Water World
Now that Charlotte has been besieged by a monsoon, being in an ocean-themed restaurant seemed oddly appropriate. Aquavina, Innovative Contemporary Seafood, a 220-seat upscale spot that opened in The Ratcliffe on the Green on Valentine’s Day, is restaurateur Stefan Latorre’s entry into the refined, yet fickle world of seafood. In addition to Aquavina, Latorre, who…
Edwards Plays Chicken
John Edwards is playing a game of chicken with his political career that is not for the faint of heart. Few in politics would even consider it. But then few in politics possess Edwards’ near maniacal level of ambition, either. What Edwards is currently doing isn’t all that different from hurtling a race car at…
Picnicking for Winos
With winter definitely over, it’s time to rush outside and enjoy life sprawled out under a tree. Add a soft blanket, a good friend and a bottle of light wine and you have the ingredients for a picnic. Outdoor movies, concerts and fireworks — prevalent as soon as heat hits our cities — are perfect…
Dude!
I am eternally losing things. My car keys, my pens, my notebooks. I recently had to purchase a second deodorant because I had cleverly hidden the first one in my sock drawer. But there are just some things that are too important to lose. For instance, I always know where my toothbrush is, as well…
Good Eats
Dilworth/Southend 300 East, 300 East Blvd., 704-332-6507. Locals have long gathered at this casual neighborhood bistro in a vintage house featuring an eclectic menu. L, D $$$ Berrybrook Farms Natural Foods, 1257 East Blvd., 704-334-6528. Homemade soups, herbed tofu sandwiches, bean burritos, and freshly squeezed fruit and vegetable juices found in a natural food shop.…
History’s Written By The Winners
During a June 16 speech, President Bush sternly dismissed those questioning his decision to invade Iraq: “(T)here are some who would like to rewrite history; revisionist historians is what I like to call them.” Boy, our President sure does have a way with words, doesn’t he?Interestingly, during his speech, Bush failed to mention Iraq’s weapons…
Let The Music Play
After our recent story on club owners’ advice to local musicians, we received a number of e-mails from the music makers themselves, all asking for a chance to say their piece on the subject. Of course, we instantly agreed — after all, the point of the first article was to open a dialogue between the…
The Blotter
Quick Slam: A teenager quickly disposed of the beer he stole after grocery store workers saw him slip three Heinekens into his pockets and walk outside. The employees called police who, within minutes of the theft, caught the teen and located his three emptied beer bottles. No word on the teen’s sobriety. Taking The Heat…
CD Spins
Jack Mittoo Champion in the Arena: 1976-1977 Blood and Fire The concept was simple but exquisite. Take one of Jamaican music’s most prominent session musicians, keyboardist Jackie Mittoo — a founding member of the Skatalites, a fixture at Studio One — and let his swirling organ wash over a set of deeply organic reggae grooves.…
Mi Mexico
Some foods possess delightedly appealing appellations. Macaroni, beignet, polenta come to mind. Others have less appealing, almost repellent names: eggplant, squid, yucca, Patagonian toothfish. Those in this group, however, are typically marketed as aubergine, calamari, cassava, and Chilean sea bass, respectively. Some foods suffer from a language misfit. This is especially true when the word…
Music Menu
WEDNESDAY 6.25 Scott Miller & the Commonwealth — The ex V-Roy guitarist is on the road showcasing his new disc, Upside Downside (Sugarhill). This time around he’s got a sack full of roots related tunes including, southern boogie, rockabilly, and of course plenty of country-rockers with the requisite ballad(s) keeping the whole thing together. It’s…
Soundboard
Wednesday, Jun. 25 Buckhead Saloon Kenny Floyd Cajun Queen 7th Street Gator Band Caribou Coffee, East Blvd Ken Foust Cat’s Cradle, Carrboro Jungle Brothers, Black Sheep, L.E.G.A.C.Y. & Remix Project Double Door Inn Scott Miller & the Commonwealth The Evening Muse Brian Doyle w/ Jerry Chapman, Beki Hemingway Fairwinds Coffee Co., Cornelius Lena Mars Graduate,…
The Incredible Bulk
With a fan base that rivals those of other Green Party members (Kermit the Frog, the Jolly Green Giant, Gumby, Shrek), the Marvel Comics creation The Incredible Hulk has lived long and prospered, having made his comic book debut back in 1962 and never straying too far out of the comicdom spotlight. And during a…
Anger Mismanagement
Is 28 Days Later a title or a threat? A follow-up to 28 Days, Sandra Bullock’s “feel-good” film about alcohol addiction? Pass the booze, indeed. Thankfully, though, 28 Days Later has nothing to do with zombies (the rum “n’ brandy variety) and everything to do with zombies (the flesh-eating kind). It’s been a while since…
See & Do
June 25 – Wednesday The Hive is alive with the Charlotte Sting home for a three-game stint starting tonight against Cleveland at 7pm. On Saturday, the Sting hosts the first annual Junior Achievement Basketball Shootout at noon, serving as a prelude to their game against Connecticut at 6pm. And on Monday, the Sting braves the…
Film Clips
NEW RELEASES ALEX & EMMA For the second straight movie, Kate Hudson has demonstrated that she’s better than the material at hand. That’s certainly a change from the past, when she proved to be among the weakest links in films like The Four Feathers and Almost Famous, but it may just be that she’s an…
Stargazer
For All Signs Aspects right now are unusually harmonious and this may bode well for politics and the economy, as well as many individuals. It is a good period to inaugurate improved solutions in order to create an updated format that will build a better future. The time favors ordered, disciplined, and gradual change, rather…
Howdy, Neighbor!
You want diversity? You’ve got it. They don’t come any more diverse than sex offenders. An analysis of the North Carolina sex offender registry system shows that convicted sex offenders live in every zip code in Mecklenburg County. Aside from being almost all male, sex offenders come in every race, size and shape. Some are…
Ask The Advice Goddess
Pry Another Day I met my boyfriend at college. We devoted all our time to each other until senior year, when he began to devote time to his friends. This caused us to fight a lot, and he kissed two other girls. Although I still thought he and I might get married someday, I broke…
Sewage For All
It appears that Charlotte-Mecklenburg Utilities (CMU) may once again have violated state law. Though a state law passed in 1998 requires that the media immediately be informed of a sewer spill over 1,000 gallons, CMU waited almost a month before informing the media about a 45,000 gallon spill to Clark Creek on May 25. An…
Karma Cleanser
Dear readers: OK, we lied. Last week, we blessed you with our favorite answers to the dilemma put forth by “Clueless,” the guy who was questioning his role in the universe after being laid off from work. We said that we’d return to the normal round of sins and slurs this week, but Clueless letters…
Soldier/Politician
From the awful autumn of 2001 to the triumphal photo op on the deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln this spring, Karl Rove’s strategy has been consistent and clear: Run every campaign as a referendum on the “wartime” presidency of George W. Bush. That plan has succeeded in mitigating the inherent political weaknesses of the…
Potter Porn
Three words guaranteed to make parents of bookworms squirm, editors at Scholastic wince and attorneys at AOL Time Warner snap to attention: Harry Potter porn. The phrase may sound like a sick joke, but it’s all too real to those charged with protecting the mighty Harry Potter empire of books, merchandise and movies. And with…
Dr. W’s Incredible Amazing Cure-All
Dear Dr. W, I’m a Fortune 500 CEO with a salary in the low seven figures. Five years ago, my compensation helped me maintain a comfortable executive lifestyle. But with the current moribund economy, I’m having a hard time keeping up. What can I do? — Leasing A Lexus Dear Leasing, Have you considered an…
The Mark of Zoroaster
Alfred North Whitehead, the great English philosopher, once said, “Seek simplicity, but then distrust it.” Now that America has punched the tar baby in Iraq, all of our simple-minded notions about the Middle East must be re-examined in the light of actual experience. With so many of our government’s explanations for invading Iraq still unconfirmed,…
Letters
Favorite Charlotte Rant Thanks to Timothy Davis for putting into print my favorite Charlotte Rant (“Ah, Whadda You Know?,” June 18). Since I moved to the area in “94 I have screamed about the whole safe corporate music that comes to this village. I am a 38-year-old punk, who happens to also enjoy a lot…
Arts Agenda
Classical Music Andre Lash Recital presented by American Guild of Organists. Myers Park Presbyterian Church, 2501 Oxford Pl. Sun., June 29, 7:30 p.m. Free. 704-333-9071. Jazz & Classical Essentials Sunday Brunch Borders will be playing jazz and classical music from their essential catalogs. Coffee and pastry provided. Sundays, 1-3 p.m. Free. Borders, Morrocroft, 3900 Colony…
Drink It Up
To paraphrase Jean Cocteau, “Without opposition, there is nothing.” Without some sort of sharp rock to rub against, we never shed our skin, never truly begin anew (all of which might seem a strange way to begin to describe the White Stripes’ recent show last Tuesday at the Grady Cole Center, but bear with me).…
