A while back I wrote a column entitled Tales from the ladies' restroom, which, in summation, indicated that females tend to flock together like birds of the same feather when in the ladies' room. But not too long ago, on a weeknight in Suites bathroom, I found myself having to bond a little more than I ever bargained for.
As I eagerly scurried my impatient bladder into the ladies' room, I was greeted by a girl passed out up against the wall. People were just walking by her no one seemed to know nor notice her. Apparently, I have motherly instincts because I felt inclined to make sure she was OK. I alerted the bathroom attendant, who was busy soaping and drying girls' non-tipping hands, that there was a girl passed out in the back of her bathroom. She hadnt noticed her come in and was thus unable to provide any clues to the mystery. So we questioned some of the girls coming and going She belong to you? But no one claimed her.
At that point, I found myself wishing there was a lost-and-found for humans that I could drop her off at because clearly I couldnt just leave her with a clear conscience. So, I tried to wake her up. I spoke to her, I nudged her, I shouted to her, I shook her nothing. She just laid limp soaking in a vat of her own vile. As I reached for my phone to call 911, the bathroom attendant came over with some water for her, which I proceeded to splash in her face. That woke her up.
My Saint Sarah has graduated from her internship with me, but has left me with her collegiate colleague, Megan White.
Megan will be my eyes and ears at the bars and behind the bar as she works in the service industry. And she has nightlife vision goggles, too, might I add. She writes about what it's like to go behind bars in Charlotte bars.
Introducing Megan White ...
Tales From Behind the Bar
By Megan White
On any given weekend night, you can always find your typical types roaming around the EpiCentre in Uptown: the drunk girls who are in hot pursuit of cheaper shot specials, the middle-aged party of bachelors who are making way too many unnecessary Ric Flair hoots from the bar, and you cant forget the clique of college students who will probably be laughing hysterically all night at each other or until one of them passes out in the nearest bathroom stall. And then theres me the person behind the bar that has a front row, and sober, view of all of it.
According to Jay-Z, after the party its the hotel lobby ... or, you can just have the party at the hotel bar.
BLT in the Ritz Carlton just opened, and pretty much the entire hotel lobby is a lounge. It stands for Bistro Laurent Tourondel not bacon, lettuce and tomato. In fact, a BLT in that joint would probably cost you $15, for lunch.
Its not cheap... it is at the Ritz after all and the lounge is well, rather ritzy. And their organic cocktails and premium wine list of the lobby-lounge correspond with the price range of a steak house.
Its been open a few weeks and since then has been the hot spot for N.Y. Knicks and pretty much every celebrity that comes through Charlotte.
Don't know? Well let me help you out with that ... here are my party picks for the weekend.
Friday - party at the Time Warner Cable Arena - the Bobcats will be the belle of the ball. Pun intended.
Saturday - There are a lot of races in Charlotte ... NASCAR races ... Race for a Cure ... the mayoral race. But this weekend the Go Urban Adventure Race will be in town. A scavenger hunt based on text clues and physical and mental challenges. Kinda like the Amazing Race, minus all the reality show drama. Two person teams can register on-line.
Sunday - Runway for the Ballet Now this is like Project Runway meets So You Think You Can Dance. This fashion -slash- dance show will feature feature fashions from Morrison Boutique, Black & Blue, eMartini, Scout and Mollys, and ChezElle on the runway and NC Dance Theatres Innovative Works will take the stage. All this strutting and sashaying will benefit the North Carolina Dance Theatre. And did I mention there will be catering from RuSans and wine from Aroogi's Wine Room
In spirit of Election Day I have decided to elect my favorite nightlife spot in Charlotte. The votes have been tallied, and I have come to a unanimous decision (with myself) that my favorite place to go for a night out is ... (drum roll please) ... The Time Cable Warner Arena.
Yes, really.
Not only have I seen concerts from Kanye West to Taylor Swift there (no, not together - or else he probably would've stolen the mic out of her hand), but the Bobcats season opener was last weekend against the N.Y. Knicks. So you know what that means ... we have 30 some odd parties, er, I mean ... games to go to.
But let's just say I didn't mind that the Knicks game went into double overtime, for the win ... because I got to stay at the arena longer they even have a post game party in their Front Court Bar.
In fact, I like going to the games so much that the Bobcats have noticed and started publishing my blogs on their site. See
Check out Bobcats Break for behind the scenes, and in the stands reports from the dome of nightlife that is the arena.
Trick or Treat? Halloween isn't just for the tricks ... sure, it has turned into "Dress Like a Slut Night" with so many girls going as "Slutty (insert occupation here)" but despite the fact that it's hard to find costumes that'll cover your ass anymore, there were a lot of creative costumers out this Halloween. And as I made my rounds to judge various costume contests, I captured some of the winners .... Treat!
A blind Jake Delhomme seen at Coyote Joes and even though just in costume, he still got boo'ed off stage during the costume contest. I also saw a Jake with a for sale sign on.
All the single ladies! Beyonce and her back-up dancers seen at Andrew Blair's