Geeking Out Over CLT Airport's Planned Expansions (Video)

I don't know when, but at some point in recent years I developed a fascination with how cities and neighborhoods grow and, essentially, how they're built (or rebuilt). I know it has a lot to do with me having lived in Charlotte for almost a decade now, and the sizable growth I've witnessed here during that time.

So I enjoy reading the many news articles of announcements and updates on new condos, apartment buildings, office towers, hotels, shopping centers (and in many cases a combination of these things, commonly known as "mixed use") being planned and built around the city, that I come across on The Charlotte Observer and Charlotte Business Journal's websites. And, of course, that growth is mirrored (or should be mirrored) in the improvements in infrastructure, such as the final leg of Interstate 485 finally opening, the next phase of the light rail running to University City, and the continued renovations and expansions of Charlotte Douglas International Airport.

And it's the CLT airport stuff that's caused me to geek out. Seriously, since the airport announced, a month ago, the next phase of its development master plan, I've been talking to friends and colleagues about it like it's the Apple Watch or something. The $2.5 billion investment will make the airport more modern, convenient, accessible, and keep up with its crazy growth. Consider this: the airport welcomed 25 million total passengers for the year in 2004; 10 years later, in 2014, the total was 44 million.

Renderings of the planned renovations and expansions at Charlotte's airport. Credit: CLT

You can read about the planned projects, including expanding the terminal and lobby and renovating the concourses. But you'll definitely want to watch the video below, which is what fascinated me. It uses computer generation to show how, most notably, the terminal curb and roadway will be expanded and elevated, with the addition of several new lanes for vehicles dropping off and picking up passengers. And keep in mind, all of this construction will take place while the airport is in full operation, with millions of passengers coming and going each month.

Fascinating. #BarbaraWaltersVoice.

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Charlotte Premium Outlets Grand Opening - July 31-Aug. 3 - Check Out the Schedule and Giveaways

I could say, "the time has finally come" but it's more like, "man that got here quick" -- the grand opening of Charlotte Premium Outlets. The dates for the four-day grand opening celebration were announced months ago, but it's still astonishing to see this 100-store outlet mall come to fruition after only breaking ground last September. I've driven past it each of the last two weekends, where you can see it clearly from Interstate 485 (Exit 4 NC 160/Steele Creek Road). I blogged in March about how Charlotte Premium Outlets will greatly transform that part of town.

Photos credit: Facebook

The grand opening events kick off this Thursday at 10 a.m., and there'll be live bands performing over three days in the commons areas--Charlotte favorites like 5 on Sundays, Early Ray, and Hot Sauce. There will also be two prizes given away every hour between noon and 5 p.m. Plus, there will be in-store events and entertainment taking place at several of the stores, such as DJs inside the Converse, Puma, and Hilfiger stores; and gift card giveaways at Aeropostale, Eddie Bauer, J.Crew, Lane Bryant, Nike, and many others. Reality TV star, author, and entrepreneur Bethenny Frankel is scheduled to appear Saturday at the VIP Shopper Club Lounge. It's also possible that other celebrities and special guests could appear throughout the weekend.

Click here for the full schedule of grand opening events.

Charlotte Premium Outlets now has social media accounts: facebook.com/charlottepremiumoutlets and twitter.com/CharPremOutlets; the hashtag for the grand opening is #CPOGO (stands for Charlotte Premium Outlets Grand Opening, FYI). Charlotte Premium Outlets, 5404 New Fashion Way, 704-523-8865, charlotte@premiumoutlets.com, premiumoutlets.com/charlotte.

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Charlotte Premium Outlets Taking Shape, Scheduled to Open Mid-Summer

UPDATE: The website for Charlotte Premium Outlets has gone live -- premiumoutlets.com/charlotte -- and there you'll find additional info, including details for its May 2 Job Fair and July 31-Aug 3 Grand Opening.

Over the last few weeks, I've traveled up and down Interstate 485 several times, from my home exit, Exit 16 (NC 16/Brookshire Boulevard) down past Exit 1 (NC 49/South Tryon Street). And by taking that route--most recently on Friday--I've noticed the rapid progression of construction for Charlotte Premium Outlets, which is visible from the interstate near Exit 4 (NC 160/Steele Creek Road). I used to travel along that Steele Creek Road exit often a few years ago, so I recall the large plots of vacant land around there. That's all about to change when this new outlet mall opens, with its target opening date of July 31.

Rendering of Charlotte Premium Outlets.

Charlotte Premium Outlets is a 50-50 joint venture between Simon Property Group (premiumoutlets.com) and Tanger Factory Outlet Centers (tangeroutlet.com), which each operate dozens of outlet shopping centers around the country--in the region, Simon operates Concord Mills and Gaffney Premium Outlets (as well as SouthPark Mall), for example, and Tanger operates two across North Carolina, two in Myrtle Beach, and one in Charleston. On Monday the companies announced the latest news on Charlotte Premium Outlets, including the scheduled opening date, that the number of planned stores has increased from 90 to 100, and a partial list of tenants that are already under contract.

The announced tenants are:

Adidas, American Eagle, ASICS, The Body Shop, Brooks Brothers, The Children’s Place, The Cosmetics Company Store, Crabtree & Evelyn, Fossil, Gold Toe, Haggar, Jockey, Justice, Kay Jewelers, Kitchen Collection, Le Creuset, Lindt Chocolate, Perfumania, Rack Room Shoes, Robert Wayne Footwear, Samsonite, Seiko, Skechers, Swarovski, The Uniform Company, Vitamin World, Wet Seal, and Wilson’s Leather.

That list of stores isn't anything to write home about, but keep in mind that this only reflects a little more than one-fourth of the total stores that will be housed there. And according to Construction Data Company's Building Blocks Blog, which regularly breaks news on commercial construction projects, many more tenants (more impressive ones at that) are planning stores at Charlotte Premium Outlets, such as:

Ann Taylor, BCBG Max Azria, BeBe, Calvin Klein, Charlotte Russe, Coach Store, Cole Haan, Famous Footwear, Finish Line, Guess Factory Store, Kenneth Cole, Levi's Outlet Store, Michael Kors, Oakley Vault, Perry Ellis, Polo Ralph Lauren, Saks Off Fifth, Soma, Tommy Hilfiger, White House Black Market, Zumiez, and others.

Charlotte Business Journal published a behind-the-scenes article and photo gallery of Charlotte Premium Outlets on Friday. The general manager of the outlet mall said she anticipates the first retailers will begin moving in about 60 days before the July 31 grand opening. Once completed, the stores will provide more than 900 full-time and part-time jobs.

I expect that this project will greatly transform this part of town, spurring a lot more development along I-485 Exit 4 and Steele Creek Road--pretty much the same way Northlake Mall did to its section of West W.T. Harris Boulevard when it opened in fall 2005. There were hundreds of acres of unused land around there before then. Today, there's not only the mall with its 150-plus stores, restaurants, and movie theater, but other shopping centers, big-box stores (Target, Lowe's, Best Buy), restaurants (P.F. Chang's, Mimi's Cafe, this new McDonald's), and a hotel (Drury Inn & Suites) have sprung up there over the years. New apartment complexes and townhouses have also been developed, with more currently under construction, and along the way I-485 Exit 21 opened, which helped make getting over there even more convenient.

Because of where Charlotte Premium Outlets is located, only four miles from the South Carolina border, it will undoubtedly draw plenty of shoppers from Fort Mill and Rock Hill. I also suspect it will attract a lot of visitors from Columbia because I believe this will become the closest outlet mall to them--about an hour-and-15-minute drive.

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H&M Grand Opening February 27 at Carolina Place

Charlotte's northside got its H&M when the retailer opened at Northlake Mall in November. Now it's the southside's turn, as H&M holds its grand opening this Thursday, February 27 at Carolina Place in Pineville.

Tomorrow's grand opening event begins at noon at the store, located on the mall's upper level. Guests can begin lining up at 7 a.m. at the upper level entrance. The event will offer free T-shirts and gift cards valued from $10 to $300 for the first 200 people in line (the chance to win the $300 gift cards is what usually spurs a large turnout). There will also be music by DJ LP, refreshments, and plenty of great deals on merchandise.

This location of H&M at Carolina Place, which is selling apparel in ladies, men, kids, and young, reportedly, is 17,000 square feet, which is about a third smaller than the 26,000-square-foot Northlake store. And the Charlotte area will go from having no H&Ms, having been long overdue to this market, to soon having three locations. A SouthPark Mall store is currently under construction.

Shoppers lined up before the H&M Northlake opening last November. Photo credit: @htrenda

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Grand Opening of Pizza Fusion in Charlotte this Saturday; Win Free Pizza for a Year or for Life

There have been so many new openings lately in Charlotte's dining and nightlife that it's almost hard to keep up. But who doesn't like a big grand opening event, right? Pizza Fusion is holding its grand opening this Saturday, November 3 and they're giving away a bunch of cool stuff.

Based in Boca Raton, Florida, Pizza Fusion has opened its first North Carolina location at the Metropolitan here in Charlotte, at 1055 Metropolitan Avenue, suite 140, pizzafusion.com/charlotte. The franchise touts itself as "an organic, socially responsible pizza restaurant," and it is a welcomed addition to Charlotte's rapidly expanding restaurant scene (several restaurants have opened at the Metropolitan this year alone).  

Pizza Fusion's new location at the Metropolitan. Credit: facebook.com/PizzaFusionCharlotte

Saturday's grand opening event, taking place 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., features some of the biggest giveaways I've seen. Pizza Fusion Charlotte will host a drawing to randomly select 50 guests from those in attendance at its grand opening and 10 Facebook entrants (click on the Free Pizza tab) to win free pizza for a year. Plus, one lucky guest in attendance will be selected at random to receive free pizza for life. Sign me up!

The event will also feature free pizza and drinks, including organic beer and wine, and entertainment for kids and adults. Drex and Maney, hosts of the morning show on KISS 95.1 FM, will broadcast live, playing the latest top-40 hits while giving away free concert tickets and other prizes. Guests will also receive free Pizza Fusion T-shirts, souvenir BPA-free eco-cups, eco-wristbands, stickers, and other prizes from local businesses. The grand opening will also feature a charity raffle for two bicycles, courtesy of Queen City Bicycles, with all proceeds from the raffle going to Camp CARE (Cancer Ain't Really the End), which provides a camp and other year-round activities for children affected by cancer and their families in the Charlotte area.

Pizza Fusion serves an organic and all-natural menu of pizza, sandwiches, salads, and desserts, as well as local craft beer and sustainable wine selections. The restaurant also serves an assortment of vegan and gluten-free menu items. Its ownership says Pizza Fusion is the number one green franchise in North America. Founded in 2006, there are now locations in Florida, Colorado, New Jersey, Nevada, Ohio, and, most recently, North Carolina. Coincidentally, all but one of these are swing states, but, thankfully, there doesn't seem to be any politics going on here. Just organic pizza and booze.

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'E Pluribus Unum' Opening Reception with Respect My Vote! this Saturday

As you might've seen me talk about before, I'm a member of the Hip Hop Caucus Charlotte Leadership Committee (HHC has leadership committees in 14 cities around the country). Through that involvement I'm helping organize an event this Saturday in partnership with UNC Charlotte Center City. It should be a great time, and you should come out. See details below.

E Pluribus Unum Opening Reception with Respect My Vote! 
Saturday, September 15, 6-10 p.m. | UNC Charlotte Center City, 320 E. 9th St. 
Free and open to the public.

E Pluribus Unum, Latin for “out of many, one,” is the title of an exciting new art exhibit at UNC Charlotte Center City that explores the experience of pluralism in America, conveying the concept that diverse traditions, perspectives, and philosophies add value to the whole. UNC Charlotte has partnered with the Hip Hop Caucus’ Respect My Vote! initiative to host an interactive Opening Reception on Saturday, September 15 at 6 p.m. at UNC Charlotte Center City (320 E. 9th Street), free and open to the public.

The evening will feature performances by Mike from Day 26, Bettie Grind, and Mr. 704, along with spoken word by Quentin "Q" Talley in front of a melting ice sculpture depicting the Middle Class. A live digital lounge will be set up for attendees to discuss E Pluribus Unum pieces, enabling them to post messages and images to Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, using the #RespectMyVote and #EPluribus hashtags. A photo booth by Favors in a Flash will allow guests to take home complimentary photo keepsakes. Plus, complimentary wine and farm-to-fork cuisine provided by Harvest Moon Grille will be served during the first two hours of the evening.

E Pluribus Unum, presented by the College of Arts + Architecture and located at UNC Charlotte Center City, is a gathering of different cultures and expressions, including works by Michael Murphy of Georgia; the collaborative team Nora Ligorano and Marshall Reese of New York; historical artists Arthur Mole and John Thomas; and Charlotte-based artists Barbara Schreiber, Grant Baldwin, Carrie Gault, and Jason Michel.

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Delta's Charlotte Opens this Week in Uptown

Delta's Charlotte has the opportunity to shake up the city's Southern cuisine, a.k.a. soul food, market. The owners held a media day and ribbon cutting ceremony on Friday, which I had the pleasure to attend. Over the past year, you might have seen the renovation signage on the windows of the building that last housed GW Fins, and now that space is the new home to the second location of Delta's restaurant--the original is in New Brunswick, N.J.

Delta's makes its presence known in the 525 N. Tryon Building. Photo by Jon Strayhorn.

This by no means is intended to be a review of Delta's. I believe you can't thoroughly do that until a restaurant has been up and running for at least a month or two. So this is more so my first impression, which is a favorable one, thanks largely to the meal I ate there. Because that's what it's really about--the food. The restaurant is one of the largest in Uptown at 9,000 square feet, and the decor is filled with rich woods and leathers, beautiful artwork and colors, and soft lighting. It, in my opinion, is Charlotte's first upscale soul food restaurant.

Inside one of Delta's large dining rooms. Photo by Jon Strayhorn.

But again, it's about the food. Several restaurants have opened in Charlotte over the past couple of years, signaling that the dining market is bouncing back after the recession. Each one, it seems, outdoes the previous one when it comes to decor and ambiance, but they don't always hit the mark with the food. Delta's seems to. The fried chicken and sweet potato waffle, with collard greens, baked macaroni and cheese, and candied yams was one of the most delicious meals I've had in a long time. I, literally, was thinking about it later that night, and I don't typically crave food like that.

Phone pic of the meal I had; so much food the yams didn't make it into the shot.

You can experience it for yourself when Delta's Charlotte opens its doors this Thursday, April 26, at 525 N. Tryon St. (www.deltasrestaurant.com, facebook.com/deltascharlotte, 704-612-2633). The planned hours are Tuesday and Wednesday, 5 p.m.-12 a.m.; Thursday to Saturday, 5 p.m.-2 a.m.; and Sunday, 1-8 p.m. It will feature happy hour, dinner, live jazz and R&B, and Sunday brunch.

The owners, who've operated the first Delta's location in New Jersey since 1999, have made Charlotte the first market for their planned expansion. The restaurant's tagline is "Celebrating the Spirit of the South," and now it's doing that in the South.

The Queen City has had the appeal of expansion as of late. American Roadside did the same thing when it opened in Uptown last fall, making Charlotte the first market it expanded to after having one location in Smithtown, New York for several years.

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American Roadside's Grand Opening in Charlotte

American Roadside is holding its grand opening this Saturday, October 22. It's an all-day event to celebrate the burger joint's expansion into the Southeast--up until this point it's only location has been in Smithtown, New York. Now there's an American Roadside in Uptown Charlotte, and another one is scheduled to open in SouthPark in the spring. Curiously, there are a few businesses--restaurants, boutiques, and others--that for years had only one location, but recently have made Charlotte the first market they've expanded into (I'll blog about a couple of those others soon). I guess they're recognizing Charlotte is a hot city.

Credit: Facebook.com/AmericanRoadsideBurgers.

Located in the Ally Bank building in Uptown, American Roadside opened at the beginning of this week. I'm sure many of the people who work in the shiny South Tryon buildings around it (Ally, Duke Energy Center, the multiple arts venues and museums that make up the Levine Center for the Arts, etc.) have been checking it out all week. This Saturday is a great time for all of you to give it a visit.

The grand opening event goes from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. and there will be food and drink specials all day, such as $1 American Roadside drafts, $1.50 bottled domestics, a free side item with the purchase of a burger and drink, and free ice cream for the kids. There will also be live music on the patio and a display of classic cars and motorcycles.

American Roadside, 440 S. Church St., 704-335-3352, www.americanroadside.com, www.facebook.com/AmericanRoadsideBurgers.

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Nourishing North Carolina Launches In Mecklenburg County

Last Tuesday I attended the launch of Nourishing North Carolina, a new statewide community garden program that seeks to increase access to fresh fruits and vegetables in the 100 counties in the state. Sponsored by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina and the North Carolina Recreation and Park Association, Mecklenburg County was chosen as the first county, and the site is Winterfield/Sheffield Community Garden, located next to Winterfield Elementary School in east Charlotte.

According to BCBSNC, more than 30 percent of children ages two to four years old in North Carolina are considered overweight or at risk for becoming overweight. Two-thirds of the state’s adults are considered obese or overweight. This program helps to address these alarming obesity rates. Many communities in Charlotte don't have easy access to fresh fruits and vegetables. You'd be surprised how many low-income people do the majority of their grocery shopping at convenience stores, where fresh produce isn't among the offerings. Or some just have never been taught healthy dietary methods.

Winterfield/Sheffield Community Garden is the first to benefit from this new program.

Another great thing about this program is the garden is being maintained by neighbors and students, so they're also learning how to garden in addition to learning to choose a healthier diet. About 25 community members and 80 Winterfield Elementary students tend the garden weekly, and they had it in great shape when the public was invited out to Tuesday's launch.

Nourishing North Carolina is expanding to all 100 counties over the next three years, with plans to eventually provide 190,000 pounds of produce, enhancing the nutritional value of nearly 150,000 meals, and leading 17,000 hours of physical activity through garden maintenance.

Click here for the Nourishing North Carolina website, where you'll find more details including garden locations. You can also "Like" it on Facebook.

Below is a slideshow of photos I took at the launch event (or click here to view).

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Another Apple Store Opening In Charlotte; Future of the Cloud?

There's a new Apple store opening at Northlake Mall, according to ifoapplestore.com, a leading tech website on all things Apple. The website cites a job listing and just-issued building permits for renovation at the mall as its sources for this bit of breaking news. Personally, I'm like okay, cool there's an Apple store opening at the mall that's 10 minutes away from where I live. Not that I'm an Apple fanatic--I don't own an iPad or iPhone, but I do have an iPod (that I received as a birthday gift and use most often when running)--but this new store will enhance Northlake's appeal and becomes Charlotte's second location (the first having been at SouthPark Mall for years now).

But some of the tech sites and blogs are starting to go nuts in linking this new store to Apple's East Coast data center, the massive yet mysterious complex that has been under construction in Maiden, North Carolina for two years. Maiden is a small town about 45 minutes northwest of Charlotte. "Where will you get the fastest streaming speeds once iCloud launches? Most likely at the new retail location Apple is opening up a stone’s throw from its North Carolina data super center," reports CultofMac.com.

It's long been rumored that Apple was developing a cloud service, and was speculated that this is what the new data center is for. As you know, Apple always keeps its big projects close to the vest. But the company finally confirmed the forthcoming cloud service today when it announced the topics that Steve Jobs would be discussing at the Worldwide Developers Conference on June 6. There's still no word on what the North Carolina data center will be used for, but this announcement only fuels the speculation that the 500,000-square-foot facility will indeed be home to the cloud.

                                                                                                          Image courtesy of techgeeze.com.

Apple's new service will be called iCloud (of course) and it'll be interesting to see how it differs from Amazon's recently unveiled Cloud Drive. For those of you who don't speak tech geek, "the cloud" refers to a service that allows you to store digital files that you can access from anywhere--similar to how you access email. So the belief is that consumers will be drawn to the fact that they can save large files and access them and not worry about what computer they're on or if they have their flashdrive with them. And this supposedly will be the future of how music is bought and stored, meaning one day that saving your music on an iPod will seem old-fashioned.

It'll be interesting to see next week if Steve Jobs explains what role, if any, North Carolina will play in all of this.

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Now Open: Kennedy Fried Chicken in Charlotte

I was driving home Wednesday evening and saw that Kennedy Fried Chicken & Pizza on Brookshire Boulevard had hung a "grand opening" sign. The restaurant had a "coming soon" sign for months, and ever since its marquee went up with "fried chicken & pizza" on it, I've been curious because of that combination. So I popped in really quick to check out the place.

I talked to one of the employees, Khalil, and he told me that this was their first day open. He also said Kennedy Fried Chicken restaurants are popular in New York and that the restaurant chain is named after the late JFK himself (the first location opened years ago near John F. Kennedy High School in the Bronx). I'd never heard of Kennedy Fried Chicken, even though I've visited New York and New Jersey where they're said to have several locations. I'm sure some of Charlotte's many Yankee transplants will be happy to see we now have a restaurant from their old neighborhoods.

I didn't eat there Wednesday because I was on my way home and my mom was in town visiting and had cooked dinner (nothing beats mama's cooking). But I plan to check it out soon and will let you know what I think of the food. The menu has more than 100 items including chicken boxes, pizzas, burgers, fish sandwiches, seafood, beef ribs, gyros, desserts, and more. Maybe I'll get a slice of pizza with a side of wings and mac-and-cheese (cholesterol???). Khalil says they're open daily til 3 a.m., which is definitely a New York thing. After my recent blog post on Price's Chicken Coop you probably think I'm on some kind of chicken tour, but this is purely a coincidence. I actually don't eat fried chicken too often.

Kennedy Fried Chicken is located at 3800 Brookshire Boulevard, 704-837-7838. You can learn more about the chicken franchise on Wikipedia.

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Events for the Weekend: June 4-7

Your best weekly list for parties, nightlife, social, and cultural events in Charlotte. This isn’t intended to be a complete list of everything that's going on, but instead are the events GPT recommends. Use contact/website info listed to verify event details.

Friday, June 4

Art of Dope Vol. 1 Opening Reception
God City artists are presenting a series of shows that play off of drug culture, done through artistic expression in order to bring awareness to what’s going on in our society. 7-10 p.m. The ArtHouse, 3103 Cullman Ave., NoDa. www.godcity7.net.

AZÚCAR! A Caribbean Celebration
Experience a true Caribbean evening featuring native music and dancing in a family-friendly atmosphere. Enjoy the cuisine of the Spanish Caribbean, purchase handmade artisan craftwork, and sip tropical mojitos. Presented by Latin American Coalition. 7-11 p.m. $15. Neighborhood Theatre, 511 E. 36th St. www.latinamericancoalition.org.

Free Friday
This monthly night out has a new location (formerly held at Kiss Lounge). Enjoy a great view of the city while listening to music by DJ C-Rob and a live performance by Unique Rhythm. 9 p.m.-2:30 a.m. Free until midnight. Loft 1523, 1523 Elizabeth Ave. www.loft1523.com.

Saturday, June 5

Grand Opening of Pickles Farmers Market
This new, indoor farmers market will be open every Saturday in NoDa. Shop from a lineup of vendors offering fresh fruit and vegetables, baked goods, herbs, plants, cut flowers, crafts, grass fed beef, pasture chickens and eggs, fair trade coffee, and more. 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Hart Witzen Gallery, 136 E. 36th St. www.picklesfarmersmarket.com.

Minute to Win It – Charlotte Casting Call
NBC’s new hit game show, which features 10 deceptively simple games that require savvy contestants to complete under pressure with a prize of $1 million awaiting the winner, is holding a casting in select cities including Charlotte. Come see if you have the skill it takes. 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Free. StrikeCity, inside the EpiCentre, 210 E. Trade St. www.nbc.com/casting/#minute.

Prince Tribute/Funky Disco Brunch
DJ Rsenal will be playing your favorite Prince (and other disco) songs while you order food from one of the city’s best brunch menus. 11 a.m. -3 p.m. Free admission. Soul Gastrolounge, 1500 Central Ave. www.soulgastrolounge.com.

On The Roxx Ballantyne’s 3 Year Anniversary Party
Enjoy great music from Red Bull-powered DJ Ben Hamilton, and plenty of drink specials including $2 select beers, $3 flavored vodka shooters, and $5 jager bombs. Plus, play in the corn hole tournament, Wii, and more. 7 p.m.-2 a.m. Free. On The Roxx, 14021 Conlan Circle. www.ontheroxx.com.

Sunday, June 6

Kazba Café Brunch Party
This monthly brunch event gets quite wild, yet fun, against the backdrop of a posh lounge. DJ Stan Courtois and Felly (saxophonist) will be performing with DJ Stan on the turntables. Event will be videotaped and recorded to be broadcast on Sirius Radio channel AREA. 1-6 p.m. Kazba, 210 E. Trade St., third level of EpiCentre. www.kazbacharlotte.com.

Symphonic Dances
The Charlotte Symphony opens its Summer Pops season by showcasing the best of classical dance music. Albert-George Schram conducts. Prelude performance (7 p.m.) by the Charlotte Symphony Youth Orchestra. 8:15 p.m. Free; donation appreciated. Symphony Park at SouthPark Mall, 4400 Sharon Road. www.charlottesymphony.org.

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Events for the Weekend: April 16-18

Your best weekend list for parties, nightlife, social, and cultural events in Charlotte. This isn’t intended to be a complete list of everything that's going on, but instead are the events GPT recommends. Use contact/website info listed to verify event details.

Friday, April 16

Free Fridays After Work
It’s a new after-work social networking event and it’s taking place at South End’s newest martini bar. Enjoy a free food buffet and drink specials. Presented by Eddietainment.com and Firm Events. 5-9 p.m. Free. On the Roxx, 1520 South Blvd. www.eddietainment.com or www.roxxsouthend.com.

Grand Opening of BlackBear Charlotte
It’s the newest venue to open at the NC Music Factory and there'll be a live band, DJ, and plenty of drink specials. Below the Belt will be performing live on the patio (5-8 p.m.) and DJ Kommotion goes on at 9 p.m., followed by the Swingin' Richards at 10:30. Drink specials include $12 domestic buckets and $3 Soco lime shots. 5 p.m.-2 a.m. Free. BlackBear Charlotte, 900 Seaboard St. www.blackbearcharlotte.com.

Mary B. Morrison’s Pajama Jam
The bestselling author hosts this evening of conversation, networking, and fun at NoDa’s eclectic bookstore. Food and drinks will be served. Sponsored by RealEyes Bookstore, Touch One Productions, Mingleberry, and JSW Media. 8 p.m.-midnight. $30. RealEyes Bookstore, 3306-B N. Davidson St. www.realeyesbookstore.com.

Freedom Fridays
It’s a new monthly event taking place on the third Friday, and this edition celebrates the birthdays of Aries. 10 p.m. Free. Luna Lounge, 521 N. College St. www.lunacharlotte.com.

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KokoMo's Opens at JCSU

KoKoMo’s Coffeehouse is celebrating the grand opening of its new location on the campus of Johnson C. Smith University. The budding coffeehouse franchise was started by the late Tiwanna Hagans, who passed away last September. Hagans was a JCSU alum who dreamed of opening the campus's first coffeehouse, and before she died she was working hard to make it happen. The Uptown KoKoMo's location has recently closed, so hopefully this new one will carry on Hagans's legacy.

The celebration is today and tomorrow and features live entertainment and spoken word poetry.

Click on flyer for larger view.

For more details, visit www.kokomoscoffeehouse.com.

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Aria Tuscan Grill Opens in Uptown

I attended the grand opening of Aria Tuscan Grill last night. It's the latest venture from the successful Sonoma Restaurant Group, which also owns Sonoma, Press Wine/Food, and Pie Town--all in Uptown Charlotte.

Grand openings usually aren't the best times to do reviews, so I won't do it here. The place was packed, which says a lot because it's a huge space. The promise of complimentary cocktails and hors d'oeuvres always ensures RSVPs, plus I'm sure most people know Sonoma's track record and figured this was an event they didn't want to miss. There was an army of servers working last night and they kept the passed trays coming and wine flowing. The hors d'oeuvres consisted of bruschetta, eggplant parmigiana, braised beef short rib, antipasto, salads, cheeses, and some kind of fried mozzarella balls that I had to pick up every time a tray filled with them passed my way.


The owners spared no expense with the decor, and for a two-level space of its size it was surprisingly warm and inviting. I like the glass-enclosed "open" kitchen, and I can see the bar becoming a popular after-work spot. You have to salute anyone who opens a new restaurant in this economy, but in this case it more than likely means that a previously existing restaurant in Uptown needs to worry.

Aria Tuscan Grill is located at 100 N. Tryon St. inside Bank of America Corporate Center. For more info, visit www.ariacharlotte.com.

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Rock-N-Roll Barbershop Opening in Uptown

I was in Uptown on Friday and as I was heading back to the parking garage at the 121 West Trade building, I saw a sign for The Cut Rock-N-Roll Barbershop that's scheduled to be opening there soon on the first floor. The windows were covered, so I couldn't see what it looked like on the inside, but a poster on one of the windows described the concept. Then I got more info by visiting its website, www.cutbarbershop.com. It's a cool concept, one that combines a lounging, social experience with getting your hair cut or styled. Plus, there's the rock-n-roll edge, which will be exemplified by the music and decor.


The Cut will join Emerson Joseph (Uptown and Ballantyne locations), Roosters Men's Grooming Center (SouthPark and Ballantyne), and No Grease Exclusive (Uptown in Time Warner Cable Arena) in a growing list of trendy and/or upscale barbershops in Charlotte. Hair cuts will start at $18 at The Cut (not bad) and beer will be served while you wait. According to its Facebook page, The Cut is scheduled to open February 12.

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Events for the Week: October 19-25

Your best weekly list for parties, nightlife, social, and cultural events in Charlotte. This isn’t intended to be a complete list of everything that's going on, but instead are the events GPT recommends.

Wednesday, October 21

Meet and Greet Anthony Foxx
Here’s your chance to mix and mingle with the Democratic Charlotte mayoral candidate. Live music by 5th and York band and singer Calvin Richardson, along with DJ 06 on the turntables. Heavy hors d’oeuvres and drink specials will be served. 6-10 p.m. Free, but campaign donations are appreciated. Utopia SoundStage, 10210 Berkeley Place Dr. www.anthonyfoxx.com.

Meet and Greet John Lassiter
Here’s your chance to mix and mingle with the Republican Charlotte mayoral candidate. 6-7:30 p.m. Free. Sports Page Restaurant, 8400-H Belhaven Blvd. www.votelassiter.com.

Pop Life—New Location
It’s the most popular social networking event on a Wednesday night and it’s moved to a new location, Luna Lounge, beginning this week. The promoters are promising “new venue, new season, same attitude.” Starts after work but runs past midnight. Music by DJ DR. 6 p.m.-until. Free. Luna Lounge, 521 N. College St. www.thesolkitchen.com or www.lunacharlotte.com.

Thursday, October 22

Think Pink After Work Social
Enjoy an evening with young professionals, with proceeds benefitting the Susan G. Komen “For the Cure” National Fund. Drink specials will be served, including the Pink-tini. Networking until 8 p.m. (music down low); DJ comes on after. Presented by My Nail Spa and NexxLevel Marketing. 6-11 p.m. Free. Club Urban Affair (formerly Rustic Martini), 616 N Tryon St.

Friday, October 23

Prowl Pep Rally
Come out and celebrate with other Carolina Panthers fans in preparation for Sunday’s home game against the Buffalo Bills. Enjoy free appetizers, happy hour drink specials, and there will be chances to win tickets to the game and a replica team jersey. 5-9 p.m. Free. BlackFinn (inside the EpiCentre), 210 E. Trade St. www.blackfinncharlotte.com.

The Open House Experience
Charlotte’s most diverse house music night has returned, with resident DJ Rsenal and special guest DJ Jason Brooks. Kick back at this eclectic lounge and enjoy some of the best bar food in town. 9 p.m.-2 a.m. Free. Soul Gastrolounge, 1500 Central Ave., www.soulgastrolounge.com.

Saturday, October 24

Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts and Culture Grand Opening
The new center opens as part of the Wells Fargo Cultural Campus in Uptown. Enjoy a day full of free activities, beginning with events for the whole family and ending with a celebration for adults. 9:50 a.m dance ensemble; 10 a.m. ribbon cutting; guided tours every hour from 11:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; artists speaking, a book signing, and plenty more throughout the day; and concluding with a band and dancing till 2 a.m. Gantt Center, 551 S. Tryon St. www.ganttcenter.org.

Palate to Palette 2009
This classy affair unites wine and art enthusiasts. Each guest will be lead on a visual and tasting journey of art and wine alongside the center’s past, present, and guest artists. Located in various studios throughout the building, each artist will be paired with a complementary wine, creating a unique relationship that builds upon a central theme. 7-10 p.m. $50-$75. McColl Center for Visual Art, 721 N. Tryon St. www.mccollcenter.org.

The Floacist of Floetry Live
See Natalie Stewart of Floetry perform. Hosted by JC the Poet and music by DJ Boney B. 8:30 p.m. Cost varies. House ff Jazz, 8630 University Executive Park Dr. www.thehouseofjazz.net or www.ticketannex.com.

Marquee Saturdays: The DJ AM Tribute
Charlotte’s hottest Saturday night party pays tribute to the fallen DJ with music by DJ Frenzy and Blue the Drummer, including a live drum show. Enjoy the large dance floor, plentiful seating, and large outdoor patio. Ten tickets will be given away to Halo’s upcoming Halloween party. 9 p.m. Halo, inside the N.C. Music Factory, 820 Hamilton St. www.haloclt.com.

Sunday, October 25

Special Blend (weekly event)
Special Blend presents genres of artistry, music, visual, and humor in the spirit of good times and good people. Experience it while relaxing in a trendy lounge. Music by DJ Justice. 7-11 p.m. Free. PJ’s Coffee & Lounge, 210 E. Trade St. (inside the EpiCentre). www.pjscharlotte.com.

Super Fresh Sundays
This party for those who know how to get “fresh”—and want to party on a Sunday night. Music by DJ Magic. 10 p.m. Free for first 150 people. Kiss Lounge, 204 W. Woodlawn Rd. www.kisscharlotte.com.

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Read About It: Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts and Culture

There's a lot of excitement leading up to the opening of the new Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts and Culture. As part of the Wells Fargo Cultural Campus in Uptown Charlotte, the new Gantt Center represents a vision that started more than 35 years ago.

The Gantt Center is holding its Community Celebration on Saturday, October 24, which will be an all-day and all-night grand opening event. In this week's issue of Creative Loafing (October 14-20 edition), you can read the article I wrote that chronicle's the significance and potential impact of this new $18 million facility. The building itself, which stands where the historic Brooklyn neighborhood once thrived before being razed in the name of urban renewal, is a work of art. Click here to read the article.

Also, the Gantt Center held Media Day today. Below are a few photos I snapped while I was there.

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Dharma Lounge Opening This Weekend

It might be a year later than planned, but Dharma Lounge is opening in Charlotte this weekend. The 3,000 square-foot space is located at 1440 S. Tryon Street (in the same building as Apostrophe Lounge) in South End and promises to offer everything from yoga and art to music and drinks for a creative nightlife experience. Dharma Lounge is holding its grand opening Friday and Saturday and its regular schedule will be Wednesdays through Sundays, 8 p.m. to 2 a.m.

(Click on flier for larger view.)

To RSVP for the Friday night grand opening party guest list, click here. For Saturday night, click here. You can also text DHARMA to 38714. For more info, visit www.dharmacharlotte.com.

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GPT Quickie: Enso

Last night I attended the VIP grand opening of Enso Asian Bistro and Sushi Bar at the EpiCentre. It was crowded from wall to wall, which is a lot for this large space. It was obvious that hundreds of people had gone online and printed tickets for the event as they could be seen holding them in their hands as the line stretched down the EpiCentre's courtyard (while Alive After Five was also taking place).

I'm going to hold off doing a review on Enso for now. Opening nights at bars and restaurants, especially as crowded as this one was, don't always give you a genuine experience. Though the owners spared no expense on last night's event (free beer, wine, hors d'eouvres, and sushi was served) just like they didn't hold back on decking out the place. I expect this to be the new hotspot at the EpiCentre, and it might cipher away a little of Mez's crowd (Mez gets crowded on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights). If you visit Enso soon, post a comment here with your thoughts on it.

Here are a couple of pics I snapped with my camera phone of the nyotaimori model who was there, also known as naked sushi.

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