Jan 22-28, 2014

Jan 22-28, 2014 / Vol. 27 / No. 48

Cover Story

UnBridaled: Dive into our all-local wedding guide

OK, let’s be real: Creative Loafing is usually not in the business of planning weddings. You know it, and I know it. But we are in the business of celebrating the nontraditional. We also love to support independently owned businesses. And certainly, we’re always up for trying out new stuff — so here goes. This…

Kimberly Lawson

Theater review: The Miss Firecracker Contest

Carnelle Scott isn’t about high morals, refined manners or good taste. Neither is playwright Beth Henley, who created the lovably gawky and declasse heroine of The Miss Firecracker Contest. The difference is that Henley knows about these things, making Carnelle, her family and her friends a whole lot of fun to watch as they blunder…

Perry Tannenbaum

Bizarre crimes from Charlotte police files (Jan. 23)

Show Off: A 41-year-old man in east Charlotte had an interesting commute to work last week, as the man driving in front of him was all too happy to show off his 2nd Amendment rights. The victim told officers that he was driving behind a man when the man suddenly hopped out of his vehicle…

Ryan Pitkin

A bumpy Ride Along

RIDE ALONG ** DIRECTED BY Tim Story STARS Ice Cube, Kevin Hart If you can’t stand The Heat, then stay out of the multiplexes showing Ride Along. Melissa McCarthy’s vibrant performance opposite Sandra Bullock modestly elevated that 2013 summer hit out of its holding pattern as just another formulaic comedy involving mismatched cops. In this…

Matt Brunson

Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit: Clear and present slumber

JACK RYAN: SHADOW RECRUIT *1/2 DIRECTED BY Kenneth Branagh STARS Chris Pine, Kevin Costner Jack Ryan should have quit while he was ahead. The hero of numerous novels penned by the late Tom Clancy, the stalwart CIA analyst (among other careers) was successfully brought to the screen in 1990’s The Hunt for Red October (with…

Matt Brunson

New beers’ resolutions

I guess it pays to procrastinate when writing about beer in the New Year. Over the last couple weeks, I’ve read several articles predicting trends for craft beer in Charlotte and beyond for 2014, and while many of them offer quality insight and reasonable analysis, I’m going to try to avoid the redundancy of feeding…

Cam Heiliger

Bro country for old men

For the sake of research, I recently got my hands on a copy of Bill Anderson’s out-of-print country disco album Ladies Choice. It’d been on top of my turntable for about a week, throughout which time the cover photo of Anderson laid there, coming on strong with those bedroom eyes and ardently attentive expression, and…

Jewly Hight

The Dark Knight falls

Where does he get those wonderful toys? Developed by Warner Bros. Games Montréal and released by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, Batman: Arkham Origins is the third installment in the Batman: Arkham series. The game’s storyline is set five years before the events of 2009’s Batman: Arkham Asylum and features a younger Batman with a bounty…

Adam Frazier

Getting fresh: Kris Reid

If there is a local food crusade going on, then Kris Reid, 39, is Joan of Arc, albeit a more foul-mouthed version. If you haven’t met the dark-haired, blue-eyed chef in person (believe me, you would know if you had), then take a look at local food projects in town. They likely have her fingerprints…

Keia Mastrianni

Phosphorescent’s Muchacho Man

What strange alchemy goes into a masterwork? If you ask Phosphorescent’s Matthew Houck, whose sixth long-player, the mesmerizing Muchacho, earned that high-praise description even before dozens of 2013 best-of lists suggested it, the answer is as oblique and mysterious as the record itself. There is, however, a narrative crumb trail leading to Muchacho, albeit one…

John Schacht

Adventures in retail

The other day I saw something that summed up Americans’ experience with and attitude toward retail customer service. After looking over some books in the “café” at the SouthPark Barnes & Noble, I picked one to buy and headed upstairs to put back the others. As I stepped onto the escalator, I noticed a customer…

John Grooms

Weekly horoscope (Jan. 24-30)

For All Signs: Venus, goddess of love, turns direct on Jan. 31. We are presently traveling in the retrograde. Many of us are pressured to encounter ourselves and our personal behavior within the framework of our relationships. Those in shaky attachments may withdraw altogether. Dormant issues may resurface for attention. We have a tendency to…

Vivian Carol

Trash the dress idea: Jump in a pool

In the locker room of Huntersville Family Fitness & Aquatics, photographer Melissa Powell (of Project:Life Photography) laces up the corset of the wedding gown that Corinne, the model for the day’s shoot, is wearing. “Keep the straps on,” Powell instructs patiently. “The water will pull down the dress, so she may need the support.” As…

Kimberly Lawson

Local Love: Brittany and Johnny

Name of the couple: Brittany Bayer and Johnny Bradley, both 32 Date of wedding: Aug. 31, 2013 The venue: The Chop Shop in NoDa Number of guests: 200 The Chop Shop is a versatile venue — from rock shows and EDM events to b-boy battles and a male revue, the NoDa spot doesn’t shy away…

Kimberly Lawson

Wedding hairstyles for natural hair

What would a wedding guide be without a fashion shoot? Rather than focus on the latest trends in gowns, we offer some natural hairstyle ideas. Textured tresses modernize updos and add beautiful volume to twists and pompadours. Say it with Beyoncé, “I woke up like this!” Photographer: Michelle Flowers | @MeeshTheGreatMakeup: Joy Randall | @FlawlessMakeupArt…

Wedding bling for the fellas

For a one-of-a-kind touch, grooms, check out these locally made accessories. The Female Haberdasher $35-$45 http://tfhapparel.com The Cordial Churchman $12 www.thecordialchurchman.com PL8 Links $68 http://pl8links.com Related Stories

How to get a custom wedding dress

Not all women who have been planning their weddings since they were little girls have visions of poufy dresses in their heads. Some of us fear we’d burst into flame donning virginal white; others of us simply don’t like the idea of an anonymous cake dress that could belong to anyone. We’d gladly trade sugar,…

Emiene Wright

Mobile matrimony

Over the last two years, the Charlotte food truck scene has exploded, bringing the growing roster of meals on wheels to a whopping 51 trucks registered with Charlotte Center City Partners at last count. And, food trucks aren’t just for Friday night rallies anymore. They are quickly becoming the most novel way to feed a…

Keia Mastrianni

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