After 10 years of living away from England, a girl can get a little homesick. Since I’m in a financial flump (aren’t we all), I can’t hop the pond this summer. But if you’re like me and need a wee break, you can skip over to Scotland ... and you don’t even have to leave the state. All you have to do is head over to the Tilted Kilt on Carowinds Boulevard.
The Tilted Kilt makes you feel like you’ve just taken a nine hour flight and landed in the land of Haggis — but luckily without the jet lag. Food includes Danny Boy’s Shepherd Pie, sausage sandwiches, and a Fat Bastard meatloaf sandwich. And to put a new crunch on an appetizer favorite, you can order the Irish nachos ... on crisps (aka. potato chips). But as well as bringing Scottish cuisine to America, the Tilted Kilt has mixed a little east with a little west. And by that I mean American girls in skimpy Scottish kilts — what an edge on tradition ... well, a shorter edge at least.
Essentially, the Tilted Kilt is like a Scottish tilt on Hooters and Bikinis. While the orange shorts and bikini tops are traditions in themselves, the outfits look like naughty schoolgirl uniforms. And ladies, even the men wear kilts, which will make any girl ponder that age old question — do men wear anything under their kilts?
Creative Loafing's Best Of Charlotte issue comes out today, and tomorrow we honor those who won ... with an invitation-only reception at the Levine Museum of the New South from 6 p.m.- 9 p.m. and the Readers' Picks' after-party at Madison's starting at 9 p.m. that is open to the public.
The party at the Levine is invite-only, but I have an invite for you ...
I am giving away two tickets to the VIP reception so that you may sample some of the best restaurants in Charlotte, listen to the best DJs and mingle with the best of the best. The party is benefiting Hands On Charlotte as the invite requires a donation of a school supply. I went on a shopping spree for school supplies so I'll even cover your cover. Although school supplies are so cheap, you can fill an entire backpack for $20 ... just saying.
The first person to e-mail me at brittney.cason@creativeloafing.com and tell me who you voted for as the best bar in Charlotte wins.
The Graduate has graduated to The Nook. It’s now more of a dining dive than a dive bar as The Nook has upgraded the menu and ambiance — but don’t get me wrong, the eats and drinks are still dirt cheap.
They serve brunch on Saturday and Sunday, have movie nights on Sunday with free popcorn and have an all hip-hop open Microphone Mondays (tonight featuring Notik1 & Selector E.), a daily $7 wing buffet from noon til 2 p.m. and Thursday is draft night where all drafts are $3. But more importantly (to me at least) are the Friday and Saturday comedy nights featuring Charlotte Comedy Theater and Robot Johnson.
Conveniently, the bathrooms are located next to the theater in the back nook of The Nook because they’ll make you laugh so hard you might pee a little.
Meanwhile, there’s an entire pool and game room with a mini-arcade with both old school video games and a Wii. The Nook is the epitome of a neighborhood bar — in one of the best neighborhoods in Charlotte, and with a line-up of entertainment so diverse you'll only find it in PM. Since it really is in the nook, here's a picture of it so that you can actually find it ...
1308 The Plaza
704.332.8566
I got the following reader letter in response to my column in last week's CL: "Women are Crazy, Men are Worse" and I feel inclined to share as it is perhaps the most insightful and interesting thing I've ever read baked fresh from the male mind. So, thank you Matt — for reading, replying and sharing the male perspective ... you, um, want to go out for a drink? haha
Hi Brittney,We have never met. I am in no way a critic nor am I a jaded individual. I just wanted to say that I enjoy reading your column. Your commentary is well written, quite entertaining, and relevant. I admire you for sharing experiences in a somewhat unbiased manner and I applaud you for your raising awareness to issues ever-present in the singles circus. I do have some thoughts of my own that I would like to present. They are based on some prior pieces of yours and the “Woman are crazy, men are worse” bit in particular. Please know that I am in no way condemning you for your feelings and observations and do not mean any disrespect by any stretch :o) Just agreeing with you on many points, and posing questions to the population in rhetoric though it may appear that my thoughts are directed at you. While certainly thought provoking, many articles hover over the notion that men are bumbling, unaware, disconnected, mal-intentioned beings that slash through the emotions of women they encounter without either a hint of compassion or the most miniscule glint of recourse. While I find that this appears to be the consensus of most women from here to BFE, I believe this mindset to be quite problematic in that it perpetuates all the confusion and muck we all encounter. To set the tone, I certainly empathize with women out there. As you said Brittney, guys are crazy — some that is. Case in point, over coffee this morning as I was reading your latest in CL, I overheard some dude in his mid 30s, well dressed and spoken for the most part, professing that he has been “mackin on women and running bitches” when asked what he had been up to by the married couple with whom he held company. To have a response held so eager on the tip of his tongue like that is just plain tacky- “dumbfuck” was the first word gleaned from brain waves after hearing this. Moreover, one cannot help but notice all the idiots out there that exemplify their tasteless existence by the way they carry themselves and how they treat other people. The terms Douche, Tool, Asshole, Jerk are fitting in these cases and can be pinned to a good majority of the guys you will see out. Now I am in no way admonishing the acts and/or intentions of the male species as a whole; truth is, we all see guys everyday that the world would clearly be better without. For this, I find women’s diminished faith in men is well founded. Fact of the matter is that for every dipshit there is a guy with a heart of gold.
While in my Second City, Chicago, I found myself in what is known as the Viagra Triangle — a nightlife scene in which we even up a game, entitled “Father and Daughter – or- on a date?”
I couldn’t help but notice an excessive amount of silver-haired men fine dining and wining bleached blondes that made this “Puma” look like a “Cougar.” For the record, it wasn’t Father's Day.
Speaking of Cougars … if they are older women who hunt younger men, then what are these older men who hunt for kitties? If men are dogs, then females are felines … Perhaps a hyena. A dog with a cackling laugh who preys and scavenges on the young (or weak, depending on their state of mind or level of intoxication).
And meanwhile the hot little kitties were digging their paws to strike gold. Because while these young ladies are someone’s daughter, when they’re calling these Hyenas daddy or old man, it’s probably not in the same context.
Why do Cougars get so much flack anyway? They’re probably only on the prowl because their Hyena husband left them for a newer model of cat, or is having an affair with one.
I am not a judge. I don’t rock a robe or a gavel and no one stands whenever I enter or exit a room. Nor am I a judgmental person. Don’t judge – hug, is my theory. However, yesterday I sat on the panel of judges for the Bobcat’s Ladies, the Ladycats dance team auditions.
Just like it’s hard to break up with or reject someone, it’s also hard to sit there and look a girl in the eye after their number wasn’t called and having contributed to crushing her hopes and dreams ... which is precisely why I looked down and started texting after each round, which I suggested to CJ from 96.1 The Beat who was feeling as guilty as I was. I mean, who are we to judge?
There was a guy (wearing a wig) auditioning that might have just been the best dancer there … but it is the lady cats after all. After he was cut, CJ and I went and commended him for having the balls (literally) to audition.
... to nightlife at The Oasis - as in the new Blake Hotel pool, making a splash with a grand opening party this Saturday with a fashion show by Everything But Water. There will actually be water though ... and alcohol! The shindig and show is to kick-off Charlotte N.C. Fashion Week
After Leah, one of my very best friends and former roommate in Charlotte, was sent to the hospital on May 20 to give birth to her twin baby boys, over a month later she was still in the hospital ... awaiting a liver transplant. Leah was diagnosed with HELLP syndrome, turning this miracle of life into tragedy in Leah’s own life.
Despite her condition Leah, being the positive person she is, is still laughing — she even came out of her coma cracking a joke about having cankles and managed to smile even after receiving news that she needed a complete liver transplant ... which is why we are going to support her with a night of laughter. Laughter is the best medicine after all.
On July 28 we are having a comedy show featuring Comedy Central comedian Steve Hofstetter and David L from 96.1's Brotha Fred's AM Mayhem in order to assist her in paying her medical bills, as well as spread awareness of the rare, but common disease, HELLP Syndrome. HELLP stands for Hemolysis, Elevated Liver enzymes, and Low Platelet count. It is a life-threatening disease that occurs during the later stages of pregnancy or after childbirth.
The event will be hosted by FOX's funny man Mark Mathis and there will be an auction for signed shit and items including ...
*2 tickets Panthers vs Ravens- Saturday, August 29 (1st pre-season game)
*2 tickets Panthers vs Eagles- Sunday, September 13 (1st regular season home game)
*2 tickets Panthers vs Dolphins- Thursday, November 19 (Thursday night game!)
*2 tickets VT vs Nebraska- Saturday, September 19
*2 pit passes and in-field hospitality to Bank of America 500 at Lowes Motor Speedway- Saturday, October 17
*VIP Table at SUITE
Tuesday, July 28, 2009 at 7 p.m.
Lake Norman Comedy Zone
17044 Kenton Dr.
City/Town: Cornelius, NC
Purchase tickets here
And you can read Leah's full story here
Because FLO stands for "For Lesbians Only" and well ... I'm strictly dickly. But hey, to each his/her own. Even though I'm not personally invited, I got the following invite for Pride Charlotte, because this weekend, FLO is "taking over" Las Margaritas.
Friday 07.17.09 Part 1
FLO Sexxy Blue Jeans
come dressed in your sexxiest blue jeans...
*Live performance by Charlotte's hottest bellydancer "The Exotic Nayna"
*Poetry like you never heard it before from the QC's own "Just Nika"
*Complimentary drinks passed out to 10 of the sexxiest ladies
*Drink and Food Specials
*Door Prize to the lady with sexxiest blue jeans
*The hottest vendors in the QC
Saturday 07.18.09 Part 2
FLO White Party
come dressed in your sexxy white .
*Live Performance by Charlotte's own R&B vocalist "Kawfi" and a special performance by the lovely R&B artist "Ida Divine"
*Free Rainbow Berries
*Door Prizes
*Drink and Food Specials
"FLO is For Lesbians Only... but it is also for women who are comfortable around women who love women - Sorry no men!"
Las Margaritas
4426 East Independence Blvd
Charlotte , NC 28205
And for those that are only gay as in happy ... there's the ABSOLUTely Heavenly Summer Cocktail Party at the Westin. Located on the newly renovated patio of Ember Grille with DJ Kopasetic on the wheels.
Bombay Sapphire Gin to be exact … and used in original recipes made by Charlotte’s top bartenders. Last night was the Bombay Sapphire and GQ Magazine’s Most Inspired Bartender Contest at Loft 1523.
The contest consisted of lot of the same bartenders as the Bar Wars event at Alley Cat — but it was a lot classier of an event with a lot higher stakes. The winner of the event last night will be flown to Las Vegas to compete against bartenders from all over the country — and that winner will then be featured in GQ Magazine and be credited for creating Bombay Sapphire’s new drink to be mass-marketed in the U.S.
I felt like I was in Hell’s Kitchen for bartenders, slash a science fair. Anyone that thinks bartending is easy is apparently only a beer tub girl because bartending is a science … literally. Mixology is chemistry.
The bartenders were using fruits and ingredients I’d never even heard of before. There were edible flowers frozen in ice, lemon peels wrapped around ice tubes, homemade jams lacing the glasses and extraordinary garnishes. And there were a lot of recipes involving cucumbers; apparently cucumbers are the new it ingredient — like pink is the new black, cucumber is the the new pomegranate.
And the winner is … (drum roll please)
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