voyager12

I had fun at The White Party last night. And I usually don't enjoy such large events, but it was great seeing some folks I had not caught up with for ages. The scene can be pretentious but I did not have any issues. The iffy weather caused a rather packed crowd in the beginning but luckily there was a break in the wet stuff later on so there was additional room to breathe. Would be nice if we could have equal turnout to political events related to equality. I suppose it's human nature at work, many more people are going to be into partying ( for a great cause though ) than getting involved with activism and politics

Luigis Pizza is open in Kenilworth Commons on East. They won the O's best pizza award. Any good? Just want to get reviews ahead of time. Their predecessor, Italian Village was mediocre. And good luck to them, maybe their apparently established local following won't doom the latest pizza place in the space after MM and IV.

I am happily admitting I was wrong regarding American Apparel's Southend's vibe. Had to pick up some basics for the weekend and figured I would try again. The employees were all very cool and friendly. I suppose we all have our grouchy moments I know I do, so I can't really hold it against someone else who was having a bad day on my prior visit. On this trip I also snagged a "Legalize Gay" shirt that fits right. My freebie at Pride was ginourmous. ( Went by the SouthPark store too and they were nice as well).

Well, can't say I am surprised that Sutkowski lost. Although I did allow myself some hope. But that's politics for you, win some, you lose some. I think the beyond pathetic disinterest illustrated by the low turnout was more of a factor than his sexual orientation. If Foxx wins and we are able to retain the current lukewarm advocacy on Council, I think we may have a shot at getting at least employee non-discrimination passed. OTOH, the strong performance yesterday of the new more conservative Republican candidates showed that the national discontent against all things Obama has strong local resonance. If Ridenhour or Bokhari can knock out Republican moderates like Peacock, and Lassiter wins, I would write City Council off completely when it comes to local gay rights.

^ If the med school rumors are true and their funding is now nonexistent then EBG's old spot will just sit abandoned along with all the other dead buildings on that block. The atmosphere will take a harder hit when Cantina is shuttered. For now Caribou/Brueggers is being left alone. At least Big Daddy's,Sole, and Showmars seem to be doing fine so both sides of the street won't be empty.

The O endorsed challenger Owen Sutkowski over longtime District 1 Council Member Patsy Kinsey yesterday. I was somewhat surprised. They usually stick with the establishment of each party. There was no mention of him being gay which is as it should be in an ideal world. But this is where I get conflicted. The omission probably helps Owen a little politically but District 1 covers some of the most liberal neighborhoods in Charlotte so it could be a wash either way. And we don't have any gay inclusive ordinances on the city level and that needs to be talked about to change the status quo. Most likely, if Sutkowksi had ran on a hardcore activist local gay rights platform he would have been dead in the water. To his credit he is out, and has gotten the usual object of curiosity style local press because of it but has not pushed the issue. I wonder if The Victory Fund was contacted for support, but having DC based gay rights advocacy org support could have backfired. It was smarter to play to the middle. Regardless of campaign style, a win would be a huge step forward for us. I don't think it's likely but he does have a shot IMHO.

Per the O, East Blvd Bar and Grill is closing this weekend and preparing to move up the block to LP. The hospital claims to have no plans for the property. Then why can't they lease it out again? Now we will have even more dead space on a stretch of East that is one of the most popular spots. Cantina is going to move out next year, leaving another dark shell, adding more blight. It's so depressing. It's not like we are Seattle or Portland, where there are blocks and blocks of walkable neighborhoods. We barely have anything to begin with and now will have even less.

I was alway impressed by Monsoon's encyclopedic knowledge of local minutae. Unfortunately, he just came across as too combative.

Saw today that "Liberty" is coming to the old Mcintosh's spot. Any info? Great if it was a laidback 24/7 diner. Just guessing here.

Yes it is and we could always use another one with a different vibe, another local music shop would be cool too.

MECKPAC has endorsed Kinsey and Sutkowski. I suppose this outcome made the most sense politically. No pun intended, feathers will not be ruffled on either side in the aftermath. Lassiter ignored the question sent his way. Another example of echoing McCrory's refusal to acknowledge our existence. On the bright side Edwin Peacock and challenger Georgia Belk were both fully endorsed. It's nothing but words as of now but this marks the greatest number of Council Republicans ever supported by MECKPAC. You won't see this endorsement touted by any of them of course. MECKPAC won't be listed on any campaign flyers along with other community groups. It's still considered embarassing and divisive to publicly acknowledge gay political support in Charlotte, but the money is all green. On the national level South Carolina gets a lot of flak for being anti gay, but the facts on the ground in Columbia are quite different. Columbia City Council unanimously passed a comprehensive gay and transgender housing and employment nondiscriminaton law years ago. Mayor Coble is an annual fixture at their upcoming parade and festival. And has repeatedly welcomed HRC Carolinas in Charlotte. Richland County Council bestowed public tax money as a gift to Pride organizers. Both bodies have welcome letters in SC Pride's large brochure. I can't ever imagine this happening in Charlotte. The differences are quite striking.

Anyone know the backstory on the church For Sale @ Hawthorne&Central? I imagine there must be proposals or ideas for it that have come and gone. What's the holdup?

What I took away from the meeting : everyone is scared of becoming atlanta, there is no common belief for responsible development, there is little or no ability to control anything.

I did not get a chance to ask about form zoning at the "Charlotte Becoming....?" forum last night. McCrory talked about diversity and I really could not let that go unchalllenged. So I called him out on his bigotry and vetoing of domestic partner benefits. The man talks inclusiveness and has spent his entire tenure doing the best he can to block any steps to treat gay Charlotteans equally. Bull. He just said "fine fine fine"and did not try to defend himself. This all occurred after the taping and during the section that is going to be on the web and they can edit me out. I ticked off the guy sitting next to me and he even pulled out "the do you know who I am" card. Everyone just stared at me. I don't care, I don't worship or hobnob with the Uptown crowd. There was talk about class divide and racism but nobody mentioned that homophobia is deeply entrenched as well. The Angels in America fight is supposed to be our Stonewall but there is still much work left to do.

Well, I do give these places credit for emphasizing the bicycle option. And a good number of residents may opt to walk or ride the train during the work week.

The majority of parking garages attached to the new projects are painfully ugly and detract from the overall character of the neighborhood. I wish more care had been taken on these during the review process. There are myriad ways of making garages less overbearing and even attractive or artsy.

The topic is very relevant to what we discuss on here.Free, registration required on WFAE.og. Anyone else going to go? WFAE Event: Date: Tuesday Sep 1, 2009 Time: 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM A Charlotte Talks with Mike Collins taping adds a twist to our next Public Conversation that examines Charlotte's growth and "growing pains." Host Mike Collins will moderate the discussion about visions for managing and shaping the region's future growth, and views on how to keep Charlotte a "livable" city. Panelists: + Hon. Pat McCrory, Mayor of Charlotte + Tom Low, Principal, DPZ Charlotte/Founder, Civic By Design Forum + Mary Tribble, President, Tribble Creative Group + David Walters, Director, Master of Urban Design Program at UNC Charlotte Admission is free and reservations are required. Topic Questions: + How well has Charlotte's growth been managed to date? Are we a victim of uncontrolled "urban sprawl?" + Is Charlotte on its way to becoming a major metropolitan area, on the order of Atlanta, or is Charlotte likely to remain "mid-size for life?" + What would be the advantages and disadvantages of Charlotte becoming more "like Atlanta?" + Who (and/or what factors) will determine the degree and nature of Charlotte's growth in the future? + How well is the Charlotte region doing with traffic management? + Can Charlotte remain "cosmopolitan" but "still friendly?" + Which quality-of-life factors have the most impact on Charlotte's "marketability" and competitiveness in attracting and retaining corporations, organizations and residents? What threatens those quality-of-life factors? + What's the future of Charlotte's neighborhoods (older and newer)?

I went by this evening and there seemed to be some kind of party going on. Perhaps a final blowout or it's already being utilized for something else. I suppose one of the benefits of the downturn is the availibility of space for a mix of uses. One example being the poetry slams ongoing in the vacant space of the former gay community center.

I got the blue lights last week on Providence near Wendover...god that is the worst feeling......I thought I had left this habit behind in Charleston...Anyway, the officer did say that if I went to Traffic Court they would drop it and I would not have to pay. He was cute Right after the cop said "let's get out of here, it's not a good spot", three cars got into a fenderbender right in front of us, because each driver had turned to see what was going on. He told me it happens all the time. Well if had not pulled me over, that accident would not have happened

I have been a long time fan of Creation Always thought the food was good. OTHOH, the dining area was always deserted and I often heard people complain about unfriendly service, I never had an issue. The bar did have a loyal following and it sucks for the former employees. Hopefully surrounding spots can absorb them.

We went to NOFO for dinner last night. They had a good crowd. I hope all the businesses start rebounding. And it was very nice to see the foot traffic along the street. The lights though....beyond overkill. Just ridiculous and wasteful. The articficial overillumination just looks weird too.

[quote name='Charlotte_native' date='Aug 29 2009, 08:39 AM' post='1086609' Side note about that, two new lounges/clubs are opening in the building that houses Spenzik and Apostriphie. A Gay bar, not sure of the name, and Dharma Lounge.

The Fresh Market news is definitely encouraging. They have good if pricey food. The Strawberry Hill store is a nightmare of sensory overload. Can't see anything because there is so much to see! I don't mourn the closing of the Starbucks on the corner. With the nearby 7th St locale there was no need for it. Perhaps an indie can replace it.

Did a Spectrum driveby today. Surprised about how much I liked the style. Has a kind of chic lodge vibe going on and the slanted cantilevered positioning is neat. On the negative side the immediate surroundings are very desolate. You feel cut off from Southend proper. Eventually, the surrounding industrial will probably convert. As of now I don't think many people would feel comfortable walking back to their apts at night from the E/W rail stop. Are there streetlights along Hawkins? Did not notice, that would go a long way to making the block feel safer.

The O article described East Charlotte City Councilwoman Nancy Carter as crying tears of joy over the news of Walmart opening and I bet, the timing of it during her contested election. All in all, just feels rather retro that given all the national talk about moving beyond this type of sprawl, it's still celebrated in Charlotte.