I showed up to the N.C. Music Factory on Friday afternoon fresh off the lake — wet swimmsuit, no make-up, hair a mess... seat belt tan from driving around topless — as in the top off my Jeep. I was headed to the CL office to make some copies. I literally went from being on a boat with my flippy floppies, to straight flippin' copies. I attempted to make this a covert operation by going through the back entrance so no one would notice that I made the executive decision to work up at the lake rather than the office. But when I rolled up at 5:30 p.m. my cohorts had already deserted their desks and were sitting on a day bed in front of the office... cause it was Friday at the Factory.
I thought I would be out of place with all my cohorts in work clothes ... but I didn't stand out too much - I mean, the cocktail waitresses were wearing bikinis and the factory had the ambiance of a Miami pool party.
Temperpedic mattresses on day beds, bottle service from BUTTER, beer from HALO and overpriced sushi from Nikko. It was cooler than Fridays at MAXIM when they would roll out a bar and make the interns bartend. I'd be doing an excel sheet and an intern would come hand me a vodka-cranberry. And then I'd mess up the excel sheets and have to re-do them on Monday.
Except with Fridays at the Factory no one was doing work, so I didn't either. I still have to finish making those damn copies ...
The best thing about the Sex and the City 2 movie coming out is that it serves as a legitimate excuse to have a Ladies' Night out, every week.
Strike and the City is the new weekly Ladies' Night on Thursdays (at Strike City obviously). It is so elaborate for the ladies, it'll make men jealous we wear the tampons (in addition to the pants). The bowling alley transforms into a Utopia for women that includes massages, half priced martinis and a skinny app menu, Sex and the City airing on the televisions, and lots and lots of free shit. I even gave away some Gucci shoes...
The deal is, you get there around 8 p.m. - or just wander in from Alive After Five - and trade your shoes for bowling shoes. I will then select a shoe that will be matched to a number on the bowling shoe rental. If you have that number I will then trade you the bowling shoes, for a pair of red Gucci heels. It kinda made me feel like Prince Charming looking for my Cinderella ... but shouldn't it be the other way around?
Anyway... every time you get a strike you are registered for a raffle to win things like a Michael Kors clutch, an hour massage from Drift Spa, a personal training session and tickets to see the comedy show Girl's Only. And even if you don’t win, you still get a swag bag just for coming. Striiiiiiike!
Each week there will be a specialty martini - and when you order it, the proceeds go to the National MS Society. Might I suggest drinking that so you can justify ordering more than one. Drinking for a good cause ... I’ll cheers to that. The Walk MS is coming up May 15 by the way.
Speaking of Sex and the City 2... the official pre-screening event is at EpiCentre Theaters on May 26. And starting next Wednesday we'll be giving away VIP passes to the premiere. Don't you just love free shit!
Oh yes, it's ladies night, and the feeling's right - oh yes it's ladies night - oh what a, oh what a night! Sing it with me now ...
Breaking Nightlife News: Wet Willie's in the N.C. Music Factory is opening tonight for Cinco de Drinko. And you best believe this frozen daiquiri bar has frozen Margaritas! And they also have a patio overlooking the Amphitheater. So, go wet your willy and tap into your inner Mexican tonight.
Here's a sneak peak ...
It was Plan B… as in the second option, not the morning after pill. Then it was the Rock n’ Lobster. Now, as of a month ago, it’s The Deck - Dilworth East Coastal Kitchen.
The Deck may only be overlooking East Boulevard, versus a body of water, but it's still one heck of a deck patio. Though it coins itself as more of a restaurant for dining than a bar for nightlife, overall, The Deck has a tiki bar feel. Its specialty cocktail is the Mojito — offering six variations of Cuban mojitos. You can't get a more authentic mojito unless you’re in the keys. And on Wednesday said mojitos are only $5 - and they have live music on the patio to stir up the mojitos. Last Wednesday Jared Allan serenaded the "tiki bar" and made me feel like I was at a Jack Johnson concert.
And, they have Taco Tuesday - $2.50 fish tacos… they're good and all, but Cabo Fish Taco has nothing to worry about. The Deck would be a perfect seafood restaurant slash tiki bar, if we were on the Ocean. But their menu items range from either side of the coast so you can overlook the fact the patio is overlooking a city street.
The best thing about The Deck is they give you a piece of salt water taffy rather than a mint with your check.
Speaking of mojitos … be sure you try the Brittney Cason Sweet Tea Mojito at Red Rocks Cafe in Birkdale. It's a little Southern, a little Spanish ... just like me.
And speaking (or writing rather) about patios - my Saint Sarah told me about Old Pro in Ballantyne. Sarah is now writing for CL's At Large blog so you can keep up with her, and more nightlife, there.
I was born and raised in the South. So, let’s be real… I like to eat.
To me, the only thing better than going out is going out to eat afterward to recount the events of the evening, be it late-night or the morning-after.
Last week, I blogged about EggHeads After Dark being a late-night diner in Uptown. Well, it gets even better. Now, there’s a 24-hour diner opening in SouthEnd. The Kings Mountain Diner is not only opening a location in SouthEnd ... it is literally being relocated. The Midnight Diner is being dropped off next week and is set to open in mid-May.
Meanwhile, the modular diner built in 1948 that plopped down at the N.C. Music Factory months ago, Matties, is opening within the next few weeks.
Of course, the only thing better than a late-night meal, is the Morning After Meal.
A good new brunch spot to go to is Dandelion Market. They even have a menu item called the Hangover Hash — a real breakfast of champions that doesn't include Pepto Bismol. But it does include grease and a Bloody Mary bar that had so many different hot sauces, peppers, and tomato juices it was actually rather intimidating. I didn’t know what to do with all of this ...
I've also recently discovered another brunch treasure on Central after I went to Zada Jane's and saw that the line for tables was longer than the line for Suite and BUTTER combined the night before. If you don’t feel like waiting an hour, drive down Central Avenue a little further and you'll come to LuLu's, a French cafe whose brunch rivals that of Zada Jane's. Their pimento cheese grits is a delicacy to this G.R.I.T. (Girl Raised in the South).
Now, can someone please pass the butter?
I sent my under-21-intern Chandler out on her campus to find nightlife for unders, and what she found was more than just a university-sanctioned event. She went to two student run shows… both shows on the same weekend, both shows Greek in relation, both shows at Halton Arena – there was only one major difference …
And if you read my column this week, Nightlife vs. the Census, you know what I’m talking about.
By Chandler Smith-Currie
The selection of nightlife venues in the university area may be limited, but there is always something happening on the campus of UNC Charlotte. Last week I attended two events: Friday was the National Pan-Hellenic Council “Who Run This Town” Greek step show sponsored by the Black Student Union. And Saturday was the Mock Rock sponsored by the office of sorority and fraternity life.
... I am writing in all caps because I’m so excited about it.
I have been saying that Uptown needs a late night diner that serves breakfast since I moved here. And finally, someone more important than me has spoken ... because now we have Eggheads After Dark.
Where and what is that you ask? It’s a relatively new breakfast place in Latta Arcade – and their new thing is they’re open late.
With a diner in the front, and bar in the back, EggHeads has a full bar, and a full menu until 2 a.m. Tues. - Sat. (Open even later for food on busy weekend nights).
And just when you thought it couldn't get any better - you get a half price appetizer with the purchase of two drinks. And, they have karaoke and a 20-foot outdoor movie screen.
Oh, but it gets even better …the parking lot right next to Latta Arcade on 3rd between Tryon and Church is free on the weekends. So you can park there for free, then use the money you saved on parking to buy breakfast on your way back to your car.
But Eggheads After Dark isn’t just a late night spot for food and drunken karaoke. It’s a bar with a nightlife. Tuesday is Industry Night, Wednesday is College Night and Thursday is Ladies' Night. Oh, and they also serve brunch before dark so you can get the morning-after meal.
There is a late night diner opening soon in the NC Music Factory as well.
Apparently, while I was traveling, the burger bar became the hot new thing in Charlotte. There’s Big Daddy’s Burger Bar in Dilworth and Ballantyne, Nix Burgers and Brew in Uptown, The Counter in SouthPark – and now there’s The Burger Company in Wesley Heights.
My friend sent me an e-mail with a link to the menu and subject line: THIS PLACE HAS SWEET POTATO TATER TOTS. Not only was she so excited she wrote in all caps, but it legitimately made my day. What a genius combination of fried carbs. Whenever said friend and I go to our favorite place in Charlotte, Big Daddy’s, the debate between tater tots and sweet potato fries is so conflicting we just order both. Now we can get both without being complete and total fat asses … could this place be my new favorite spot?
So, after Friends and Family night at Black Bear Saloon, followed by the last Bobcats home game, I went to get some greasy sweet potato tater tots as my morning after meal.
But they didn’t have them, In my mind the name of the place just changed from Burger Company to Disappointment Company.
What they did have, however, which is just as genius as Sweet Potato Tator Tots, was lids for drinks. Their souvenir sippy cup pictured below– perfect for my clumsy ass.
They must have known I am a liability. At Easter dinner, I spilled my drink on my mother’s food. At a work dinner, I spilled my drink all over the table. And on a night out, I spilled my drink all over myself ... and this was all just within the past month.
But even weirder is the fact they don’t have plates - all food is served in plastic baskets. Let me get this straight … a restaurant, that doesn’t have plates. That’s like having a bar without a bottle opener.
This place is a few pom-poms short of a pep rally.
As for the nightlife at the Burger Company — is it safe to go out around Freedom Drive at night? ... just wondering.
... And come to this event where ALL proceeds (not just a portion, but all) benefit the American Heart Association.
The 25 Most Stylish People of Charlotte will be honored, including Mike Minter and WaxMamas Brooke Gibson - I clearly was not amoung them. But they are having me host, along with Brittney After Dark He Said writer (not to mention local radio and TV host) Brotha Fred
Saving the world, one fabulously fun and fashionable event at a time ...
Ed’s Tavern opened up a second location in Elizabeth… and for this I am grateful. Not only because 7th Street is closer to me than Park Road (that runs east and west, not to be confused with Park Road that runs north and south) but because I’ve morally been banned from the Ed’s in Dilworth.
You see, a long time ago I wrote about the famous Turtle Races at Ed’s Tavern. Next thing I know, some animal activist that became aware of it by reading my column is motioning to shut it down. And that was the end of turtle racing… and it was my big mouth that crashed the party. I even got hate mail about it.
I have gone to Ed’s several times since the column came out, and without fail – someone will say something to me about it.
So, here’s my public apology to the many patrons of Ed’s: I am sorry that I was the fun police that ruined the turtle races … I didn’t mean to!
To make it up to you I'm giving you a peek into the new Ed's Tavern in Elizabeth that is having its grand opening party this weekend with Chad Mackey Band on Friday and Rockstar on Saturday.
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