The halftime cultural divide
Half-way through the Saints win during Super Bowl XLIV last night, The Who took the stage in Miami to perform the hits. Now, I wouldn’t consider them crossover artists by any means, but I’m at least aware of them and willing to argue that everyone who’s ever watched TV or a movie has heard, “Who…
Kisses and Hugs at Polka Dot
Polka Dot Bake Shop, 1730 East Woodlawn Road, is featuring half-dozen boxes ($17) filled with Red Velvet, Kisses ‘n Cream, Death by Chocolate, and Heavenly Chocolate cupcakes. Decorations will include meringue hearts and Valentine such messages as Be Mine and XOXO. These will be available on Friday, February 12, and Saturday, February 13. The bakery…
Best I’ve Had All Week: Cyros Sushi
The best I had this week was Cy’s signature roll: the Avante Garde.
Guess who’s behind on their taxes?
The EpiCentre’s owners owe almost $600K.
BOGO sandwiches at Einstein Bros Bagels
Now they are offering buy one, get one free Twisted Bagel Sandwiches.
Comic books I hate …
Maybe I don’t write enough about the comics I actually don’t like.
Best bets in Charlotte comedy this week, Feb. 9-13
As the headline suggests, here are a few of the best places to find comedy events in Charlotte — from stand-up to improv to sketch comedy and more. For a complete listing of all comedy visit www.CharlotteComedyLIVE.com. Tuesday, Feb. 9 Charlotte Comedy Theater’s Stand-Up Showcase at 8 p.m. 10 comics get five minutes each. Comics…
Tax break for liquor company at center of ABC Board controversy
Did tax buyers buy that expensive dinner after all?
Tonight’s Top 5, 02/08/10
The top five nightlife-related events going down tonight, Feb. 8, as chosen from the folks at Creative Loafing.
So, is N.C. GOP against Medicare now?
You have to wonder if the North Carolina Republican Party knows what it’s doing. I’m talking about the party’s Web site, which now features a 49-year-old commercial by Ronald Reagan that, we assume, is supposed to be a call to oppose health care reform. The ad, in which the GOP conservatives’ saint rails against the…
Impressive Condor set to soar tonight
Superb Robert Redford thriller will be screened tonight at ImaginOn.
Top 10 endangered places in the Southeast 2010
Let’s get proactive. Let’s save our land.
Repealing DADT = hermaphrodites in the army?
It’s Stupid Thing of the Week time (Editor’s Note: On Monday instead of last Friday). You knew that repealing “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” (DADT) was going to drive a few people over the edge, and sure enough, it didn’t take long for Rep. Duncan Hunter to flip. On Tuesday, Admiral Mike Mullen, the Chairman of…
Oh Andrew, give up the Edwards sex tape
Somebody, release the damn tape already!
Country megaticket on sale Friday
Country fans rejoice — the megaticket for Charlotte’s Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre goes on sale on Friday, Feb. 19 at 9 a.m. Concerts include: * Country Throwdown 2010 Tour featuring Montgomery Gentry, Jamey Johnson, Little Big Town, Jack Ingram, Eric Church, Eli Young Band, The Lost Trailers, Heidi Newfield, Ryan Bingham, Jonathan Singleton & the Grove,…
Tempo, 2/7/10
People came out to Tempo for Big Game Sunday to watch the Saints win last night.
BAR Charlotte, 2/5/10
Why some people at BAR Charlotte were missing clothes on Friday night, I have no idea.
Kiss Lounge, 2/5/10
The first Friday of each month is free at Kiss Lounge. Here are pics from this past Friday’s party.
Today’s Top 5: Monday
Here are the five best events going down in Charlotte and the surrounding area today, Feb. 8, 2010 — as selected by the folks at Creative Loafing. • Film screening of The Pope’s Toilet at Gaston County Public Library • Karaoke at Dixie’s Tavern • Find Your Muse open mic at The Evening Muse •…
Today’s Top(less) 5: Monday
Here are the five best events to get you hot and bothered with or without a date.
When the strippers come marching in
Charlotte, you’re wonderful. So what the Panther didn’t make it to the Super Bowl. This city still knew how to party. Since I didn’t care who won the big game, however, here is an obligatory Who DAT, I decided to check out some of the strip clubs that had Super Bowl parties. First stop, Club…
In concert: .357 String Band (02/07/2010)
A punkgrass band partly named after a firearm… aren’t you the least bit curious?
Pick your concert (02/06/2010)
Who will you go see this weekend? Motion City Soundtrack, Between the Buried and Me, or Perpetual Groove all in concert this Saturday.
UFC heads back to Charlotte
The Ultimate Fighting Championship returns to Charlotte for the first time in 15 years on March 31 at Bojangles Coliseum. The event will be live on Spike for their “Fight Night Live.” Season 11 of The Ultimate Fighter will debut after the televised event. The main event features Kenny Florian taking on Takanori Gomi. The…
Wing Tour tickets on sale now
Ok, people. Tickets for the Eat My Charlotte Foodie Tour featuring chicken wings go on sale right … NOW.
More Wing Tour research
Join our Eat My Charlotte Foodie Tour featuring chicken wings on March 6.
Oscar counts to 10
A look at this year’s expanded field of nominees.
Bank of America one of least trusted banks in U.S.
OK, being part of the reason the U.S. economy is in the toilet is one thing. Your CEO getting hauled before Congress and being forced to resign is another thing. And yesterday’s announcement of a lawsuit by the New York Attorney General’s office accusing the former CEO and CFO of securities fraud is yet another…
Where to go watch Super Bowl 2010
Who? Because you can’t talk shit about the other team by yourself.
Burlesque affair: Big Mamma’s Valentease
Don’t miss Big Mamma’s Valentease show at Visulite Theatre this Saturday.
Mixtape Review: B.o.B
The Deal: The ATL-er teams up with DJ Drama, DJ Sense and LRG for a appetizer to his new album, May 25th. The Good: Bobby Ray has the unique ability to sound completely different on every song but drop a line or two that let’s you know, it’s still him. Who else can give you…
Souper Bowl VI this Saturday
Souper Bowl VI, a soup cook-off and competition will happen this Saturday at Davidson College.
Ke$ha takes over Hollywood sign… maybe
New video has people wondering if it’s real or hoax.
Audiofloss — Vol. 4, No. 2: Music from Kam Moye, Deborah Bond and more
This week’s edition of Audiofloss serves up some hip-hop, house and soul tunes …
Tonight’s Top 5, 02/05/10
The top five nightlife-related events going down tonight, Feb. 5, as chosen from the folks at Creative Loafing.
In pictures: Happy hour at Zink
Happy hour at Zink means a slider bar, 1/2-price sushi, and $2 beers. Take a look.
Crowd warmers: Sol Driven Train (02/05/2010)
Looking to get out of the cold? Go to Double Door and check out Sol Driven Train.
Today’s Top 5: Friday
Here are the five best events going down in Charlotte and the surrounding area today.
Today’s Top(less) 5: Friday
Here are the five best events to get you hot and bothered with or without a date.
Weekender
Check out these events going down in Charlotte and the surrounding area this weekend.
Holy sinkhole, Norm the Miner
In roads-to-avoid news: UNC Charlotte wants everyone to stay away from Broadrick Boulevard. Crews are working to fix a water leak in the University area along Broadrick Boulevard. UNC Charlotte is warning students and drivers to avoid the area. The leak is bad enough that it could cause the road to collapse. Water from a…
New York accuses Bank of America of securities fraud
New York state’s Attorney General, Andrew Cuomo, is accusing Bank of America, former CEO Ken Lewis and former CFO Joe Price of securities fraud. The New York Times reports that Cuomo has filed a lawsuit accusing BofA and its former honchos of misleading shareholders and the government about the huge losses at Merrill Lynch, in…
So, maybe Taylor Swift’s not such a good singer…?
Label comes to singer’s defnse
Quickie comic review: Seige No. 2
Marvel unveils the second issue of its latest blockbuster limited series, featuring a whole bunch of Avengers, Asgardians, and big-time super villains.
Tim Tam Slam: A messy affair
The July I spent in Australia (their winter) a few years ago, I encountered the Tim Tam Slam, the Down Under equivalent of the American summer S’more. Fortunately for the past two years, I have been able to make them here in Charlotte. Slams have become an especially popular treat in my house on snow,…
McHenry celebrates earmarks he condemned
Well, you can’t accuse Rep. Patrick McHenry of wasting his time in Congress. And you thought McHenry was a rock-solid, far-right Republican who wants to shrink the government and ax those nasty earmarks (aka pork barrel legislation) that bloat the budget. And you’d be right to think that that’s what McHenry says he is. Which…
Become the art at Revolution for Valentine’s Day
Recently I chatted with a fashion designer who said something very poignant. She said people are their own canvas, able to paint their own piece of art through their own translation to what they think fashion looks like. Wow. I’m my own canvas? Love that! If you have a hard time wrapping your mind around…
Goodbye Ruby Tuesday — hello … ?
It’s not another restaurant going in the shuttered Ruby Tuesday in the Morrocroft Village Shopping Center …
How to end the I-485 catfight in Raleigh
Call a vote!
Liquidation sale: Peek-a-boo Couture
A liquidation sale at Peek-a-boo Couture, a children’s clothing boutique, is going on right now through Saturday, Feb. 6. For once, DON’T buy your kid a new outfit from Target or Wal-Mart. Please? Instead, head over to Peek-a-boo Couture and pick up something that’s NOT a carbon copy of what every other kid is sporting…
Touchdown!: 8th Annual Superbowl Sunday Revenge Sale
When I go shopping, I NEVER take my boyfriend with me. I sometimes see other women out with their men, showing them outfits, asking them what they think. PLEASE. If I don’t love it, I’m not getting it — who cares what my boyfriend thinks? So for you ladies who are like me and prefer…
Good news and bad news for Q.C. job seekers
The Charlotte Business Journal has no fewer than three articles about hirings and firings today, expansions and retractions. Here they are: Sun Chemical to lay off 75 in Charlotte Kewaunee Scientific expands, adds 120 jobs MedCath posts quarterly loss Solaris to invest $3.2M in Kings Mountain And, then — of course — there’s more news…
Sale of the day: Monkee’s of Morrocroft
This Thursday through Saturday at Monkee’s, a ladies’ shoe, clothing and accessory shop, buy one item at 50 percent off and get the next free. Three days only – fall clothing and shoes only. 3900-E Colony Road 704-442-7337 www.shopmonkees.com
Happy 7th Anniversary Breakfast Club!
Charlotte’s only ’80s club celebrates its anniversary with a Michael Jackson impersonator.
Will Spit 4 Sol Food poetically celebrates black history
On Tuesday, Feb. 9, a different kind of event will be held at The Evening Muse.
Tonight’s Top 5, 02/04/10
The top five nightlife-related events going down tonight, Feb. 4, as chosen from the folks at Creative Loafing.
Brooklyn Decker — Sport’s Illustrated’s next Swimsuit Edition cover girl?
At just 22 years of age, the young woman who grew up in Matthews (and refers to Charlotte often in interviews) arguably has one of the strongest chances to take the honor that helped turn Christie Brinkley, Tyra Banks, and last year’s cover girl Bar Refaeli into household names.
Recipe: Ice Cream Sundae Cupcakes
These Ice Cream Sundae Cupcakes are filled with chocolate ganache and topped with vanilla buttercream.
Jay Garrigan concert (02/04/2010)
Mike Garrigan debuts some new tracks at The Evening Muse
Today’s Top 5: Thursday
Here are the five best events going down in Charlotte and the surrounding area today.
Today’s Top(less) 5: Thursday
Here are the five best events to get you hot and bothered with or without a date.
Opening Friday
What’s new in theaters this weekend.
Theater review: Spring Awakening
Quick theater review of Spring Awakening at Belk Theater.
Fleming’s spreads the love this Valentine’s Day
Get a $25 gift card if you dine at Fleming’s for Valentine’s Day.
Valentine’s Day menu at Revolution Pizza
For Valentine’s Day Revolution Pizza in NoDa will be offering a fixed priced three-course meal with your choice of a bottle of wine or a pitcher of beer for $40.
Tebow’s Super Bowl ad ‘story’ pretty unlikely
In 2004, PETA wanted to run a commercial during the Super Bowl that would have urged people not to buy furs. MoveOn.org wanted to run a Super Bowl commercial pointing out that Bush had increased the deficit. And the United Church of Christ wanted to air an ad showing a bouncer refusing to let a…
Today’s Top 5: Wednesday
Here are the five best events going down in Charlotte and the surrounding area today, Feb. 3, 2010 — as selected by the folks at Creative Loafing. • The Friendly Five exhibition at Julia’s Coffee • Biloxi Blues at Theatre Charlotte • Stand-Up Open Mic at Jackalope Jack’s • Meritage Wine Tasting at Villa Antonio…
Tab Benoit: show canceled (02/03/2010)
Tab Benoit show canceled.
It’s Miss Jackson if you’re nasty…
How one boob changed the course of Super Bowl entertainment.
BofA out of touch with reality
So, what’s new?
Sale of the day: chez elle
Oh, I’m excited. chez elle’s dot sale has begun with up to 75 percent to 85 percent off. $85-$115 reduced to $25 $115-$159 reduced to $35 $160-$215 reduced to $45 Dresses orginally $300 and up, now $75. 532 Governor Morrison Street 704-365-4680
Don’t get too excited about state’s coal ash rules
It shouldn’t take a law to make companies do what’s right.
Video of the day
Check out this 5-year-old hammering away to System of a Down’s “Toxicity.” \\\\\\\\\\
The Q.C.’s small business task force
Kiss lip service goodbye, small business owners.
The ongoing weirdness of Mark Sanford
Jenny Sanford, S.C. guvnah Mark Sanford’s estranged wife, told Barbara Walters that before they were married, Marco the Latin Lover insisted that a clause promising fidelity be taken out of their wedding vows. In an interview to be aired Friday on ABC, Ms. Sanford says the future Appalachian Trail hiker was adamant about taking out…
Tonight’s Top 5, 02/03/10
The top five nightlife-related events going down tonight, Feb. 3, as chosen from the folks at Creative Loafing.
Openings: Jet’s Pizza and Extreme Pita
Jet’s Pizza opens on Friday, Feb 5, at 1607 Montford Drive. Based in Sterling Heights, Michigan, Jet’s Pizza was founded in 1978. Extreme Pita, a franchise from Canada, opened in Ballantyne Village,14825 Ballantyne Village Way, last Friday.
Listen up – or in
Tricia Childress dishes on Charlotte restaurants and food on the radio Feb. 5.
Today’s Top(less) 5: Wednesday
Here are the five best events to get you hot and bothered with or without a date.
Flaming Lips to show “Dark Side”, Paul Simon at Bonnaroo
Band says it will perform entire album live during late-night set.
The 2010 Grammys’ most unique dress
You know it was going to go to Lady Gaga, sporting a Giorgio Armani Prive dress. Unique? Yes. Fabulous? Yes. Gorgeous? I’d even say yes there, too. Only the Gaga could pull this off. Read what other celebrities thought of it.
President Obama signs North Carolina disaster declaration
This just in from the folks at The White House.
Virginia Foxx to have first serious challenger
It looks like the infamous Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-Nutjobbia) will have real competition, for a change, in November. Democrat Billy Kennedy, who describes himself as being from “the Democratic wing of the Democratic Party,” announced that he will file next week to run for the congressional seat currently held by Foxx, who has become famous…
Get to know Nneka
Nigerian-born singer/musician Nneka drops her first U.S. album today.
DVD Pick: The Wolf Man
Universal re-releases its monster classic in a new edition.
Craft Attack is back
Craft Attack will invade the Atrium of Amelie’s French Bakery on Feb. 6.
New year dieting? We’ve got it all backwards …
We’ve got it all backwards — this dieting we go through at the beginning of each new year. For some reason, we seem to be tied to Janus, the Roman god of beginnings, and make resolutions to lose weight and get in shape. Yet at the same time, food magazines sport glossy cover shots of…
Blumenthal shows to help with Haiti relief
Woody Sez and Spring Awakening performances will help raise funds for Haiti.
Stupid groundhog
Six more weeks of winter? Pffffttt.
County meeting tonight focuses on ‘green’
Green equals savings moolah, so the county’s ready to help for help.
Graham cowers & covers his butt
U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham has been on the hot seat lately in the insane asylum known as the South Carolina GOP. The conservative senator has been condemned by various county GOP groups in S.C. for being a yucky-liberal-socialist-tree-hugger because he supports the growth of a clean energy industry in America. What kind of newfangled modern…
Queen’s Feast: Bonterra
Count on Bonterra for impeccable service, delicious food, and special touches like specialty butters and freshly baked bread.
Should you get paid for giving an older lady an orgasm? Not in China.
Moral of the story, stop having sex with dying old people and expecting to get paid for it!
Buffalo Wings & Rings opens tomorrow
Local couple Frank and Kristine La Fragola are opening a franchise of Buffalo Wings & Rings in Ballantyne.
The Situation has changed at Suite
“The Situation” ‘s appearance at Suite this week has been rescheduled to next week.
Brewer’s Dinner at Rock Bottom
Charlotte’s only brewery Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery will be hosting a Brewer’s Dinner on Thursday, Feb. 11 at 6 pm.
This week’s new releases (2/2/2010)
Rob Zombie returns this week with “Hellbilly Del
Dressler’s Metro to open
Restaurateur Jon Dressler will open Dressler’s Metro on Monday, February 8 in the Metropolitan shopping center. His first Dressler’s Restaurant is in Birkdale in Huntersville. (Read about it here.) On the menu at Dressler’s Metro are Thai crispy calamari, Low Country crab dip ,heart of rib eye, New York strip, halibut, tuna, and Dressler’s mom…
Tonight’s Top 5, 02/02/10
The top five nightlife-related events going down tonight, Feb. 2, as chosen from the folks at Creative Loafing.
Bakery with a Dominican flair opens
Now open is Juanita Abad’s new spot: Juanita’s Bakery, 2809 South Boulevard. In the display case are cupcakes ($.50 each), Tres Leche ($1), flan, breakfast crumb cake, and rice pudding. Juanita specializes in wedding and birthday cakes, and makes a Dominican cake for her fellow Dominicans – and everyone else, too. Hours: 8 a.m. 7:…
Charley’s bows out in March
Charles Robinson is closing Charley’s Restaurant in Cotwold on March 19, 2010.
Dr. Sketchy will see you now
“Where cabaret meets art school …”
Today’s Top 5: Tuesday
Here are the five best events going down in Charlotte and the surrounding area today, Feb. 2, 2010 — as selected by the folks at Creative Loafing. • Spring Awakening at Belk Theater • Ceretto Wine Dinner at M5 Modern Mediterranean • Charlotte Comedy Theater’s Stand-Up Showcase at Hooligans at Courtyard Hotel • Touch One…
Today’s Top(less) 5: Tuesday
Here are the five best events to get you hot and bothered with or without a date.
Facelifts at the Met and the Phil
Like Charlotte’s skyline, the Lincoln Center cultural campus has been perpetually pocked with construction sites over the past two years as the facility primped up for its 50th anniversary, currently in a yearlong celebration. When one eyesore gives way to a decorous renovation, another unsightly zit pops up elsewhere. Last summer, the new Alice Tully…
Where to find King Cakes
You may wonder why anyone would buy sweet yeast bread with a pink plastic baby in it, but to some, the Carnival season just isn’t right without a King Cake, a cinnamon roll with green, purple and gold icing — the colors of Carnival. This “cake” evolved from the cakes made throughout Christendom to celebrate…
Capsule reviews of films playing the week of Feb. 3
AVATAR The only film capable of surpassing Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen as the Fanboy Fave of 2009, James Cameron’s massively hyped Avatar at least differs from Michael Bay’s boondoggle in that it’s, you know, entertaining. On the other hand, the notion that it represents the next revolution in cinema is nothing more than studio-driven…
Options for Valentine’s Day
Know anyone who only goes out to dinner — a “nice dinner” — on prescribed nights of the year, such as New Year’s Eve, a birthday, anniversary or Valentine’s Day? In restaurants, these infrequent diners are quaintly known as “amateurs” and can be spotted as easily as a Hawaiian-shirted tourist with a Nikon dangling around…
ART: Surface at Lark & Key — Southend
Lark & Key Gallery in NoDa is known for being full of alluring, dreamy and whimsical works of art, from paintings to pottery and more. That in mind you’ll want to check out its brand new second location in Southend. The new gallerys first exhibition, Surface features works of varying mediums that reflect on physical…
3 questions with Ashley Eller, baker
When you walk into local Charlotte baker Ashley Eller’s kitchen, the aroma of warm, garnished desserts welcomes you. This mountain girl from Boone, N.C., is all about baking organic temptations compiled from family tradition. Eller caters as well as distributes her scrumptious desserts to local restaurants such as Berrybrook Farm, La-Dee-Da’s, and Higher Grounds Coffee…
ART: TEN for 2010
Center of the Earth’s first new exhibition of the new year, TEN for 2010, includes a mix of paintings, collages, and sculptures by 10 (surprise, surprise) artists, including Jacob Cooley, Sharon Dowell, Scott Fraser, Patrick Glover, Scott Hill, Page Laughlin, Ruth Ava Lyons, Nancy Scheinman, Paul Sires, and Scott Upton. The exhibition will be unveiled…
Are you too old to go to a bar?
I found myself pondering this question on the eve of my 29th birthday. “This is your last year in your twenties,” one of my girlfriends so kindly pointed out to me. Yet, I am still hanging out with many of the same people I did when I was under 21 and am pretty much still…
NIGHTLIFE: The Breakfast Club’s 7th Year Anniversary Party
R.I.P. Michael Jackson. How we miss him, but alas life goes on. It’s just too damn bad we can’t see him perform a live show (that’s why when you want to see someone in concert you should seize the day. After all, you never know when their doc might be a “smooth criminal” and give…
Chairmen of the Board soldiers classic beach hits
This General doesn’t wear a uniform, and has no stars on his shoulders, but he commands respect with the force of his personality and his voice. For 40 years, as the head of a volunteer army of thousands, General Norman Johnson has been leading his troops through the sand, marching relentlessly to the rhythm of…
THEATER: Madea’s Big Happy Family
When Tyler Perry parades through Bojangles’ Coliseum, you can expect he’ll be in full cross-dressing gear, (a gray wig, a dress, panty hose, accessories, and makeup — there’s no forgetting the lipstick!) as he takes to playing the part of his argumentative altar ego, Madea. The feisty character, an old woman who is set in…
Will Spit 4 Sol Food poetically celebrates black history
On Tuesday, Feb. 9, a different kind of event will be held at The Evening Muse. Will Spit 4 Sol Food will feature poets offering up poetry and spoken word over music by the house band and DJ. The event is being organized by Mike Kitchen (The Sol Kitchen) and poets Bluz, JC Cowan and…
MUSIC: Find Your Muse open mic at The Evening Muse
It’s Find Your Muse open mic night at The Evening Muse this and every Monday. Musicians, grab up your music gear and head over to perform one of your own musical creations in front of a crowd. No one can guarantee they’ll be liked, but constructive criticism is always helpful! Get there early to snag…
CL previews upcoming concerts (Feb. 3-9)
WEDNESDAY, FEB. 3 Tab Benoit I have a thing for the blues, and some theories, too. I think the blues, being a color, doesn’t see any others. I believe it’s not so much what’s being said as much as it is the depth of emotion in which it’s delivered. I believe it’s usually only white…
MUSIC: Evan Dando
For those of us old enough to know better, Evan Dando will probably be linked with Kurt Cobain in perpetuity. Though Cobain was always considered The More Serious Artist, both were reluctant MTV poster boys in the early ’90s, scruffily-dressed Flannel Idols with sculpted good looks chiseled at the same granite factory. They both had…
CD Review: Vampire Weekend’s Contra
The Deal: Vampire Weekend misses the point again. The Good: Futura typeface on the cover. The Bad: You’re at a party, and some jackass is waxing pretentiously about the obscure Bollywood collection that’s inspired his songwriting lately, and the totally awesome African thumb piano he used on this one track. Later, you overhear him trying…
ART: Joyce Scott: Recall exhibition
McColl Center for Visual Arts latest exhibition, Joyce Scott: Recall, looks pretty damn cool. Take one look at the heavily beaded pieces included in the exhibition and you’ll be either curious or a little weirded out. Either way, thoughts will prevail while eyeing these pieces of works, all of which were inspired by American history…
CD Review: Eels’ End Times
The Deal: Eels release sorrowfully personal album. The Good: Those familiar with Eels know front man Mark Oliver Everett, better known as E, likes to let loose with his emotions through music. Even before Eels began, his solo efforts typically reflected on feelings of despair. Eels has released a stream of diverse albums and the…
Book Review: Lydia Millet’s Love in Infant Monkeys
Lydia Millet’s fantastic short story collection, Love In Infant Monkeys, landed on a few critics’ year-end lists in December, even though it was released in paperback without having first been published in hardback. Now I see what the fuss was all about. This slim collection — Millet’s first, after writing six novels — is one…
Extra! Secret Haiti conference
The N.C. Emergency Management Team told Charlotte officials last week that the city should prepare to give medical care and shelter to evacuees from Haiti. CL has discovered that before the public announcement, the NCEMT hosted an online conference to give the news to several local government leaders. We have acquired a partial transcript of…
Comic review: Stumptown No. 2
Stumptown No. 2 Published by Oni Press. Written by Greg Rucka. Art by Matthew Southworth. The Deal: Oni pops out another issue of its new Greg Rucka-penned detective comic. The Good: I’m a sucker for detective comics, and Dex, the star of Stumptown, is a great new addition to the pantheon of private dicks populating…
Mayor Anthony Foxx finds a style to suit a changing city
The mayor of Charlotte is friends with Wynton Marsalis. And although you won’t find Anthony Foxx headlining a concert at Lincoln Center, he has been known to pick up one of the Grammy winner’s trumpets when the two are visiting in New York. Marsalis will tell amateur musician Foxx to “put it down” pretty quickly,…
Bizarre crimes from Charlotte police files
In The Shop: Police responded to a call in north Charlotte and found nobody home. When they went out around back, however, they found a 2-year-old boy wandering around in the shed unattended. “Just fixing the brake on this here Big Wheels, officer. Is there a problem?” Backyard Barbecue: Police responded to an emergency call…
Chris Matthews makes black history
MSNBC commentator Chris Matthews put his proverbial foot in his mouth last week following President Barack Obama’s State of the Union Address. The world was watching President Obama, the man previously with the Midas touch. He had come under fire from many in the country, including his own party, with the Democrats losing the Senate…
Horoscope for week Feb. 3-9, 2010
Aquarius The Waterbearer (Jan. 19-Feb. 18): You are called upon once again to raise the lantern of healing and compassion for those around you. This is another month in which you are in the position to take the high road and act as role model for others in your world. Do so with humility. For…
The Uptown office space dilemma
Sure, they call it Uptown, but it’s essentially a glorified office park, subject to the whims of its tenants. That’s what worries me, and, if they were candid, a whole lot of other people, too. A recent blip in The Charlotte Observer published under the nondescript title “Office Vacancy Rate Jumped in 2009,” captures this…
The Wolf Man, Zombieland among new DVD reviews
WARNER ARCHIVES (1941-1981). Selected titles from the recent batch of films available only through the Warner Archives label include vehicles featuring Marlene Dietrich, Chevy Chase and cinema’s original swinger, Tarzan. A mild disappointment from Warner Bros.’s richest period (the ’30s and ’40s), Manpower (1941) stars Edward G. Robinson and George Raft as best friends who…
Howard Zinn: The people’s historian
Howard Zinn, legendary historian, author and activist, died last week at the age of 87. His most famous book is “A People’s History of the United States.” Zinn told me last May, “The idea of ‘A People’s History’ is to go beyond what people have learned in school … history through the eyes of the…
Edge of Darkness: Moody Mel returns
Although based on a 1985 British TV miniseries, Edge of Darkness mostly feels like The Constant Gardener shorn of emotional complexity and weighty plotting. That hardly matters, though: The picture could have played like an episode of Sesame Street and audiences would still turn out just to answer the pressing question: So, what’s Mel been…
Crazy Heart: Bridges burning bright
Robert Duvall appears in a supporting role in Crazy Heart (*** out of four) and also serves as one of the film’s producers. His participation in this project makes complete sense: He wanted to personally hand the baton off to Jeff Bridges. After all, Duvall won his Best Actor Academy Award for 1983’s Tender Mercies,…
Asjah
inspiration: “Inspiration.”
