Last week, I went country… back to my roots (and to Coyote Joe's).
You can take the chick out of Dixie, but you can never take the Dixie out of the chick. In 8th grade, my friends and I used to have our parents drop us off at “The Round Up” on the weekends — which was a barn converted into a dance floor with a band where people of all ages line danced. But then after a while we used that as an excuse to meet up and then snuck off to some high school or college party. We got caught eventually, and needless to say, I was never allowed to go to the round up again… and I haven’t country line danced since.
That is, until I went to Coyote Joe’s last week for their FREE line dancing lessons. First thing my friend and I noticed is that most of the dance moves don’t require any hand movements… it truly is the boot scootin' boogy. We figure it’s so they can hold their beers. As the instructor was going through the eight counts, I found myself naturally incorporating hip-hop moves into each step... and I couldn't help it. I call it "hick-hop"...
I would like to thank Charlotte nightlife for coincidentally and conveniently opening clubs on my birthday. My first year here, it was Forum. Last year, it was Strike City … this year, Butter. I guess this means we share a birthday. They’re even talking about Butter NC in N.Y.C., on Page 6 of the New York Post.
But before I went to do the Land-o-Lake shake at Butter, I went to NASCAR night at the arena. That’s right… I had a birthday party at a Bobcats game! It’s even cooler than Chuck-e-Cheese, and without the two-beer limit. You can read about how one even has a birthday party in the arena and see the photo gallery on the Bobcats Break blog.
I spent last Tuesday night in custody of the CMPD with a blood alcohol level of .08. No, I wasn’t drinking and driving – I was at the CMPD Police Academy acting as a test dummy in training officers how to administer sobriety tests ... kinda like jury duty.
You can find the full story in my column in this week's CL, "My night in the cop shop"... but you can find the incriminating photos here. Pun intended.
The bartender — or mad scientist, rather — who was precisely pouring 50ml of liquor per drink. Perhaps bartenders should start using measuring cups to pour drinks... food (or drink) for thought.
About halfway through the study, 1.5 hours — 4 cocktails and 200ml of liquor later — they had me blow into the "Intoximeter" ... and I only blew a .04! Yet I was legally drunk in my mind at that point. So drunk in fact that I thought the cop ordering me to "blow like I've never blown before" was comical.
And then the real fun began ... the testing. These are the tests the cops administer if they pull over someone they suspect to be drinking and driving. At first they did the "Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus" in which they look for six clues to intoxication (3 in each eye). They look for maximum deviation and onset of nystagmus (whatever that means).
I found this letter in my inbox from the Casting Producer for America's Got Talent, season 5. Basically, if you want to be on the show, well, then you should read it ...
Hi Brittney,My name's Shannon, I'm the Casting Director for America's Got Talent. The show will be in Atlanta on the 20th and 21st and I want people from Charlotte to come down for it! I want to talk to you about how we can generate a lot of interest in the open call and also give you some more inside info on the "Q" acts that I need to book. I can get about 50 acts right in, in front of the judges where they won't have to wait or deal with the crowds. Most times, they are the people that end up being selected for the show. All I need from folks you know --or don't even-- is their contact info and a video showing me that they're at least good and I can book them a private audition time. Just need to spread the word and get what's good from people in the know. Like, I need the writers from your paper, your friends, their friends, the local/regional papers to come up with the best or most unique, most talented people they've ever seen in the Charlotte area. It doesn't matter if it is performance art, breakdancing, cake baking, wood whittling, spoken word speaking, dancing, quick changing, streaking, tumbling, etc... You get the picture. We'll hopefully be able to give a lot of people a great opportunity!
All the Best ...
So in synopsis, if you want to be on America's Got Talent just send me a video of yourself being talented. Send it to brittney.cason@creativeloafing.com ... consider me your direct line to cut the line... but really I'm just the Charlotte middle man to a casting producer in L.A.
Last weekend, I went to the market … as in the Dandelion Market, the newest bar in Uptown.
Although I did go to the actual market as well… after spending 15 minutes fighting my way through the parking lot of the Metrolina Shopping Center, I got to Trader Joe's. Another 15 minutes later, as I’m standing in the check-out line, I hear: “If you left your blackberry in the apples, we have it at customer service.” I look at the bag of apples in my hand, and notice the lack of blackberry in the other. I go up to customer service to retrieve my crackberry, and they tell me they found it mixed in with the apples in the crate … oops. Luckily, they have child-proofed the store for adults.
The staff of the Dandelion Market is as cool and helpful, and like in Trader Joe’s they let you have samples ... of their 24 beers on tap including many local drafts. I tried the one with a church tap. And seeing as how it’s a small plate place, you can sample the menu without committing to a whole meal. You can also try everything at the market, which is one of everything on the menu for only 200 “buckaroos” … I'm pretty sure that means a dollar in Dandelion lingo. They also have 25 different kinds of wine and only charge 25 buckaroos a bottle.
After three wins in a row, you are probably contemplating jumping on the Bobcats bandwagon, aren't ya? Well, all aboard because these 'Cats might actually go to the playoffs this year. And I got your ticket on the wagon and to the game this Saturday, Jan. 9, against the Grizzles. Grrrr
I have more VIP passes for the Front Court Bar, which is in fact a bar within the arena. And there's a game on the court and a DJ in the bar ...
The tickets will also include admittance to the after party hosted by the Lady Cats. You see, games are typically over at 9 – 9:30 p.m., which is a weird time in nightlife where it's too early to go out to a bar, but too late to go home then come back out. So, the Bobcats alleviate that problem and occupy you in the interim.
I have five pairs of passes to give away to whoever can riddle me this ...
Why is it that in a sporting complex the men's restroom line is always longer than that of the women's, yet the women's line takes twice as long ... why do women take so long? What are they doing in there? I am a woman and I don’t even get it- personally, I am in and out and back to my seat.
... or, just be the first to e-mail me at brittney.cason@creativeloafing.com with subject line: Bobcats
Shaq is so big his head doesn't even fit into the frame of the photo!
Virginia Tech played Tennessee in ATL on New Year's Eve. And of course I centered my New Year's plans around said college football game … I have a degree that brands me a Hokie and a dog named Smokey.
I’m a poet and didn’t even know it. But I did know the Hokies were going to win the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl as the Volunteers would volunteer to lose.
You know why else I opted to ring in the new year at a college football game …? Because I go out to clubs and bars all the time, and the only thing that makes them different on New Year's Eve is that they’re more crowded. Hate to say it, but I call it like I see it.
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