- Columns
Plot Twist Is the Switch-Up That Plaza Midwood Needed
When my bestie hits me with the Love Island classic — “Can I pull you for a chat?” — it’s always welcomed with sheer excitement. But seasoned veterans know that with excitement comes a healthy dose of panic and a warning label. I miss my girl every time we’re apart.…
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Johnny Dollars Balances Old-School Dive Vibes with Viral Theme Nights
As someone who recently completed her 36th trip around the sun, I find myself in a constant push and pull when it comes to Queen City nightlife. Some days, I still feel like I’m in my 20s, chasing the kind of adventure that doesn’t end until sunrise, starved for creative…
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Groovers Listening Room Brings Dance Club Energy to South End
If you’d told me at the outset of any given Friday that I’d be sweating out my edges while standing completely still, wearing my full work bag at a bar in South End by the end of the night, I’d have insisted that you read my cards wrong. And yet,…
Read More » - Lifestyle
Spanky’s Hangout Fits Well on Storied Corner of Central Avenue
After being a skeptic-turned-lush for dive bars around Charlotte, it’s rare I have had one of those “on a first date, kinda nervous” moments walking into one for the first time. Yet, somehow, I found myself adjusting my leggings and butt cheeks to get spanked at Spanky’s Hangout on Central…
Read More » - Columns
Frank’s Beer Shop Is the Cozy Bar Commonwealth Park Needed
As if the previous weekend’s icy apocalypse wasn’t enough, Mother Nature stood 10 toes down and dumped 11 whole inches of snow on the Queen City. While most of Charlotte’s weekend hot spots chose survival mode and shut it down early, a fearless few looked outside, shrugged and said, “Well,…
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Tyber Creek Pub Captures Similar Vibes in a New Space
Pulling up to Tyber Creek Pub’s new location six months after its grand reopening on the first Monday night of the new year felt like an act of blasphemy for a millennial on a school night — especially when the youth of today have happily settled into their resolutions and…
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Craft Growler Shop Represents the Grown Side of South End
After initially hitting snooze on an invite to Craft Growler Shop and Tasting Room, I finally committed and quickly realized I’d almost missed out on a long-overdue reunion. Not one, but two of my favorite members of the Dead Dad’s Club would be there. This is a crew of co-workers-turned-family…
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Room Service Is a Shining Light in a Camp North End That Has Come of Age
If you’d asked me seven years ago whether Camp North End could turn into what it’s becoming, I would’ve rolled my eyes. Back then, I was perched on abandoned factory parts at a Sofar Sounds show, sipping BYOBs in the middle of warehouses that looked like they may be home…
Read More » - LGBTQ
Visiting Charlotte’s Longest-Running LGBTQ+ Sports Bar
Disclaimer: As someone shaped by the LGBTQ+ community, I speak from within—not to offend, but to reflect with care. Every year, after the rush of Pride Month and the resonance of Juneteenth, I forget about the lull of July — the quiet stretch where the glitter has settled, the cookouts…
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Platform Sports ‘Love Island’ Watch Parties Leave It All on the Field
On the first Saturday in July, I was deep in that delirious “Wait, what day is it?” haze. You know the one — when you prematurely activate three-day weekend mode the Monday before the holiday, and by the time the real day off hits your internal clock is fully fried.…
Read More » - Nightlife
Two Buck Saloon Brings Dive Bar Charm to Oakhurst
Two Buck Saloon might be on its fourth rodeo, but it’s the new sheriff in Oakhurst, serving up $2 beers while shaking up the quiet corner of Monroe Road and Richland Drive one cold pour at a time. Just a stone’s throw from Oakhurst Commons, tucked into a patchwork plaza…
Read More » - Lifestyle
Mover & Shaker Co. Pop-Up Pays Homage to ‘The Goonies’
Back in early spring, my internal debate hit a fever pitch as I dragged my feet while getting ready for a baby shower in Uptown. This introvert had all the excuses — social anxiety, awkward games, forced small talk. “No one will miss us, right?” I asked in a doomed…
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Chief’s Fills the Gap in a Disconnected Nightlife Scene
Two introverted neurodivergents walk into a bar as strangers on a Sunday afternoon. Three hours later, they’ve swapped life stories, cross-referenced socials (because “it must be kismet,” duh), debated navigating late-stage capitalism while Black in corporate America, and still can’t remember each other’s names. When they realized they were also…
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Hello Uncle Pop-Up Serves in an Ever-Changing Plaza Midwood
When boo asked me on a recent evening if I wanted to try the Southeast Asian pop-up Hello Uncle for dinner, I sighed because founder Michael Le was set up at Common Market in Plaza Midwood on this specific night, and if you’ve been to the ‘Wood lately, you know…
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Coming Down from Dry January on a Cümulo Cloud
If you’ve kept up with my nightlife diary here in the Queen City, you probably guffawed when I wrote about my experience as a lush entertaining a *Wa-kinda* sober lifestyle laced with cannabis-infused alternatives. To my naysayers, I say, “The cards of FOMO, small-talk-phobia, and a palate for debauchery were…
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Exploring Nonalcoholic Options Around Town in Dry-ish January
The moment Jeremy Radio slid the nonalcoholic version of the Astro Zombie (just $10 with the booze) across the bar in a very on-brand enamel shark-head mug, I knew Uncle Jerry’s Tiki Sundays at Tommy’s Pub was the ideal kickoff for our dry-ish Sunday Funday. The first sip only confirmed…
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