Talking About Nightlife on The Charlotte Podcast

I was the guest on this week's episode of The Charlotte Podcast with hosts John and Miller. The guys had me on to talk about Charlotte nightlife. And because I have a tendency to give backstories, a lot of our discussion focused on how far the city's nightlife scene has come during the decade I've lived here; plus, where I feel it's headed and what we need more of. They also had me recommend a bachelor party night out in Charlotte, which was a fun, on-the-spot question.

During our conversation, I pretty much gave a walk down memory lane on "nightlife" in Charlotte, to the lonely days before there was an EpiCentre or Music Factory in Uptown, or bars and breweries all over NoDa, South End, and Plaza Midwood. Back when the most there was to look forward to in the nightlife and social scene was Alive After Five. (Not knocking AA5, though, which returned for the season last week, and runs each Thursday through August; it's a rite of passage for newcomers, and is still a great social event to meet people.)

If you haven't lived in Charlotte very long and/or you feel the current nightlife scene leaves a lot to be desired, you should listen to this podcast discussion because it will: 1) Cause you to realize how good you have it here now compared to before; 2) Help you understand the positive momentum and growth the scene is continuing to experience, which bodes well for the future. And, it's just fun to talk about "going out" even if you don't do so often, but we all have FOMO from time to time.

I've gone to Red Clay Ciderworks a couple of times, which is an extension of Charlotte's craft brewery scene

I enjoyed talking to Miller and John, and I appreciate them for having me on. I first "met" Miller through Twitter (@MillerYoho), maybe a couple of years ago, and we've since gotten to know each other through our day jobs. And this was my first time meeting John in person, since I'd only previously known him through his Twitter alias (@TheTrolleyWalk).

Listen to the episode in the embed below or directly on Soundcloud or iTunes (episode 015).

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Charlotte Is One of America's Sexiest Cities

We're sexy and we know it, Charlotte.

According to Playboy.com's newly released (and safe for work) list of "America's Sexiest Cities 2015," Charlotte ranks No. 20. What makes a city sexy, you ask. Well that's what Playboy asked, too, and explains that it's "a combination of hot locals, cool nightlife, a great setting and an undercurrent of desire..."

Making the top 20 of any flattering national ranking is a good thing, I suppose. The top-five sexiest cities, Playboy's research and surveys show, are New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Miami, and San Francisco. No surprises there, but those are also some of the country's largest cities. Wonder if there's any correlation between sexy and size? (No pun intended.) If you're curious about the Queen City's "peers," Tampa and Atlanta are ranked 16th and 17th, respectively. And Orlando, at No. 21, gives the Southeast five of the top 25 cities.

This map, from Playboy.com, shows where the sexiest cities are located. 

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#GovJamCLT Is this Weekend - June 12-14

The Charlotte Shapers are giving you the opportunity to collaborate on solutions to problems and challenges facing the city. It’s a weekend-long event, dubbed #GovJamCLT (see hash on Twitter), with the goal of helping “Charlotte residents begin to make the increasingly important connections needed between government and those the public sector serves.”

You might be familiar with previous events and initiatives the Charlotte Shapers have done over the last couple of years, such as its annual business idea competition. Part of the World Economic Forum’s Global Shapers Community, the Charlotte group carries out the international organization’s mission of empowering young leaders (people in their 20s and 30s) to create solutions to problems around the world, essentially one community and city at a time. The Charlotte group’s primary focus is tackling youth unemployment, but they also address a wide range of issues, as you’ll see with #GovJamCLT.

#GovJamCLT Rundown

Date: June 12-14 | Friday, 5:45 - 9 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Admission: $15; covers all three days (each day that you attend, you get $5 back).
Location: The Junior League of Charlotte, 1332 Maryland Ave.

Part of the Global Gov Jam, when people around the world will come together for 48 hours, #GovJamCLT is open to everyone, and the theme of this “jam” will be announced at the start of the event (but you can presume it will be tied to local government). If you've never participated in an event like this before, all you need to do is come with an open mind and a desire to see positive change where you live.

Get complete details and register for #GovJamCLT at charlotteshapers.org/govjamclt.

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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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Volunteer with Youth this Summer -- It's Rewarding

Summertime is approaching, and although we aren't kids anymore (which means gone are the nearly three-month-long summer breaks), there are plenty of opportunities to support youth in our communities. I've found, over the years, this is when many youth programs and nonprofit organizations are in great need of volunteers and mentors. I encourage you to get involved, whether it's in a long-term capacity with one organization or you're supporting various events throughout the coming weeks and months.

On Saturday, I volunteered with the Thomas Davis Defending Dreams Foundation's annual football camp. The Carolina Panthers' star, Thomas Davis, puts on the free event for Charlotte youth and invites several of his teammates and other players and coaches from around the NFL to provide a day of fun, sports training, and motivation for the kids (fellow Panthers Luke Kuechly, Ryan Kalil, and Jonathan Stewart were among those in attendance; watch the Panthers.com video of Davis' camp). The camp is a part of TDDDF's annual charity weekend, which also included a fundraising party Friday night at the Harvey B. Gantt Center (also attended and supported by several NFL players).

As I helped with the camp registration Saturday morning, and the kids walked up one by one to check in, it reminded me why I love giving my time to serve youth. Just seeing the looks on their faces -- excitement, enthusiasm, and even shyness for some -- took me back to when I was their ages, and had the benefit of men in my community positively impacting my life (from my father to my Boy Scout troop leaders and recreation league coaches).  

A pleasure volunteering at @ThomasDavisSDTM @TDDDF's free youth football camp today in #CLT. #TDDDF pic.twitter.com/7u1Gc9KeLM

— Jarvis Holliday (@HollidayInk) May 16, 2015

Out here supporting the man of the year @td58 with his football Champ Charlotte #defendingdreams #keeppounding

A photo posted by Jonathan Stewart (@jonathanstewar1) on May 16, 2015 at 8:18am PDT

Below is a quick video I captured with my phone of the TDDDF camp kids shouting their excitement at the end of the day's activities.

I look forward to volunteering with youth throughout this summer, and I hope you will too! Follow me on Twitter @HollidayInk, where I often share details on volunteer and charitable opportunities in Charlotte.

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