When I Dance. The film — in English and Portuguese — tracks the steps of two teens from Rio de Janeiro, both of whom are pursing their dreams of becoming professional…

Todd Wolfe settles into his solo career

You won’t find many blues tunes dedicated to snow. For Pennsylvania-based bluesman Todd Wolfe, digging out from under 11 inches of the white stuff gives him a reason, but not the opportunity, to sing the blues. “Anything above three inches is a pain in the ass,” says the guitarist by phone from his home in…

Travis, Full-time student

What’s your favorite feature on a person’s body? Lips. It’s a turn-on for a woman to have big lips; they’re sexy. What is one vanity item/routine you can’t live without for more than a week? Working out. I feel weird if I go multiple days without going to the gym. Let’s say you’re strapped for…

SPECIAL EVENT: Fox Karaoke Icon

Does your voice have what it takes to win big? During Fox Karaoke Icon you may want to see for yourself. Qualifying dates for the karaoke contest continue this week, with the chance to win more than $10,000 in cash and prizes. For more information, visit www.foxiconcharlotte.com. Tuesdays. Continues through Feb. 22. Fox and Hound,…

CL previews upcoming concerts (Feb. 9-15)

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 9 J. GUNN This Durham native has been cutting his teeth in underground hip-hop circles for years now, but it all started with talent shows at age 9. When other kids were more likely to be spitting like Master P, he was pulling from influences like Common, Big Daddy Kane and Nas, winning…

Emily Paige, Co-assistant designer

What’s your favorite feature on a person’s body? His chest. I prefer a muscular man, so the chest being very strong and defined is very appealing to me. Describe your last date. What made it great and/or suck? Last date was driving through Indian Land to a playground. We stopped at a gas station and…

MUSIC: ‘Off the Record’ featuring Stephen Warwick and Evelynn Rose

Interested in hearing a little more about the process of songwriting, the meanings behind lyrics or how a song may have changed while being performed live? Check out a new series at The Evening Muse called “Off the Record.” Artists are asked questions between songs giving fans an in-depth look into the musical process. This…

3 questions with Airest Newsome, dinner hostess

At the age of 24, Airest Newsome has found a way to blend her love of fine cuisine with an intense passion for fashion in her innovative new concept, “Dinner Party with Airest.” The well-traveled military “brat” uses her dinner parties to connect stylish and influential people, delicious fare and proper etiquette in a one-of-a-kind…

Ward, Marketing executive/group fitness instructor

What’s your favorite feature on a person’s body? I would probably say the eyes; they just lock you in. Pretty eyes on a girl are almost distracting, in a good way, and just lock you in from anything else. What is one vanity item/routine you can’t live without for more than a week? Other than…

Travel master Rick Steves to give lesson to Charlotteans

Travel-planning can be mind-boggling, guidebooks can be confusing, and a bad vacation can be devastating. Luckily, travel writer/TV show host Rick Steves voices his opinion about European-related travel in an honest, digestible manner that’s being consumed by the masses. His words can make or break a destination and, for many American sightseers, will be the…

CD REVIEW: Sugar Glyder’s Loers at Lightspeed EP

THE DEAL: Charlotte indie rock quartet releases its third album, first EP. THE GOOD: Sugar Glyder’s six-song EP kicks off with “Song Holiday,” starting with a brief electronic interlude before rolling into its indie rock style. The band’s sound is melodic and usually kinetic — offering sped up drum fills behind slower singing while going…

Shana, Modeling agency owner

What’s your favorite feature on a person’s body? I just like the little muscles around the hip bones — the “He-Man” muscles. What is one vanity item/routine you can’t live without for more than a week? Mystic Spray Tan. Sexting and hooking up on Facebook — a good idea or bad idea? Bad idea. The…


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