My First Time: StrikeCity

Last night my homeboy Lenny and I attended the grand opening of StrikeCity at EpiCentre. I'm not going to spend too much time describing StrikeCity here but to let you know that it's a bowling alley on steroids and you should check it out.StrikeCity has more TVs than you can count--I can assure you've never seen more projection screens and plasmas in one place. That makes me think it will become just as popular as a sports bar as it will a bowling...

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IKEA Grand Opening—Is It That Serious?

As the grand opening date for IKEA Charlotte approaches, I'm hearing more people talk about it. It's been mostly women and they speak of their excitement. I can understand the appeal of being able to buy designer furniture at prices lower than you would at most home-furnishings stores, but to some people the opening of an IKEA is a life-changing event. IKEA grand openings are legendary for attracting thousands of people, many who arrive ridiculously...

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Trailer for 'Crossroads Charlotte: The Movie'

Crossroads Charlotte: The Movie can be seen during a special premiere Tuesday, February 3, 6 p.m., at six area theaters. The film is a cinematic version of the four Crossroads stories, each depicting a possible future for the Charlotte community in the year 2015. Below is the trailer.Click here to RSVP to attend the free premier...

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Before Blagojevich There Was Nixon

Last evening I attended an event at Queens University titled "How Does the Media Influence Public Perception?" The event was part of the Get to Know the Shows series the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center's Education Institute puts on, and this one pertained to the Frost/Nixon show coming to the Belk Theater February 10-15. The panel, which included Rod Garvin, Charlotte community director at GenerationEngage; Dr. Bill Thompson, history professor...

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No Place For 'Hom'

I emailed an event sponsor this morning about an event that seemed to have been moved from Hom to Suite. She emailed me back saying that the event has been moved to Suite because Hom closed this week. Wow!Hom, the once-popular and very swank nightclub that's "home" to three levels known as Liv, Feast, and Play, lasted 14 months. I blame its closing largely on two things: the bad economy and the EpiCentre. The economy has people being more frugal...

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The Future of Dale Jr.'s Camaro?

General Motors recently announced that it would be delaying the start of production of the 2010 Chevy Camaro by one month. The start date is now scheduled for March 16 and GM expects the first cars to be ready by late spring. The completely redesigned Camaro was a big hit at auto shows last year, and it's been reported that more than 10,000 people are on the waiting list to purchase them once they begin arriving at dealerships. It's presumable that...

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Events for the Week: Jan. 26-Feb. 1

Your best weekly list for parties, nightlife, social, and cultural events in Charlotte. If I learn of more events, I’ll update this post throughout the week.WeeklongQueen's Feast: Charlotte Restaurant WeekThis celebration of Charlotte’s restaurant scene runs through Friday. Each participating restaurant will offer a three-course, prix fixe dinner menu for only $30 per person (not including tax and gratuity). More than 60 participating restaurants. Visit website for details. www.charlotterestaurantweek.com.Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey...

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High School Fights and YouTube

I was talking to a group of teenagers the other day whom I counsel, when they put me on to an alarming trend. We were standing around my laptop talking, when one of them asked me to go to YouTube and search for some crazy new dance called the "Stanky Leg" because they wanted to learn it. Unfortunately, all these ridiculous new dances that are out isn't the alarming trend I'm referring to (plus, I see that as just kids being kids). After looking...

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February Could Be Good For Anthony Hamilton

Anthony Hamilton is scheduled to perform during the 2009 BET Honors Award Show, airing February 9 on the cable network, according to an email I received tonight from his publicist at studio b public relations. The Charlotte native will sing during a tribute to Judith Jamison, a 2009 honoree and artistic director of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.It'll be an exciting week for Hamilton. A day earlier, on February 8, he'll learn if he wins a Grammy Award during the live telecast of the 51st annual award show on CBS. He's nominated along with...

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Charlotte's Plane Crash Survivors On 'Ellen'

Survivors of last week's US Airways Flight 1549 plane crash appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres show yesterday. Six of the eight guests on the show are from the Charlotte area (four from Charlotte, one from Cornelius, and one from Davidson; the other two are from New York and Tennessee). Watch the two videos below of how they came out dancing to Destiny Child's "Survivor" (you gotta dance if you go on Ellen) and then go into details of the crash. It's great that they can laugh about it now, but I don't know if I would be able to hop on a plane so...

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'NASCAR Wives' Airs Saturday

UPDATE: NASCAR Wives didn't air on January 24 as originally scheduled. It was reported by a few NASCAR "insiders" websites that the debut of the show was delayed so that footage from February's Daytona 500 could be included. Websites were reporting a March or April premiere date for the show but even that didn't happen. TLC hasn't released any further details on the status of the show, so it looks likely that NASCAR Wives may have been cancelled.-------------------------------------...

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Pop Life and Facebook

I went to Pop Life last night. Even though the event is held each Wednesday night at Apostrophe Lounge and I list it each week in my "Events for the Week," I hadn't been in months. In fact, I hadn't been to Pop Life since last summer when it was being held at Loft 1523. I'd been to Apostrophe before, but this was my first time attending Pop Life there. And I was surprised to see that the popular social networking event hasn't slowed down.It's not...

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Bad News About the Big Banks

After watching picturesque, historic, and inspiring images of President Barack Obama's inauguration and celebration all day yesterday, I awoke to much of the same this morning. But CNN broke a little from the round-the-clock coverage and recap of the events to offer some other news, though still related. When talking about the troubling economy Obama has inherited and that we're all facing, CNN flashed a simple graphic that contained this information:Bank stock prices decline since election dayCitibank 81%Bank of America 79%Wells Fargo 59%That's...

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'Brooklyn' In Australia

Charlotte native Brooklyn Decker has the blokes buzzing. She's been sitting courtside at the Australian Open this week in support of her fiancé Andy Roddick. The papers and paparazzi have been focusing on her large engagement ring: "Brooklyn Decker sparkles courtside for Andy Roddick." On her left hand, Brooklyn is blinging. Twenty-one-year-old Decker, most known as a Sports Illustrated swimsuit model, is also an aspiring actress and makes her...

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Random Notes From MLK Day Event

I'd like to think I did my part to recognize Martin Luther King Jr. Day. This is one of the most important holidays we have in this country, but far too many of us treat it as just another day off from work--those of us who are lucky enough to get the day off (I made a pledge to myself a couple of years ago that if I had a job that didn't give MLK Day off, I would use a vacation day). I'm not trying to sound like an old man here, but I think a lot...

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More Than I Was Looking for On Bobcats Site

I just got home from attending an MLK Day event (I'll blog about that later) and I remembered that the Charlotte Bobcats have a home game going on right now. As is tradition for the team, they play an afternoon game on MLK Day and they use it to not only pay tribute to the great Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. but also to honor middle school students who are doing well in school. Those kids usually get free tickets to the game, I think.So I went to the...

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Gerald Wallace Dunks On Greg Oden

Watch this video of Gerald Wallace catching an alley-oop and dunking over Greg Oden. And more importantly, the Bobcats beat the Trailblazers last nigh...

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Events for the Week: January 19-25

Your best weekly list for parties, nightlife, social, and cultural events in Charlotte. If I learn of more events, I’ll update this post throughout the week.Monday, January 19Martin Luther King Jr. DayCity of Charlotte MLK National Holiday CelebrationIn recognition of MLK Day, this event will feature music, dance and special guest performances. NASCAR driver Marc Davis will be honored with the Keeper of the Dream Award, and the lives of Barbara Brewton Cameron, Stephanie Jennings, and Valerie Woodard will be celebrated with the presentation of...

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Star Was at Greensboro Theater During Shooting

I blogged a few days ago about Jamal "Gravy" Woolard's ties to Charlotte ('Notorious' Star Was Living In Charlotte When He Got the Role). Now, he has an unfortunate connection of being in attendance at the Greensboro movie theater where a shooting took place Friday night during a showing of Notorious. See news video belo...

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My First Time: Noodles & Company

I had a board meeting this afternoon for my black journalists organization and we met at Noodles & Company in South End. The restaurant opened at the end of October and I first noticed it a few weeks later when I was visiting Estelle's Cafe and Coffeehouse, which is across from it in the Village of Southend condos. (Estelle's is one of three late-night coffeehouses I profiled for the January issue of Charlotte magazine. You can read that article--"Night,...

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Pepsi's 'Dear Mr. President' Viral Videos

Pepsi has launched a "Dear Mr. President" viral video series as part of its Refresh Everything marketing campaign. It features celebrities, including Eva Longoria, Will.i.Am., and Lady Gaga, speaking to Barack Obama about an issue they care about. But regular folks like you and I can submit videos, too. The best ones are selected and featured on the Refresh Everything YouTube site.As the guidelines state: "All videos should begin with the words Dear Mr. President and end with your first name and where you are from. What you put in between is up...

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Tickets On Sale for T.I./Jeezy Concert

At 10 a.m. this morning, tickets go on sale for the T.I. and Young Jeezy concert, taking place February 26 at Bojangles' Coliseum (formerly Cricket Arena). This is happening during CIAA Week--the week in which the CIAA basketball tournament comes to Charlotte (February 24-28)--and you can expect a ridiculous amount of parties, concerts, and special events to be going on around the city. Oh, and five days of basketball, too. I'll begin posting CIAA events on this blog around February 1.Now back to the T.I./Jeezy concert. I'm sure it will be a great...

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Obama Hit Me On the Hip Again

I received a text message from President-elect Barack Obama this evening. It's been weeks since he hit me on the hip. While the days leading up to the election, he was blowing me up. "Remember to vote." "Take a friend." "Do you know where your polling place is?" The text I received from him this evening came at 6:56 p.m. I was eating dinner, man. But I ain't tripping. We cool.Here are the contents of the message: "Help President-elect Obama renew...

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Charlotte Native to Appear on 'Supermodel' Show

Bravo has revealed the aspiring models who will be competing in season two of its reality show competition, Make Me A Supermodel. One of the 16 lucky men and women is a Charlotte native named Gabriel (no last name given). He's 22 and is currently living in Nashville where he's a student at Belmont University. Gabriel is wearing the fedora, third from the left in the back. A casting special introducing the new season airs February 7 at 11 p.m. on...

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I Just Voted...

For the NBA All-Star team that is. As it has been for several years now, we, the fans, pick the starters and the coaches select the reserves. I've always liked that process because it let's the fans have their say, which often means the most popular players get picked, while the coaches ensure that the most deserving players make the team, too. Regardless, though, I'm pretty sure no one from the Charlotte Bobcats will be making the All-Star team...

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'Notorious' Star Was Living In Charlotte When He Got the Role

I'd heard about Jamal Woolard for a few years, but knew him mostly by his rap name, Gravy. If you're as big of a hip-hop fan as I am, then you usually know about the rappers who are making noise in the underground scene. Gravy was one of them. But he's had difficulties breaking through, as have many artists in this tightening music industry. But he's now about to become more famous than he'd ever imagined with his starring role as Christoper Wallace...

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Fantasia Keeps Her House

It's been widely (and embarrassingly) reported that singer Fantasia Barrino was in jeopardy of losing one of the two houses she owns in Charlotte. She borrowed $65,000 in 2006 to pay taxes on her Piper Glen home and after she defaulted on repaying the loan, the lender won a judgement to auction off her house. The auction was scheduled to be held today by the Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office, but Fantasia reached an agreement with the lender over...

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Events for the Week: January 12-18

Your best weekly list for parties, nightlife, social, and cultural events in Charlotte. If I learn of more events, I’ll update this post throughout the week.Tuesday, January 13A Peace of Jazz (weekly event)Radio personality Jaye Delai and his wife Monica present this weekly jazz series at one of Charlotte’s swankest lounges. This week’s musical guest is Shawn “Shableek” Richardson. 7 p.m. $10. Kiss Lounge, 204 W. Woodlawn Rd. www.jayeandmonica.com. Bridging Musical Worlds: Blues and BeardenThrough musical performances (Robin Rogers and Dawn Anthony),...

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My First Time: Club 935

I finally visited Club 935 last night. The hip-hop nightclub opened a little over a month ago and I blogged about its grand opening event and have listed its parties in my Events for the Week each week, but I just got around to checking it out for myself. And I have to say that I like it, and it's different than any other nightspot in Charlotte.A few friends and I went there to watch the Carolina Panthers-Arizona Cardinals playoff game (sidenote: you can see Bank of America Stadium from outside the club). Club 935 opened its doors three hours...

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More News, But Few Details on Jada Pinkett Smith's New 'Charlotte' Show

TNT announced today that it has picked up the pilot Time Heals for 10 episodes. The series will star Jada Pinkett Smith as "the director of nursing at a Charlotte, N.C., hospital," and the show "focuses on her struggles to care for patients at work and as a recently widowed mother at home." I blogged about this new show in September, but there hasn't been much new info on it since. The latest announcement basically repeats the info from a few months...

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Volunteer In Honor of MLK Day

I received this press release and thought it was worthy of sharing.Hands On Charlotte Volunteer Event Honors MLK Through ServiceCharlotte – January 7, 2009 – "Building On The Dream" is an annual large-scale volunteering event organized by the local nonprofit agency Hands On Charlotte (HOC). Its purpose is to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. through service to the greater community. Building On The Dream offers volunteers the chance to participate in a range of service projects on Saturday, January 17, with a kickoff celebration...

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Bobcats Games Can Be Fun

I know most Charlotte sports fans have their minds on Saturday's Carolina Panthers playoff game, but I attended the Charlotte Bobcats-Boston Celtics game last night and it's one of the few times I've been able to appreciate how entertaining an NBA game can be. First off, I arrived about 10 minutes before tip-off. I've gone to several Bobcats games since I moved here in 2005, but I'd never gotten there that early before (I usually show up some time during the first quarter). Getting there early allowed me to see the singing of the national anthem...

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Video Vixens Invade Charlotte

Since Club 935 opened a month ago it has lived up to its motto that it is the club "Where the stars party," bringing in actors, musicians, models, and professional athletes to host parties each week. And this weekend, they're offering a double dose of video vixenity (I think I made up that word).Angel Lola Luv hosts a party at Club 935 on Friday and Melyssa Ford hosts a party there Saturday. You can find details of both in this week's Events for...

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Events for the Week: January 5-11

Your best weekly list for parties, nightlife, social, and cultural events in Charlotte. If I learn of more events, I’ll update this post throughout the week.Tuesday, January 6A Peace of Jazz (weekly event)Radio personality Jaye Delai and his wife Monica present this weekly jazz series at one of Charlotte’s swankest lounges. 7 p.m. $10. Kiss Lounge, 204 W. Woodlawn Rd. www.jayeandmonica.com. Wednesday, January 7Pop Life (weekly event)It’s the most popular social networking event on a Wednesday night. Starts after work but ends late. Music by select...

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