It's a party blog but...

On Monday nights I'm typically glued to the couch watching "24." Did you catch it last night? I'm still reeling from the idea that the president is the one engineering this whole thing. He just doesn't seem that bright to me.

I'm still undecided about whether Jack should have given up the tape to save his boo. And just how dumb is the Sec. of Defense? What I really want to know is what happened to Aaron and do you really think the president is going to have his own wife whacked? I love Chloe, with her pouty self.

Post your replies below.

Colorblinded in the clubs?

A co-worker sent me an Associated Press story about the rape investigation at Duke. In the story black women talk about how they're treated by some white men in nightclubs.

According to the women interviewed, a white man asks her to dance erotically while he watches. Or he grabs her rear end. Or asks for sex, in graphic detail, without bothering to ask her name. (Tonya's note: Asking my name wouldn't make me less offended, but I digress.)

“We can sort of count on it happening. My friends from California and New York and Boston all tell the same stories,” Danielle Terrazas Williams, 22, a graduate student at Duke University told the reporter. “They’re watching you as if you’re performing for them, and it’s disgusting. You just sort of feel like, ‘Is this all we’re good for?’"

Reducing black women to sexual objects isn't new, and we all know the legacy of white men raping black women during slavery. The accusations at Duke reignites this conversation, and opens the door to talk about all races have some kind of sexual stereotype.

My black female friends have never complained to me about being disrepected by white men in clubs. My Asian female friends, however, complain men of all ethnicities treat them like exotic creatures. A man told one of my friends he wanted to pour duck sauce on her.

It's no secret that many of the black men hanging in uptown bars prefer white women, and some black women prefer white men. My buddy went to Miami recently and said Latino and Hispanic women were "in." His friends asked why he bothered talking to black women down there when he could get that home. Many of my friends can recite the women of different ethnicities who they've had sex with and can list the ones they want to try.

Whether we like to admit it, subconsciously, many of us believe the stereotypes of blacks being sexually aggressive, Latinos being passionate lovers, Asians being exotic and whites women being the forbidden fruit and easier to deal with. And we want to see if the stereotypes are true.

What do you think? What are your experiences with people of other ethnicities when you're in the club? Post your replies below.

Back up off me

Seriously, what is the deal with guys who think they can grab and grind on a woman just because she’s in the club?
Erin Taylor e-mailed me complaining about how men harassed her at the KRS-One show last week. Erin said the problem was "guys putting their hands all over women, who were trying to enjoy the show. It wasn’t just the graze of a hand either, it was forceful grabbing and grinding - really disgusting. I witnessed it happening to several other girls, as well as myself... I got into a yelling match with one of the offenders last Monday and & I had to struggle to keep a crowd of my friends from rushing him.”
Erin complained to folks at the Goblin and was told the guy would be banned from the club. Erin and her friends who regularly attend underground shows are devising a plan to watch each other’s backs and get the vultures (as I call them) blacklisted from hip-hop events.
I would like more women to ban together and create the same strategy at other clubs and parties. When I wrote about this topic a couple of years ago after an experience I had at Crystal on the Plaza, I received e-mails from women and heard from co-workers about the same problem they’ve had at BAR Charlotte and other clubs.
Ladies, clubs want our business. That’s why it’s typically free for ladies to get in because club managers know women draw men. If we start working together and boycotting clubs that don’t protect us, managers will get the message. Let’s join Erin and her friends in banning vultures.
If a guy can’t keep his hands off you, report him to management or security. If they don’t do anything about it, leave, don’t go back and post the name of that club on this blog and on Erin’s (blog.myspace.com/e6000). Let’s start a list of clubs that don’t value women.
What do you think? Is this a real problem here? Share your stories by post your reply below.

Popping the can

I squeezed past body after body weaving my way through the crowd talking, laughing and dancing inside Cans Canteen and Bar on Thursday. The building, at the corner of Graham and Fifth Street, is huge and it seemed as if every inch of it was filled with people.

Cans is the newest offering to Charlotte's bar scene. It's a restaurant, dance club, lounge, bar and all around hang out spot and it provides a strong anchor to the Gateway Village area. If successful, Cans would stretch the boundaries of uptown's entertainment district. Right now that district stretches from Caldwell down to Church Street, from Fifth to Eighth streets. Cans gives partiers a reason to walk a few blocks more down to the Gateway Village area, which also boasts Town restaurant, the Corner Pub and Cedar Street Station. Ideally, people could park in the core Tryon and Fifth street area and bar-hop up, down and around Fifth Street. Or they could park for free in the Gateway Village area and walk up to the Tryon Street area.

While standing inside Cans listen to Efren Ramirez, aka Pedro, I talked to some friends if they think Cans will succeed in Charlotte. A couple of people said they thought it was too far away from the main hub. What do you think? Is Cans too far away from the main party areas uptown? Post your replies below.

Tasting the World in East Charlotte

It's 1:40 p.m. and I'm just now starting to feel hungry again. Last night, I did my second Taste of the World tour. This event keeps getting better. I attended the first one last April, which was good, but this one was even better.

If you've never been, it's organized by the Charlotte East group, the Charlotte Chamber and area businesses. It costs $35 and typically sells out. Participants meet at the Charlotte Museum of History where they board buses and head to three ethnic restaurants along the Central Avenue and Independence Boulevard corridor. About 15 restaurants participate and each bus is assigned three restaurants to sample. After the third stop everyone meets at the Vanlandingham Estates for dessert and coffee.

For me, the key to having fun with this is finding the right bus. Participants ranged from elderly couples out for an evening to rowdy Budweiser drinkers looking for good food and fun. I of course gravitated to the fun and rowdy people. I chose Bus 4 with gourmet guide (bus captain) B.G. Metzler, a spunky about-town woman who's probably served on every community board there is. I knew I was on the right bus when one guy jokingly introduced himself as if he were at an AA meeting. Our bus was a mix of Taste veterans and newbies.

We visited Saigon Bistro, La Canasta Dominicana and Brazas. The key to taking full advantage of the tour is to pace yourself at each restaurant. If you fill your plate up at the first two, you won't have room left for the third restaurant.

The food was great at all three - the pork at Brazas reminded me once again of why I love eating pig. Saigon and La Canasta were my favorites. I had a noodle dish and delicious spring rolls at Saigon. I ate the most succulent chicken and beef at La Canasta, and of course the plaintains. At Saigon and La Canasta, staff went out of their way to welcome and explain the dishes. We also got a little dance demonstration at La Canasta.

It was a night of good eats, good people and good fun. Were you there last night? If so, which places did you try? Post your replies below.

A better way to get a date?

We all know you can't really find the love of your life in a club, and some of the people you meet there aren't really worth dating.
But do you think eyeballing someone in traffic and tracking them down could lead to dinner and a movie?
A new Web site is hoping people will seek a love connection among car fumes. It's called Flirttraffic.com.
Here's how it works: Say you're driving down Independence Boulevard and traffic is completely stopped. (I know that rarely happens). You see a cutie, I mean a cutie, driving a red convertible Mustang and you want to holla'. She has a numbered sticker on her bumper.
You whip out your Blackberry or your Treo and log on to Flirtingintraffic.com, type in the number on the sticker and see a stunning profile of the honey in the Stang.
What do you think? Would you prefer to do this over trying to pick up dates in bars and nightclubs? Have you tried it Post your replies below.

Who Am I?

Mik A Magic as me!
Can't you tell?

I met this funny man at the Evie Awards on Saturday. Everytime I ran into him, he flashed his mohawk sign.

To curse or not to curse

I was with friends at the new Quaker Steak & Lube on Park Road last night when we overhead a waiter talking casually with two customers and later a fellow waiter. Several times, both waiters used profanity. I have foul mouth, but hearing staffers curse freely around customers seemed unprofessional.

Then I read an Associated Press article in today's paper about a recent poll regarding profanity. About three-fourths of people polled said they frequently or occasionally encounter people using profanity or swear words in public. Two-thirds said they think people use profanity more now than they did 20 years ago.

What also struck me about the article is that most people surveyed don't like it when people swear for no good reason.

That got me to thinking. When is a good reason to curse?

When I'm working my use of profanities changes. I sometimes curse around colleagues and they curse around me. Talking to club owners and bartenders, depending on my relationship with them, I've cursed when we're shooting the breeze. During straight-up interviews, business talk and interactions with readers (no matter how rude), I don't curse.

Here's my question: Is cursing unprofessional at work or does it depend on your job? Is it okay if you're a bartender, but not a bank teller. Post your replies below.

Are man bags sexy?

Hey fellas, is your game tight? In a recent interview with Details magazine, Sean Combs talked about what makes men sexy.

Here’s part of his list:
1. You’ve got to get your smell right. Walk into an elevator with a beautiful woman in it. If you’ve got your scent going in the right direction, she’s gonna be thinking about you when you leave. That’s the way to seal a woman.

2. The lighting design in a home is the icing on the cake. I’m not talking about anything expensive. I’m talking about dimmers. You’ve got to be able to control the mood.

3. I don’t have a lot of body hair. If I did, I’d get rid of it.

4. It’s better to look like you’re wearing something that fits then like you’re wearing a trend.

5. I have a “man bag.” I’m not gonna lie. Just make sure that if you carry one, it’s very, very big, so it doesn’t get mistaken for a pocketbook. (Here's Keifer Sutherland as super agent Jack Bauer saving the world and carrying a man bag)

Sorry, P. Diddy, I was with you until the man bag thing. I don’t care how rich you are men with purses or clutches are not sexy.
Fellas what do you think? What’s your best technique to scoring with the ladies? And ladies, what does a man have to do to woo you?
Post your replies below.

Goodbye McHale's, Hello Sir Ed's.

There's a line out the door for a table and inside is packed. Lee Van is holding it down with the ladies and Jared Young just wants to be down. I'll be swinging back here later on tonight. I missed the Irish dancers. Ugh.

Jigs and Reels at McHale's

Dishing it up at McHale's

I love corned beef, but usually I don't eat it at Irish bars because its dry. The beef McHale's wasn't. The $10 admission included a free buffet of corned beef, cabbage, red potatoes and shepherd's pie.

The Pervert's Corner

It's not what you think, actually maybe it is. A bunch of trash-talking older gents who refer to women as lasses. Every night, you'll find them in the far right corner of the bar at McHale's. Now, how they got that name, I never got a straight story.

Bob says it's because they used to have a brass pole in the bar and it had a Barbie doll on it. He also says its because they come every day and talk trash during happy hour. John says it's because they all lie about their younger days. Whatever, the reason if you ever go to McHale make sure to stop in the corner and say hello.

Goin' Green at McHale's

I knew I was home the minute I walked into McHale's, Bruce Prospect, who was sitting at the bar eating corned beef and cabbage, told me not to write anything bad. Margaret Green took me under wing and showed me around the place. She introduced me to her partner, Lorraine Bonura Green, and gave me a quick run down of why this is her favorite spot. McHale's is one of those bars that is the neighborhood pub. Packs of friends are sitting around the bar and at tables. They're eating corned beef and cabbage, drinking stuff and chillin'. Several people drank Bud out of green aluminum cans -- cute.

I'm getting ready to meet a group of regulars here called the Perverts. I can't wait.

If you're heading down this way here's what' up at McHale's:
Mchale's in Fort Mill and Rock Hill will have an all you can eat Irish menu, beer specials, live music and dancers. Fun starts at 3 p.m. $10. Fort Mill location: (803) 548-2151, 1820 Gold Hill Road., Rock Hill: (803) 329-8580, 122 E. Main St.

Hello Irish Cue, Goodbye Irish Cue

After leaving Galway Hooker Pub, I went down the street to the Irish Cue. Their menu sounded tasty so I figured they'd have a decent crowd. Plus, the Cue is a longtime spot here. It was dead with a capital D at 3:45 p.m. Maybe 10 people sat around the bar talking and drinking. A nice lady did offer me a green beer, but I'm alcohol free until 6 p.m. I'm off to the next place --McHale's in Fort Mill.

If you're going to Irish Cue her'es the deal: HIGH-END FOOD: How about braised corned beef, cabbage, garlic mashed potatoes, turnips and glazed carrots for $6. Live music starts at 9 p.m. Doors open 10 a.m. Irish Cue,$5. 19501 W Catawba Ave. Exit 28 off I-77 N. (704) 892-6904. $5

Goodbye Galway Hooker

It's Kiss me I'm Irish, not the shamrock!

If you're coming to Galway Hooker here's the deal: -B-BALL AND BEER: Galway Hooker Pub is celebrating March Madness and St. Patrick's Day. They'll air the games all day, and serve an Irish breakfast and a Guinness starting at 8 a.m. Giveaways and games all day, live bagpipers about 9:30 p.m. There's a VIP shindig for $100 with free food and the games on a projector screen. They're working on a leprechaun show -- scary. Exit 28 off I-77 N

The Zoo at Galway Hooker Pub

That's what they call the cooler. Galway Hooker co-owner Chris says the pub will go through 40 kegs of Guinness today. On a typical Friday, the club runs through eight kegs.

Although things are jumping at the Hooker now, it's going to be crazier tonight. They're having a VIP party. It's $100 a head and includes free food and other goodies. They'll be showing the basketball game on a big projection screen. Ace &TJ and their crew will be here as well. I'll be long gone by then, but if you go let me know how it is.

Holla' at a sista at Galway Hooker

All week, I've been saying: "holla' at a sister if you see me in the streets."

Well, my man Joel in the white T-shirt. Stepped up. He and his boys did it up right at the Galway Hooker Pub.

Going green -- At Galway Hooker Pub

Oh yeah, you could hear the live music when you walked up to the Galway Hooker Pub. At noon, the patio is full and so are the tables inside. Some people are watching the game, others are just drinking and hanging. An acoustic duo is playing cover tunes.

Patrons and staff are decked in beads and green. Two women are walking around selling some kind of flavored shots, and there's a VIP area upstairs. I'm trying to decide between hanging with the shot girls or checking out the VIP.

What to do, what to do? Oh wait, I just talked to the owner. I'm going to the secret place where they're tapping kegs..

Going green -- It's St. Paddy's Day

What up Party people!

I'm started my St. Patrick's Day early at Ri-Ra last night. I joined dozens of people getting an early start to the their St. Patrick's Day celebrations. A live cover band played on the stage and couples and friends sat at tables and around the bar.

I hooked up with an out-of-towner named Garth. He had expense account money to burn and some wild stories to tell. I only intended to grab one beer and leave, but I ended up swapping stories with him for two hours. Good peeps, good times. I'm doing the day-long Irish bar pub crawl from Charlotte to Cornelius to Fort Mill and then back to Charlotte.

Am I the only one out there partying now? We'll see.

If you know the best spots post your replies below and if you're looking for St. Patrick's day events. I've got you. Let's get this party started. Holla' at a sista' if you see me in the streets.