...as in getting bigger.
As you may have read in Jeff Hahne's cover story this week: NC Music Factory is Ready to Rock we're getting a new Uptown Amphitheatre and we're getting some new nightlife.
The Fillmore, a live music venue larger than Amo's and Neighborhood Theatre is opening up on June 19 with Corey Smith (read more about the Fillmore in Jeff's article.)
Also opening eventually ...
* Wet Willie's Daiquiri Bar, which is like a bar of alcoholic slurpees with just about every flavor imaginable. I went to the one in Charleston and let me just go ahead and warn you about the dangers of brain freeze.
* Crobar, a large dance club where you can get jiggy with it, drop it like it's hot, and shake it like a polaroid picture ... at least that's what I did at the Crobar in Miami.
*The owner of Butter, the celebrity hang-out in Manhattan that you've probably seen pictures of stars stumbling out of in US Weekly, is personally coming down to Charlotte to open this upscale lounge here.
There will also be an Irish Pub, Sushi and Sake Lounge, a wine bar and a two story brew pub.
So, while Rob Dyrdek has the Fantasy Factory, thanks to the Lazes, we have the N.C. Music Factory.
By Sarah Coombes
This Tuesday, its time to get shaken, not stirred at Martini Fest. Unfortunately ladies, James Bond won’t be there, however his favorite drink will be. Martini fest, hosted by Elevate Lifestyle, Kiss 95.1 and Bud Light, will be held tonight from 6-10 p.m. at the Pavilion at Epicentre.
Tickets are $25 and allow you to sample Martinis from Charlotte’s top bars and restaurants. All profits are donated to the American Cancer Society, so not only are you helping vendors by sampling their alcohol, but you’re benefiting cancer research too ... who knew drinking could lead to such good ends? Local companies that are participating in the event include Suite, Whiskey River, Blackfinn, Apostrophe, On The Roxx, City Tavern, Bar Charlotte, Dixie’s Tavern, Strike City, Mez, Wild Wing Café, Tutto Mondo, PJ’s Coffee and Lounge and Hooters.
You can shake, stir, and shimmy thru the EpiCentre to the spinning of DJ Red Bull; however, all that Martini tasting will have you spinning in your own way. No worries though, area restaurants will be serving food alongside their Martinis. So, for $25 you’re getting a lot of bang for your buck with a buffet of martinis and food. So perhaps the event should be called Budget Fest, seeing as how we’re essentially saving money while donating it at the same time.
Whatever way you look at it, there’s lots of reasons to head on over to Martini fest.
Purchase tickets here .
Lebowski's, the new bar-a-raunt on East Boulevard is a neighborhood bar perfect for the neighborhood it’s in ... Dilworth. Located by Rockin’ Lobster and Big Daddy’s, it too has a bar, dining area and patio. (You have to wonder how they're getting away with the naming it that...?)
And following the Beer, Bourbon, and BBQ festival in South Park, said patio was packed for some samplings of a little beer (Sweetwater), Bourbon (Gentleman Jack & Woodford Reserve) and BBQ (straight pig - hold the swine flu).
Meanwhile, the Beer, Bourbon, and BBQ Festival at Symphony Park in South Park reminded me of an upscale country fair with beer tents rather than carnival games.
They even had a contest that none of my friends were successful in talking me into entering (as a joke) …
Ms. Bar-B-Q-Babe ContestFor all our Daisy Duke-Wannabes - there is the hallowed Ms. Bar-B-Q-Babe contest. Not only will these fine-looking ladies be judged on their appearance and costume but also their knowledge of beer, barbeque, moonshine and redneck history. The lucky lady will proudly wear the Ms. Bar-B-Q-Babe sash, as well as receive $100 in cash!
Granted, I do know a lot of redneck history and I know that NASCAR actually originated from moonshine running.
By Tiffany Handy
When you have to have something and nothing else will do, what’s the word for that? Oh yeah, crave!
Tuesday I went to check out Crave, a new dessert bar located behind Cans. I was expecting overpriced cake and martinis; however, I was pleasantly surprised to find the contrary. As soon as I walked in, I saw a sign that read “Bottomless Wine $15.” Cheapo for a wino!
After playing a couple rounds of Connect Four (don’t ask, they just brought it to us), I ordered one of their many cheesecakes — Southern Pecan. Although $7.95 may seem like a lot to pay for cheesecake, the caramelized pecans and rich flavor made it more than worthy; it’s a splurge in taste more so than the wallet.
Each page of the menu offers something different. You could order a cheese plate for $8.95 to go with your wine, or choose from the variety of desserts ranging from cup cakes to crèmes, all priced at $7.95. They also have a full service bar and lists of martinis that either fall under Lust or Euphoria ranging from $11-$12.
Looking for a new way to view nightlife dining? Well, The Big View Diner has rejuvenated the restaurant world, or is taking us back rather!
The Diner just opened yesterday on Lancaster Highway, at the corner of Ardrey Kell and Johnston Road. And they are bringing the '50s back with a Classic Diner Burger and milkshake favorites... and some new twists too — like Toasted Coconut and Peanut Butter Banana. And if indulging in a milkshake wasn’t enough, they also provide a bake shop — so when cakes and pastries are your weakness, there’s no better place for getting baked.
The diner poses a challenge — finish their Triple D dessert and you’ll get it for free. The Triple D is chocolate cake, with bananas, nuts, cherries, caramel, whipped cream and every flavor of ice cream. A challenge has never tasted so good.
The Big View will begin serving breakfast all day starting May 25 — perfect for us nightlifers and summer breakers who won’t be getting up till after 2 p.m.
If you follow the brick road, you’ll find another old favorite at Robinson Farm, and I’m not talking about Dorothy and her little dog. Instead you’ll find Cosmos Café, a heaven for Martini drinkers with its 46 different Martinis.
As you know, Cosmos Café is a successful, Uptown restaurant that as of two days ago has opened a new location in Ballantyne — and they offer meals from all over the world, including Mini Lamb Burgers from Morocco and Cherry Duck from France. So if you’re not heading out of the country this summer, you can still eat like you are!
So, whether it’s food from a former time or an older café in a new place, you can start your summer with a classic!
Big Sexy from WSOC and Cubby from 96.1 The Beat at Coyote Joe’s right before they started Sumo wrestling.
FOX News Edge’s Morgan Fogarty and Brotha Fred doing their rendition of 50 Cent’s P.I.M.P at Media Night at The Gin Mill.
Jon Beason beat me ... at Rock, Paper, Scissors.
So, Cinco De Mayo, or as my friend likes to call it “Drink O De Mayo,” is aqui (that's Spanish for here). Yet another day that gives us Nightlifers an excuse to drink.
Party-goers, be sure to block off your schedule for 1900 Mexican Grill’s block party,…por que? Porque Simplified is playing and there will be salsa chugging, sombrero tossing and jalepeno eating... what a way to spice up Cinco De Mayo. Also, there’s a chance to win a vacation to Cancun, Mexico... although you might want to hold off on booking it until after the Swine Flu has passed. There is a $5 donation towards the American Cancer society and the festivities start at 4.
And at Whiskey River, it’s time to ditch the whiskey and fiesta with $3 Cervezas and $4 Tequila Shots. “No Time for Siesta, Time for Fiesta” is 18 and up, but based on their boots and bikinis event, I’m wondering if the dress code will be boots and a sombrero? A party bus will be at U and U Village at 10….so students, break into summer and out of exams with a night at "Tequilla River."
La Paz on South Blvd., will offer live music from Lundy and The Beach Walkers (previously Cravin’ Melon) and Cubby from 96.1 The Beat will be hosting the La Paz Olympics — but the only marathon here will be who can drink the most tequila shots and remain standing the longest. 1 tequila, 2 tequila 3 tequila... floor! And, of course, there will be drink specials on Landshark, Bud Light Lime, Bud Light, Margaritas and more. Music and Olympic sign ups start at 6 and the games begin at 7.
Other Restaurants and Bars hosting Drink Specials:
Howl at the Moon — $3 Corona and Corona Lights, $5 Blue Margaritas and $18 mega Margarita Buckets. Party starts at 8 and doesn’t end until you’re seeing red, white and green.
Wild Wing – The Logic will be performing and drink specials include $2.50 Coronas and Corona Light, and $3 Patron and House Margaritas.
Salsas at Carmel Road — Live music from a DJ, have Cinco De Mayo souvenirs, and are offering the chance to dance, sing, and drink.
On the Border on Providence Road — (south of the Uptown border) houses live music from 5-10, drink specials, and family fun.
Don Pedro — Order a special Margarita and get a free T-shirt!
Monterrey Mexican Restaurant at Park Road — Order a pitcher and get a free T-Shirt.
As for me, I already got laid at Strike City’s Dos De Mayo... and by laid I mean given a Hawaiian lei — not very Mexican but at least I got something better than a t-shirt right?
As in the Quail Hollow ... Wachovia ... whatever you want to call it, Championship.
Before this weekend, the only golf tournament I had been to before was the Panther’s golf tournament where I had to “drive a celebrity” around in a golf cart. Well this “celebrity” insisted I had a beer with him, which kind of made me wonder about the laws of drinking and driving golf carts.
But that doesn’t really count, nor does it compare to the Quail Hollow Championship where I got a crash course in golf, on the course.
Seeing as how I host a show about motorsports, my friends made an analogy of golfers to NASCAR drivers so that I would understand. They decided that Boo Weekly was the Carl Edwards, Camilo Villegas the Kyle Busch, Phil Mickelson the Dale Jr. and Tiger Woods the Jimmie Johnson. I meanwhile just rooted for Brendon de Jonge because he went to Virginia Tech and was representing Charlotte.
I also learned that when the golf referees throw their hands up that it means to shut up.
Whenever a player makes an eagle, I think the crowd should be like Nelly and drop down and get their eagle on. And I have also come to the conclusion that men should be women’s caddies and carry our purses.
Meanwhile, another one of my friends was being the “Honorary Observer” for Ross Fisher – she even got a hat that said “Honorary Observer.” And as we walked over the river and through the woods around the course we observed the Hendrick’s family home, Coach Fox’s new monstrosity of a house and a home that looked like it was transplanted from Savannah with a sign reading: “Player’s Shelter.” We also saw some “grounds groupies” and what looked like the cast of The Real Housewives of Charlotte.
Cameras and cell phones are outlawed at golf tournaments so I had to wean myself off my crackberry and am thus unable to provide you with a pic, but I was able to capture the tournament oriented block party that was relocated this year from Phillip’s Place to Piedmont Town Center.
I walked it out last night at the National Kidney Foundation’s Kidney Walk at Wintrhop Lake in Fort Mill ... you know, home of the National Disc Golf Championship.
Dianne Gallagher of CN2 in South Carolina was there doing the exact same thing I did at Laugh MS just two days prior ... talking about our siblings who suffer from the incurable diseases.
She also released butterflies to represent the sobering statistics of how many people suffer from Kidney Disease in our area alone. After the butterflies actually came out of the box and then proceeded to hit Dianne in the face … there were a lot of them.
Laugh MS at the Lake Norman Comedy Zone sold out, which raised thousand for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and Charlotte's Walk MS coming up May 16. When I profusely thanked everyone for their donations in the form of tickets, I said in this economy they were probably expecting a strip tease with their ticket. But it's non-profits such as the MS Society and Kidney Foundation who are really feeling the effects of our shitty economy.
My favorite kind of party is a philanthropy party — the kind of nightlife that helps lives. Anytime there’s an event that benefits a cause ... might I suggest you go to it, whether the charity personally affects you or not. It's kinda like a tax write-off for partying.
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