Events for the Week: November 24-30

Note: If I learn of more events, I’ll update this post throughout the week.

Wednesday, November 26

Pop Life (weekly event)
It’s the most popular social networking event on a Wednesday night. Starts after work but ends late. Music by select DJs. Presented by Creative Loafing and The Sol Kitchen. 6 p.m. Free. Apostrophe Lounge, 1440 S. Tryon St. (South End). www.thesolkitchen.com.

Thursday, November 27

Happy Thanksgiving!

Tone X Turkey Roast
Hosted by the comedian and Power 98 personality. 9 p.m. $10. NV Nightclub & Lounge, 20924 Torrence Chapel Road. www.nvlounge.net.

Touch One Thursdays (weekly event)
Come and enjoy a live band and spoken word by Charlotte’s slam poets. An after-party follows. Presented by Touch One Productions. 9 p.m. $10. Wine Up, 3306 N. Davidson St. www.wine-up.com.

Thanksgiving Night 08
Six Figure Entertainment gets the party going after you’ve broken bread for the day. Guaranteed to be lots of beautiful people. 10 p.m. $10 in advance. Loft 1523, 1523 Elizabeth Ave. www.sixfigureentertainment.com.

Friday, November 28

Friday Afterwork Rendezvous (weekly event)
End your workweek on a high note at this networking event, held at a different venue each week. Enjoy live music and drink and appetizer specials. Presented by Talk of the Town. To learn this week’s location, text “rendezvous” to 38714. 6-9 p.m. Free.

The Remix
For the second year in a row, Digital Divas is hosting a party the day after Thanksgiving at South End’s trendiest club. It’ll be filled with Charlotte’s movers and shakers. 10 p.m. $10 before 11 p.m. Sunset Club, 1820 South Blvd. www.digitaldivasevents.com.

Saturday, November 29

Epicentre Tree Lighting
The popular entertainment complex (home to Suite, Whiskey River, Howl at the Moon, PJ’s Coffee Lounge, and more) is holding its inaugural tree lighting ceremony. There will be holiday festivities and Santa himself will be on hand. 6 p.m. Free. Epicentre, 210 E. Trade St.

2K Sports Bounce Tour
Q-Tip will be performing with a live band. Opening act is the Cool Kids. 8 p.m. $27.50 and up. Amos’ Southend, 1423 S. Tryon St. www.2ksports.com/bouncetour or www.amossouthend.com.

Sunday, November 30

Ssshh: Sensual Seduction Sundays at Happy Hour (weekly event)
Enjoy an infusion of open-mic poetry and jazz over candlelight. After-party and dancing follows. Presented by Pink Diamond. 9 p.m. $10. Happy Hour Bar and Lounge, 3603 S. Tryon St. www.pinkdiamondpromo.com.

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USA Today Disses Jordan for Ditching Bobcats

I blogged a couple of weeks ago, giving Michael Jordan props for being more visible in Charlotte for the start of the Bobcats' season. I'm still willing to give the guy the benefit of the doubt on what seems to be his renewed commitment to the team. USA Today isn't so easy on him, though, in a story posted on its website last night, which I think is in this weekend's edition of the paper.

The writer interviewed head coach Larry Brown and team majority owner Bob Johnson for the story, titled "Where Jordan: Bobcats waiting for pieces to be assembled," and takes shots at Jordan for going to the big celebrity-filled grand opening party for the new resort in Dubai (pictures are all over the 'net of Dubai's over-the-top celebration).

Brown and Johnson talk openly about their desires and requests for Jordan to be more visible with the franchise. They almost sound desperate, begging even. But Brown makes a good point as to what Jordan means to his young team: "I just want Michael really, really, really involved. One, the players need to see him because of what he's about, what he accomplished."

The story goes on to chronicle the Bobcats' struggles on the court and with attendance at games. It also talks about possible player moves. Several media outlets have reported this week about the Bobcats actively pursuing trades, saying it might happen any day now if the Bobcats can strike the right deal with another team. Everyone from Matt Carroll to Adam Morrison to Gerald Wallace are rumored to be on the trading block.

"You know, there are six guys who might not be on our team in two, three weeks," Brown says in the story.

Click here to read the full story in USA Today.

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A New 'Uptown' for Charlotte

Last night I attended the launch party for the Charlotte edition of Uptown Magazine, held at Bentley's on 27. If you aren't familiar with Uptown, it's a lifestyle magazine that targets affluent African-Americans ages 25 to 44. It was founded in New York in 2004 and this year it launched editions in Washington, D.C.; Atlanta, and Chicago. Charlotte will become its fifth city in February.

From what I understand from talking to the editor-in-chief last night and from looking at the copy of the issue I picked up, the cover (Beyonce's on the cover of the new issue and Diddy was on the previous one) and feature stories are the same for the issue in each city, but it also includes local editorial content and advertisements about the people and places in each city edition (the city's name is printed vertically next to the Uptown mast on the cover). It's a fairly common practice for publications to print local editions of a national magazine as a way to compete both nationally and locally for subscriptions and ad sales. An example of this you may be familiar with is Skirt!, a monthly women's magazine that started in Charleston in 1994, but over the last five years has grown to about 20 cities including Charlotte, Atlanta, Boston, Jacksonville, and Houston (I used to work for Skirt!'s parent company and I actually assisted in the launch of Skirt! Charlotte a few years ago).

So, this new Charlotte edition of Uptown Magazine could find success. There isn't a lifestyle publication here that's adequately serving the African-American market. As someone who is passionate about media, and magazines in particular, I always say when there's a void someone will try to fill it. The founders of Uptown spoke last night about why they chose Charlotte as their next city to do business. They, like many people around the country, recognize that Charlotte is a city that's flourishing with progressive African-Americans and is continuing to grow. The founder said they're planning to take Uptown from four to six issues a year (from quarterly to bi-monthly) and increase its circulation to 200,000.

I look forward to the day when we don't have to have publications that specifically cater to certain ethnic groups, but as long as we, African-Americans, are flipping through pages of mainstream publications and not seeing enough of our faces, it's going to be necessary. One-third of Charlotte's population is African-American, but you wouldn't know it if you picked up some of our local magazines. I'm not pointing fingers in any direction; I'm just telling it like it is.

So now, the new Uptown's biggest challenge: there's already an Uptown Magazine in Charlotte. It's a monthly magazine that's been here for more than three years and is most known for its stories on uptown real estate and its annual "Sexiest" list. I'm sure there will be some confusion among readers and there will be some branding issues. What I hope doesn't happen is people distinguishing the two magazines by race. "Have you picked up the new issue of Uptown Magazine?," man asks. "Which one? The white one or the black one?" woman replies. The Uptown we're accustomed to here has very little coverage of African-Americans. The "Sexiest" issue not only didn't include any African-Americans in its feature on the city's sexiest people, but there also aren't any black faces on the contributors page (writers and photographers).

I'm not a black journalist who harps on race. I only write about it when it's an issue. Now we'll have two Uptown Magazines. And you'll have two issues to choose from.

Click on the links below for more on the two Uptowns:

• The Uptown that's been here.
• The Uptown that's coming.

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Anthony Hamilton's 'Playin It Cool' On Tour

Anthony Hamilton's Playin' It Cool Tour kicked off earlier this month. The Charlotte native is visiting 25 cities performing his hits along with new songs from his upcoming album, The Point of It All, now set to be released December 16. He'll be performing at Amos' Southend on Sunday, so you'll have the opportunity to see him live. And thanks to his new tour blog, you can follow him from city to city.

The blog features behind-the-scenes footage of Hamilton performing at different tour stops as well as him making guest appearances, doing interviews, shopping, cracking jokes, getting his haircut, and everything else you don't see on stage. Follow Hamilton by visiting www.playinitcooltour.blogspot.com. And if you'd like to receive text-message updates from him, call 704-746-9873.

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How Not to Celebrate Your 21st Birthday

Bizarre details emerged Monday in a robbery and kidnapping trial when UNC-Chapel Hill football players testified about how they were victimized last December. Three UNC players got together to celebrate one of the players' 21st birthday. They admitted to drinking a lot that day and night, but you won't believe what they say happened to them.

Here are a few selected paragraphs from the article in The News & Observer (Raleigh) that will have you going WTF?

• The three linemen, by their count, downed dozens of beers before leaving the Chapel Ridge Apartments in northern Chapel Hill shortly before midnight to continue the party downtown.
• First, the players, who all approach 300 pounds, went to Top of the Hill, a restaurant and bar, for at least one beer each and liquor shots.
• An hour later, according to their testimony, they went to the East End Martini Bar, where one player drifted away from the other two. That player met two women in the bar and persuaded them and a male friend of theirs to give him a ride home. The player testified that he blacked out during the ride.
• When he regained consciousness, he said, he was in a chair in his room with his arms bound and one of the women straddling him.
• The other player went down the hall to look for the teammate who preceded them. What he found was Lewis, naked, standing outside a bedroom with a kitchen paring knife in his hand.
• Police found two of the Tar Heel football players in their boxer shorts, bound with belts, shoelaces and sound system wires shortly before 4 a.m. on Dec. 17.

Click here to read the full account of what happened.

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Finally! A Big Hip-Hop Concert In Charlotte

Lil Wayne is bringing his I Am Music Tour to Charlotte on January 2 at Time Warner Cable Arena. His opening acts include T-Pain, Keyshia Cole, Gym Class Heroes, and Keri Hilson. Tickets go on sale this Saturday at 10 a.m. Click here for more info.


I've blogged before about the need for Charlotte to have big hip-hop concerts. Well, we're kicking off the New Year with a show that will feature the hottest rapper in the game (Lil Wayne), the artist who is on the radio more than anybody else (T-Pain), and a singer who is one of best voices of my generation (Keyshia Cole). Now, we need to make sure we support it.

Charlotte is notorious for not supporting hip-hop concerts. That's why we usually get one-act shows that play at smaller venues like Neighborhood Theatre or Amos' Southend. It's too much of a risk for promoters to put up high dollars to bring in several big-name artists to the city's largest venue. People have complained about the lack of hip-hop concerts at Time Warner Cable Arena (formerly Charlotte Bobcats Arena), but I can assure you it's not because the arena wants to keep hip-hop out. While the arena does decide who they let in, it's the individual promoters who book most of the shows. And too many promoters have been burned by poor turnout in Charlotte.

Earlier this year I went to see my favorite rapper, Jay-Z, in Greensboro. If big-name hip-hop concerts come to this state, they usually go there. Greensboro turns out--the Jay-Z/Mary J. Blige concert sold out.

I moved to Charlotte a couple of months before the uptown arena opened in 2005 and the only big hip-hop concert I can think of that's come there is Kanye West's Glow in the Dark Tour in May. And even that was far from a sellout ("We're Building It, So They Should Come"). Hopefully we'll get 2009 off to a good start with a sellout at Lil Wayne's show (if you want to make promoters happy, buy tickets in advance and not the day of) and that will lead to a great year of concerts in Charlotte.

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Events for the Week: November 17-23

Note: If I learn of more events, I’ll update this post throughout the week.

Tuesday, November 18

Tone X and Friends (weekly event)
Enjoy a night of stand-up comedy, live skits, improv, and music, along with a performance by the Hunnie Dipz Dancers. 8 p.m. $10 in advance, $15 at the door. Skandalos, 5317 E. Independence Blvd. 704-890-0771. www.myspace.com/tonexandfriends.

Wednesday, November 19

Pop Life (weekly event)
It’s the most popular social networking event on a Wednesday night. It starts after work but runs late. Music by select DJs. Presented by Creative Loafing and The Sol Kitchen. 6 p.m. Free. Apostrophe Lounge, 1440 S. Tryon St. (South End). www.thesolkitchen.com.

A Westside Story
Enjoy music, drinks, and a complimentary soul food buffet at this networking event held at a historic African-American club. Presented by Digital Divas. 6-10 p.m. $5. Excelsior Club, 921 Beatties Ford Road. www.digitaldivasevents.com.

Thursday, November 20

Third Thursdays: Live Jazz (monthly event)
Enjoy live jazz, light refreshments, and great art during special late hours at the museum. This month’s featured musician is Bill Averbach. Sponsored by V101.9. Mint Museum of Craft + Design, 220 N. Tryon St. Free. 5-8 p.m. (music 6:30-7:30 p.m.) www.mintmuseum.org.

EQ3’s Anniversary Party and Jordanos Fashion Preview
It’s a two-for-one for great design. Enjoy cocktails and hors d’oeuvres while previewing clothing lines from Jordanos and checking out the swanky furniture at EQ3. Live DJ. 5-9 p.m., fashion show 8 p.m. Free. EQ3, 2137 South Blvd.

Cufflinks and Cocktails (monthly event)
Presented by Charlotte’s Kappas, this event is held at a different bar each month. Come mingle with a group of well-dressed professionals, from 20- to 40-somethings. Free. 6-10 p.m. Bar 10, inside The Westin Charlotte, 601 S. College St. www.cltkappas.com/cufflinks-cocktails.

Can We Talk to Each Other After the Election?
This dialogue is the third offering in the “What’s In The Ground?” Community Conversation Series sponsored by Charlotte-Mecklenburg Community Relations Committee, Community Building Initiative, and Mecklenburg Ministries. Panelists include Anthony Foxx, John Lassiter, Dan Ramirez, and Jennifer Roberts. Moderated by Claude Alexander and Moira Quinn. 7-8:30 p.m. Free. Covenant Presbyterian Church, 1000 E. Morehead St. RSVP at rthompson@ci.charlotte.nc.us.

Touch One Thursdays (weekly event)
Come and enjoy a live band and spoken word by Charlotte’s slam poets. An after-party follows. Presented by Touch One Productions. 9 p.m. $10. Wine Up, 3306 N. Davidson St. www.wine-up.com.

Friday, November 21

Friday Afterwork Rendezvous (weekly event)
End your workweek on a high note at this networking event, held at a different venue each week. Enjoy live music and drink and appetizer specials. Presented by Talk of the Town. 6-9 p.m. Free. Del Frisco's, 4725 Piedmont Row Dr. in SouthPark.

Raise the Bar: Exceed the Standard
Party with a purpose at this fundraising event. Organizers ask that you bring an unwrapped toy to be donated to Toys for Tots. There will also be live music and free giveaways. Presented by The It Factor. 6-10 p.m. Free. Side Bar, inside Crowne Plaza Hotel Charlotte, 201 S. McDowell St. www.itfactormedia.com.

Fashion Friday: Hollywood Rockstar
It’s your turn to walk the red carpet. See fashions by select area boutiques and independent designers while enjoying music, performances, a runway show, and giveaways. Labels include Ed Hardy, Christian Audigier, Smet, Affliction, Sinful, Tarina Tarantino, Do Denim, Dirtee Hollywood, Alpha, Nation Ltd., and more. Hosted by LA East. Doors open 9 p.m., show begins 10:30. $10 and up. Kiss Lounge, 204 W. Woodlawn Rd. www.kisscharlotte.com.

Saturday, November 22

LL Cool J
The G.O.A.T. is coming. See him perform his hits ranging from “Mama Said Knock You Out” to “Luv U Better” to “Headsprung.” Presented by Black Ice Entertainment and Thomas Washington. 10 p.m. Cost varies, ladies free before 11 p.m. NV Nightclub & Lounge, 20924 Torrence Chapel Road. www.ticketannex.com.

Venetian Suites: A Lock and Key Affair
Each woman will receive a lock and each man will receive a key. Then they’ll have to find their fit. This icebreaker will make it easy for you to mingle and meet new people. Complimentary wine and hors d’oeuvres will be served in addition to the cash bar. Dress code is upscale. Presented by Blue Goose. 10:30 p.m. $15 and up. Mimosa Grill, 327 S. Tryon St. www.lockandkeync.com.

Sunday, November 23

Miles & Coltrane: Blue
This work tells the story of Miles Davis and John Coltrane through acting, dance, poetry, music, and visual art. Features production by Concrete Generation (Q, Bluz, CP Maze, Norris Guest, Filmore, Mekkah, Tavis Brunson, Carlos Robeson, and Ocean), God City, The Stephen Gordon Quintet, Jhe Russell, and Randolph Ward. Two shows: 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. $10-$15. Booth Playhouse, 130 N. Tryon St. www.blumenthalcenter.org.

CAABJ Year-End/Pre-Holiday Mixer
The Charlotte Area Association of Black Journalists is celebrating the end of a momentous year in news and media. Enjoy free hors d’oeuvres, a cash bar, music, billiards, and networking. 5-8 p.m. $5 (free admission for CAABJ members and their guests). Wine Up, 3306 N. Davidson St. in NoDa. www.caabj.com.

Anthony Hamilton
Hamilton’s Playin It Cool Tour stops in his hometown. See him perform his hits as well as songs from his upcoming album, The Point of It All. Doors open 7:30 p.m. $30 in advance. Amos’ Southend, 1423 S. Tryon St. www.amossouthend.com.

Ssshh: Sensual Seduction Sundays at Happy Hour (weekly event)
Enjoy an infusion of open-mic poetry and jazz over candlelight. After-party and dancing follows. Presented by Pink Diamond. 9 p.m. $10. Happy Hour Bar and Lounge, 3603 S. Tryon St. www.pinkdiamondpromo.com.

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'iChatted' With Alexis Herman

Last evening I attended GenerationEngage's iChat with former Secretary of Labor Alexis Herman. The event was held at RealEyes Bookstore in NoDa and it was GenerationEngage's first event since the election. See folks, the work doesn't stop and the need for political involvement isn't over.

RealEyes feels like a bookstore you would find in Boston or Chicago and it was a great backdrop for the event. Since it was an iChat, Herman was being broadcast to us live from a college campus in Miami. And a group from San Jose was also in on it, so the three cities were split on a huge Mac monitor in RealEyes.

I like going to stuff like this, which is why I blog about it and why I post events like this in my "Events for the Week." I could've been doing a number of things on a Friday evening but I chose to go to a bookstore and sit with a group of young, intelligent adults and engage in a conversation with a woman who shared insight on what our country and generation needs to do to tackle these economic problems we're facing.

Herman, who served in the Clinton Administration and was the first African-American Secretary of Labor, was very smart and down to earth in her conversation. She talked about being a child and receiving $1 a week for allowance and when she turned 10 years old her parents increased it to $2 a week. Her father then took her to the bank to open a savings account and that instilled in her many of the principles she lives by today. She also talked about growing up in the deep South in the 1950s and '60s and how her father, a civil rights activist, was harassed and beaten by the Ku Klux Klan. She didn't dwell on that stuff, but it served as a great reminder of how far we've come as a nation, especially to an audience who only reads about this stuff in history books. Herman answered questions from the audiences in the three cities and the questions mostly pertained to what can be done to save jobs and stimulate the economy. To sum up her responses, we're going to have to work hard to dig out of the hole this country is in.

After the event I was talking to Rod Garvin, one of GenerationEngage Charlotte's community directors, and he echoed Herman's sentiments. Young people were inspired and turned out in great numbers to vote in the election. Many of them voted for Barack Obama and were voting for change. Well, as Obama said, we're going to need all hands on deck.

Just like many of you were so in tuned with the election and considered yourselves to be politically and civically engaged because you voted, your active participation will be needed even more now. Now that the campaign signs have come down and the "BaRack The Vote" T-shirts have been folded away, what are you going to do to address the problems facing our communities--crime, inadequate education, job loss, lack of funding for programs? I'm not sure what I'm going to do, but I went to a GenerationEngage event last night. That's a start.

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The Best Clothing Website for Ladies to Shop and Men to Browse

First off, Man Law.

I usually don't pay much attention to web ads until I just saw one for Great Glam, which led me to visit the website. It's an online shopping destination that sells trendy clothing for women. But it's a site that we men can also, um, enjoy.

Now I don't know much about women's fashions--I don't call shirts tops and I only recently learned what A-line means--but I know I like Great Glam. Even though it's a website that features thousands of items like dresses, skirts, shoes, accessories, etc., it's like the site was designed with the man also in mind--it's full of eye candy. Every item of clothing is worn by beautiful, sexy young ladies. It's like watching a motionless hip-hop music video. I'm no pervert; I'm just calling it like I see it.

And further more reasons I have to believe this site is intended to appeal to men are: 1) Each item (model) gives you the option to "click here to see the back of this item" and 2) the pictures primarily show their bodies with their heads cut off.

On GreatGlam.com, this shirt is called Buddy System because you can "share this spicy top with a friend." I kid you not.

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Charlotte Has the 'NBA's Least Loyal Fans'

Charlotte often ranks highly on "best" and "most" list for cities, reflecting our great quality of life here. But we're terrible NBA fans, according to a new list by Forbes.com.

New York Knicks fans top Forbes' list of the NBA's Most Loyal Fans. "Over the past five years, the inept team--owner of a 0.368 winning percentage and one playoff appearance--has played to 99 percent capacity at Madison Square Garden," the article states.

At the end of the article, Forbes takes a swipe at us.

"The least loyal NBA fans? They can be found in Charlotte, N.C., where the Bobcats have ranked last in attendance over the past four years despite offering the fourth most affordable tickets."

Click here to read the full article.

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Bojangles' Commercial Is Not Racist

There's a new Bojangles' television commercial airing that's causing a little bit of controversy. I say it's much ado about nothing. The commercial in question shows Carolina Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith celebrating a touchdown by jumping into the stands and eating a piece of fried chicken from a fan. Some critics, including this opinion piece in the News & Observer, are saying that the commercial plays into racial stereotypes because Smith is black. I say those critics should find something better to do with their time.


For several years now, Smith and quarterback Jake Delhomme have done funny TV commercials for Bojangles'--together and separately. This one should be viewed no differently. It's meant to be funny and has nothing to do with race. If anyone has a right to complain it should be Delhomme. Most of his commercials make him look like he's not the brightest bulb in the pack. But I'm sure Delhomme has a great sense of humor and doesn't take himself so seriously. I hope others will follow suit.

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Events for the Week: November 10-16

Note: If I learn of more events, I’ll update this post throughout the week.

Wednesday, November 12

Pop Life (weekly event)
It’s the most popular social networking event on a Wednesday night. It starts after work but runs late. Music by select DJs. Presented by Creative Loafing and The Sol Kitchen. 6 p.m. Free. Apostrophe Lounge, 1440 S. Tryon St. (South End). www.thesolkitchen.com.

So You Think You Can Dance Tour
See your favorite top ten dancers from the 2008 season of the popular television show competition. 7:30 p.m. $35-$54.50. Time Warner Cable Arena, 333 E. Trade St. www.timewarnercablearena.com.

Thursday, November 13

Gold Carpet Happy Hour
Mingle after work and enjoy complimentary appetizers and drink specials. Presented by Sigma Gamma Rho of Charlotte. 6-10 p.m. Brevard Court Sundries, 145 Brevard Ct. www.charlottesgrho.org.

Indulge Thursdays
Enjoy a relaxed evening with music and food and drink specials at Charlotte’s newest coffeehouse. Presented by JSW Media Group. 6:30-9 p.m. Free. PJ’s Coffeehouse and Lounge, 210 E. Trade St., (first floor of the Epicentre). www.jswmediagroup.com.

An Evening with Sonia Sanchez
The legendary poet and author will read excerpts from her work and provide commentary during the final event of the 2008 fall Distinguished Speakers Forum. A reception will follow the presentation. 7 p.m. Free. UNC Charlotte’s Cone Center, McKnight Hall, 9201 University City Blvd. leadership.uncc.edu/DSF.

Touch One Thursdays (weekly event)
Come and enjoy a live band and spoken word by Charlotte’s slam poets. An after-party follows. 9 p.m. $10. Wine Up, 3306 N. Davidson St. www.wine-up.com.

Friday, November 14

iChat with Alexis Herman
GenerationEngage is presenting this opportunity to join in a Q&A with the former Secretary of Labor who will answer questions you have on the current economy, employment, retirement, health care, and why America's economic future should matter to you. Refreshments will be served. 5:30-8 p.m. Free. RealEyez Bookstore, 3306 N. Davidson St. (NoDa). www.generationengage.org/state/chltt/indexnew.php.

Friday Afterwork Rendezvous (weekly event)
End your workweek on a high note at this networking event, held at a different venue each week. Enjoy live music and drink and appetizer specials. Presented by Talk of the Town. 6-9 p.m. Free. House of Jazz, 8630 University Executive Park Dr.

Scorpio Birthday Bash
The Dymetime models are celebrating their CEO Iris’s birthday and all the other Scorpios. Special invited guest Raymond Felton. 10 p.m. $10. The Sunset Club, 1820 South Blvd. www.sunsetclubcharlotte.com.

Saturday, November 15

Carolina Renaissance Festival (final weekend)
Travel back centuries and enjoy outdoor theater, circus entertainment, an arts and crafts marketplace, a jousting tournament, and a feast fit for royalty. 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. $17 for adults, $6 for kids ages 5-12. 16445 Poplar Tent Rd., Huntersville (go to website for directions instead of using Mapquest or Google Maps). www.royalfaires.com/carolina.

Hom’s One-Year Anniversary
The three-level club that gave Charlotte’s nightlife a big adrenaline boost is celebrating its one-year anniversary. Play, Liv, and Feast will all be rocking. 9 p.m. Cost varies. Hom, 116 W. Fifth St. www.myhom.com.

Oh So Sexy
It’s a hairstylist and barber appreciation party. Hosted by Power 98’s Janine “JD” Davis, Consuella, and Artie the One Woman Party. Music DJ Tab Dbiassi. 9 p.m. $35. The Big Chill, 911 E. Morehead St. www.jzanderllc.com.

Soul Bowl Lounge
The popular bowling and social networking event is held in a dozen cities including Atlanta, Los Angeles, and New York. In addition to knocking down pins, enjoy live music, food, and card games. $25. 10 p.m. AMF Carolina Lanes, 11210 Brigman Rd., Matthews. www.soulbowllounge.com.

Sunday, November 16

Carolina Renaissance Festival (final weekend)
Travel back centuries and enjoy outdoor theater, circus entertainment, an arts and crafts marketplace, a jousting tournament, and a feast fit for royalty. 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. $17 for adults, $6 for kids ages 5-12. 16445 Poplar Tent Rd., Huntersville (go to website for directions instead of using Mapquest or Google Maps). www.royalfaires.com/carolina.

Ssshh! Sensual Seduction Sundays (weekly event)
Enjoy an infusion of open-mic poetry and jazz over candlelight. After-party and dancing follows. Presented by Pink Diamond. 9 p.m. $10. Happy Hour Bar and Lounge, 3603 S. Tryon St. www.pinkdiamondpromo.com.

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Honor Our Veterans

Today is Veterans Day, as you should know. The kids are out of school; some of you are off from work. Eight years ago I viewed this holiday differently. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan changed that. It's no longer a product of events in our history books. I think we all know someone who has died in the wars we've been fighting this decade.

I grew up near an air force base, so a disproportionately high number of my high school classmates joined the military. Recruiters basically lived at my school and were able to convince many of my friends that choosing the armed services was a good career move. It was and still is, except those decisions were made at a time when most people chose to go into the military in order to get a good job or to pay for college. The only war we'd experienced was the Gulf War and that only lasted six months, creating the impression to my generation that any war our country would engage in would be easy. But we know now that isn't the case.

I salute the men and women who serve and have served in our military. We truly do owe our freedom to you.

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Bootlegging Obama

I was watching D.L. Hughley's funny new show, D.L. Hughley Breaks the News, last night. It airs on CNN and is basically a ripoff of HBO's Real Time With Bill Maher, which is one of my favorite shows. In a segment where he was covering election night parties, Hughley said something that I've said several times myself: Barack Obama is the most bootlegged man in America. Hughley said that after seeing several people wearing T-shirts with Obama's face on them.

T-shirt makers are getting rich off of Obama right now. Over the summer and into the fall, I went to several events and festivals where people would be hocking Obama memorabilia. And it's gone way beyond T-shirts. I've seen hats, pajamas (called Ojamas), calendars, purses, and one of the most impressive has been the sneakers with Obama's face airbrushed on the side. Simply put, our president-elect is a rock star. I haven't seen a black man on this many clothing items since Jimi Hendrix or Bob Marley. This is a direct correlation to how Obama has inspired millions of young people. Young people create the trends and when they're excited about something, they want to express it.

The Charlotte Observer is getting in on it, too. Last Wednesday, the newspaper posted a video on its website that showed lines of people coming to their office to buy the "historic paper" that featured the future first family on the front page. The paper was selling out all over town--so much so that they had to restart the presses. One lady bought sixty copies. Well, the Observer has taken that excitement (and revenue idea) and is now selling T-shirts with that front-page image. I saw this ad on their website today.

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I Think Michael Jordan Is Coming Around

Thursday night I attended the Charlotte Chamber's Annual Meeting. To my surprise I enjoyed it and found it very insightful. It was held at Time Warner Cable Arena and attended by more than 2,000 members of the Charlotte business community, most of whom have a lot more money than me. Our local elected officials were also present as was Governor-elect Beverly Perdue (her first public appearance since defeating Pat McCrory Tuesday). But the highlight of the evening--and the reason I was most interested in coming--was Michael Jordan accepting the Citizen of the Carolinas Award.

I, like many Charlotteans, fans, and journalists, have been critical about Jordan's involvement and presence in Charlotte during the two and a half years he's been part-owner and top executive (second only to Bob Johnson) of the Charlotte Bobcats. I blogged last week about Jordan sitting on the Bobcats bench during the season home opener. And now, after the speech he gave while accepting the award Thursday night and the interview he gave The Charlotte Observer last night, I feel like MJ is committed to Charlotte.

During his speech, he assured everyone that he's in Charlotte more than we think. He said we might not see him at the grocery store, but we could find him at the golf course. He also said he would love to spend even more time in Charlotte--"North Carolina will always be home," he said--but he has other business and family obligations that require him to spend a lot of time in Chicago. I truly understand that. It's selfish of us, and particularly the anonymous commenters who are always dissing him on news and blog sites, to think that Jordan would be in Charlotte every day. The Bobcats is just one of his many business ventures, but I think he's showing now that it's a very important one.

Jordan also talked about being committed to putting a team on the court that we'll be excited about. He also, oddly, said that he was "Sorry for what George Shinn did to you guys." It's obvious that he recognizes that there are some people who are still bitter about the Hornets leaving (the Bobcats beat the Hornets last night, by the way). Jordan said that he and Bob Johnson, who was sitting in the audience, are working hard to make the Bobcats a success.

Then, in an exclusive interview with Observer reporter Scott Fowler last night, Jordan, who rarely grants interviews, talked candidly about the team and his relationship with Johnson. And one of his comments is sure to get the Internet and sports commentators buzzing: "When Bob wants to step aside, I have no problem stepping in and saying, ‘Hey, look, I’d love to take control of this franchise.' "

Click here for the Observer article.

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Ten Phrases You Need to Stop Using

I couldn't agree more with the list of the Top Ten Annoying Phrases, released yesterday by Oxford University Press. Oxford publishes many of the dictionaries we've come to rely on. (I'm sure many of you look up definitions and spellings on the web, but the dictionary is one of the few actual books I still use--I used to keep a dictionary by the bed...TMI?) So needless to say, the Oxford people know what they're doing.

The number one annoying phrase on the list is "At the end of the day." People use that right before they say something they think is profound: "At the end of the day, I can only be responsible for me." I remember seeing a T-shirt that poked fun at the overused phrase. It read: "At the end of the day...nobody cares."

Number eight on the list is one you may use but not realize it's grammatically incorrect. People say "shouldn't of": "I shouldn't of gone over there." Do you realize you're saying "I should not of"? It's supposed to be "shouldn't have."

And one of the worst is "I personally." Who else would "I" be? Arrrrrggggghhhh!

I love words! But please stop using these.

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Events for the Weekend: Nov. 6-9

Thursday, November 6

Charlotte Chamber’s Annual Meeting
More than 2,000 members of the business community are expected to attend this annual event that will review the past year in business and forecast 2009. The highlight of the evening will be Michael Jordan accepting the Citizen of the Carolinas Award. The one-hour program will be followed by a heavy hors d'oeuvres and cocktail reception. Doors open 5:45 p.m., program begins 6:30 p.m. $95. Time Warner Cable Arena, 333 E. Trade St. www.charlottechamber.com/events.

Touch One Thursdays (weekly event)
Come and enjoy a live band and spoken word by Charlotte’s slam poets. An after-party follows. 9 p.m. $10. Wine Up, 3306 N. Davidson St. www.wine-up.com.

Friday, November 7

Friday Afterwork Rendezvous (weekly event)
End your workweek on a high note at this networking event, held at a different venue each week. Enjoy live music and drink and appetizer specials. Presented by Talk of the Town. 6-11 p.m. Free. Blue Restaurant & Bar, 214 N. Tryon St.

Black Ski Networking Event
The Charlotte Breezers, a black ski club, hold their monthly event each first Friday. 6:45 p.m. Free. Ebenezer Baptist Church, 2020 Sugar Creek Road. www.charlottebreezers.com.

Lenny Williams
“Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh….” He’s the soulful singer R. Kelly got his style from. 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. $25 and up. House of Jazz, 8630 University Executive Center Dr. www.thehouseofjazz.net.

First Fridays Charlotte
It’s the city’s most popular first Friday event. Music by DJs MC and Rham and Tha Movement Band. 9 p.m. Ladies free before 9:30. $15 and up. Stir, 3500 E. Independence Blvd. www.1stfridayscharlotte.com.

Free @ KISS
The first Friday of the month is free admission at one of Charlotte’s hottest lounges. 10 p.m. KISS Lounge, 204 W. Woodlawn Rd. www.kisscharlotte.com.

Saturday, November 8

Carolina Renaissance Festival
Travel back centuries and enjoy outdoor theater, circus entertainment, an arts and crafts marketplace, a jousting tournament, and a feast fit for royalty. This annual festival runs for consecutive weekends October 4-November 16. 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. $17 for adults, $6 for kids ages 5-12. 16445 Poplar Tent Rd., Huntersville (go to website for directions instead of using Mapquest or Google Maps). www.royalfaires.com/carolina.

Soiree @ Suite
Habitat Young Professionals of Charlotte is hosting a great party for charity at one of the city’s swankiest clubs. Admission includes appetizers and three drinks. 6:30 p.m. $25 per person, $40 per couple. Suite, inside the Epicentre, 210 E. Trade St. www.habitatcharlotte.org/HYPSuite.cfm.

Frank Caliendo
This funny man impersonates John Madden better than John Madden. 8:30 p.m. $38.75. Ovens Auditorium, 2700 E. Independence Blvd., www.ovensauditorium.com.

The Bond Evening
It’s an exclusive (and elusive) fashion event to celebrate the release of Quantum of Solace, the new James Bond movie. Hosted by UCE Magazine. Red carpet begins at 9 p.m. Visit website for details. www.thebondevening.com.

The Inauguration
It’s a party for “young moguls” so come dressed to impress. Music by Debonair. Presented By Harell Entertainment. 10 p.m. $15. The Big Chill, 911 E. Morehead St. www.harellentertainment.com.

Sunday, November 2

Carolina Renaissance Festival
Travel back centuries and enjoy outdoor theater, circus entertainment, an arts and crafts marketplace, a jousting tournament, and a feast fit for royalty. This annual festival runs for consecutive weekends October 4-November 16. 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. $17 for adults, $6 for kids ages 5-12. 16445 Poplar Tent Rd., Huntersville (go to website for directions instead of using Mapquest or Google Maps). www.royalfaires.com/carolina.

Ssshh! Sensual Seduction Sundays (weekly event)
Enjoy an infusion of open-mic poetry and jazz over candlelight. After-party and dancing follows. Presented by Pink Diamond. 9 p.m. $10. Happy Hour Bar and Lounge, 3603 S. Tryon St. www.pinkdiamondpromo.com.

Definition of Fly
Los performing live. Music by DJ Shaun Nyce. Film crew will be recording Battle Grounds Volume 1. 10 p.m. Ladies free before 11 p.m. Cost varies. The Breakfast Club, 225 N. Caldwell St. www.myspace.com/battlegroundselite.

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Back On the Blog!

GrownPeopleTalking.com went down Tuesday morning and I just now got the problem resolved a few minutes ago. And I had some good stuff I wanted to post over the past couple of days...oh well. The biggest omission is my weekly "Events for the Week" post. Since today is Thursday, I'll now do "Events for the Weekend."

It feels good to be home!

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My Blog Has Been Down

My apologies. Blame Blogger!

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Free Drinks On Election Day

If you're voting tomorrow, you might need a pick-me-up as you stand in those long lines. Two companies are offering free drinks on Election Day.

VOLT, which is based in Charlotte, is giving away free energy sports drinks. "North Carolina is a battleground state and a free VOLT soda will be available at VOLT's offices on Election Day to any voter who needs an extra kick in the butt to get to the polls," founder Owen Ryan said in a statement. VOLT's headquarters is located at 6000 Fairview Road, Suite 1200.

If you head to the polls when they open at 6:30 a.m. or if you're expecting to be in line late into the evening (as long as you're in line by 7:30 p.m. your polling place has to allow you to vote), you might want to swing by Starbucks. The coffee chain is giving away free cups of coffee to voters tomorrow.

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Barack Obama's In Charlotte Tomorrow

News of Barack Obama's plans to come to Charlotte one more time before the election first surfaced Thursday. I blogged about it then, but it hadn't been confirmed by his campaign. Now, the details of his visit are set.

Monday, November 3
Hayes Recreation Fields
University of North Carolina Charlotte campus
Doors open at 3 p.m., program starts at 5:30 p.m.

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Bobcats Make Statement In Home Opener

My South Carolina Gamecocks played the Tennessee Volunteers tonight. The game coverage started at 7 p.m. on ESPN2, which was also the time the coverage of the Charlotte Bobcats game started. The Bobcats played the Miami Heat for their season home opener. Because my Gamecocks were taking care of business, I was able to switch back and forth to watch a good bit of the Bobcats game. The Bobcats took care of business, too, outplaying the Heat in just about every area. But I'm not here to give a game recap.

The Bobcats, who went 0-8 in the preseason and lost their season opener Thursday by 17 points to the Cleveland Cavaliers, looked like a fundamentally good and well-coached team tonight. Kudos to head coach Larry Brown. It's far too early to make any predictions as to how the season will go because the Bobcats could easily have a season where sometimes we see the team that played today and sometimes we see the team that played Thursday.

But what was good to see, and hopefully we see more of, is Michael Jordan sitting on the team bench for the entire game. He didn't seem to say too much to the players and coaches during the game, but his presence said a lot. As part owner and managing member of basketball operations, aside from being MJ, he's the man in charge and things haven't gone well during the more than two years under his watch. Fans and critics have said often that they'd like to see Jordan at more games. He has responded by saying he doesn't want to be a distraction. He comes to the home opener and other select games throughout the season, but I don't ever recall him sitting with the team.


After the Bobcats 100-87 victory, Jordan was all smiles, shaking hands and patting on the back all of the players and coaches as they headed to the locker room. That has to mean a lot to the young players and new coaching staff. We'll see if it continues.

Majority owner Bob Johnson was at the game also, sitting in floor seats on the other side of the court. It was a positive sign to see the often-accused absentee owner there, too. He and his small entourage filled a few seats, but the entire arena wasn't full. It looked like maybe 90 percent capacity. That's great for most nights, but not opening night. The home opener should always be a sellout. The Bobcats' struggles to sell tickets have been well documented. The only cure will be for the team to win.

Jordan and Johnson will also have to work harder this year on winning over fans and corporate sponsors. Interest in the Bobcats, I feel, is at an all-time low. Jordan and Johnson will likely be in Charlotte most of the week. Jordan is receiving the Citizen of the Carolinas Award Thursday at the Charlotte Chamber's Annual Meeting. (I'll be there!)

The game was carried by SportSouth, as will most of the games this season. It's a product of the deal the Bobcats made last spring to get a better television package that extends their viewing audience, for which they gave Time Warner Cable naming rights of the arena to get out of the TWC television deal. I have DirecTV and it took me a while to find the game, which aired on "RSNa Overflow Alternate 650," some channel I never heard of.

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Jay-Z Rally for Today Cancelled

It was too good to be true. So Jay-Z's not coming to Charlotte today for the Barack Obama rally. But he's still scheduled to appear in Greensboro this afternoon.

Here's the message posted on the N.C. Obama campaign site: "We regret to announce that due to unforeseen circumstances, the “Vote for Change” Rally scheduled for Charlotte today has been cancelled."

Click here for more info.

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