Mojito mojo

If my friend Angie had told me the mojito was going to cost $15, I wouldn’t have ordered it. I would have also missed out on one of the yummiest drinks ever – a blackberry mojito at Washington’s Indebleu.

Indebleu was the first Washington stop of my night on the town with Renee, Angie and Kecia on Sunday. Kecia’s girl rented a limo to celebrate her birthday so we went barhopping in D.C.

Angie raved about Indebleu’s blackberry mojito. We still haven't figured out what was in it, but we're sure about real blackberries and mint. The drink was so good that Angie and Renee finished their drinks and then went around drinking everyone else's behind their backs. At one point, Renee threatened to suck her ice cubes.

Indebleu is a one-drink stop. It’s too stuffy for my taste, but the music was downtempo soulful house. Indebleu is a fine dining restaurant with a lounge and bar downstairs, and dining upstairs. The place is phat. We couldn’t sit in the lounge because of a private party, but we peeked over the velvet rope. The custom sofas were vibrant oranges and red with throw pillows that complement the wooden tables and stools. If you go, stop by the bathroom. The sinks are concrete slabs with cool faucets. www.bleu.com/indebleu/

Back at Black Gay Pride

In my college and post college years, I looked forward to Black Gay Pride in D.C. It was Memorial Day weekend and my birthday weekend. It was my four days to hang with my folks during the day and kick it hard at night with my girl Lori.
I haven’t gone to Pride in the last couple of years though because the partiers seemed to get younger and younger and I have less patience for long lines and high cover charges. This year, I went since my girlfriend hadn’t gone in almost a decade.
Friday night felt like old times. We went to Fur nightclub and there was no line. The crowd was a good mix of young and old with a little eye candy. Go-go dancers grooved on the stage, which was the VIP area and two bars made the wait for cocktails short.
The music was a decent mix of hip-hop and old school go-go. I caught up with an old buddy I used to party with in Columbia, S.C., and one I hung with in D.C. back in the ’90s. My girl and I danced the night away. Other than a spilled drink on my girl’s shirt, the night was all good.
Saturday was a different story.
Something told me to stay home that night. I was tired after celebrating my brother’s college graduation with my family, but I have a hard time resisting a party. At first, everything at the Tunnel nightclub was gravy. We arrived about 11:30 p.m. and the club wasn’t too congested. Again, the crowd was ages. The only problem was the music. It sounded as if the subwoofer was going bad, but I’m not sure if that was worse or the half-hour impromptu comedy routine by the MCs. They killed time while technicians worked on the sound, but they also killed my mood.
By the time they decided to move us from the main dancefloor to a backroom, I was ready to go.
On Sunday, we went to the Black Gay Pride Festival at 9th and H Street. Initially, I was excited that the main event moved back outdoors after years inside the MCI Convention Center. Years ago, the festival was at Banneker Field near Howard University, but rainouts prompted organizers to move it inside.
I hoped the move outside would make the festival like old times with men walking around in bikinis and couples and friends sitting on blankets people-watching. It wasn’t. The new location was a parking lot and it was so hot even the devil would’ve asked for an ice cube.
Did you got to D.C. this weekend? If so, what did you think?

Gas prices are killing me

The other night, I was seriously debating whether I wanted to go to Yahzarah's performance at the Jazz Cafe because the jazz club was so far from my house. The way gas prices are my barhopping radius is seriously reduced. I live off Central Avenue, so I prefer to party in the uptown area rather than drive further out.

I ride my motorcycle to clubs and bars way more than I have in past years. I don't think I'm the only one sticking closer to home. I was talking to promoter John Lineberger at Taste of the Nation about how the party business. He said this spring was slower than usual and he too wondered if higher gas prices, along with this unseasonable weather, kept people from going out as much.

Here's my question, have higher gas prices changed your partying habits? If so, how?

Finally caught up on "24"

I was sitting in Scooter's restaurant, in Elkridge, MD, for happy hour with my friend Angie when the smell of steamed crabs called me. I was trying to hold off buying any crabs because my parents always buy crabs for my birthday. Sitting there talking with my girls, drinking a pitcher beer and watching platters and platters of crabs go into the restaurant.
I couldn't take it anymore; I ordered two dozen with six less salty because my dad can't eat a lot of salt. When I got home, my dad and I spread out the newspaper, cracked open of couple of beers and had a four-hour "24" marathon. I'd missed the last two weeks and the season finale so I brought the tapes home.
As I predicted, the women saved the day. Mad props for the First Lady and Chloe. Both of them turned on that sexual charm to get the men to do what they needed. Men can be so gullible.
I loved how Jack trapped the President in the end. Planting the bug on the pen and knowing the First Lady would flip was brilliant. Here's my question, do you think the First Lady and Jack were cahoots the whole time or do you think Jack was counting on the First Lady confronting her husband. Also, what do you think is going to happen next season?

Meet Tent City's Viking

Tent City is a group of friends who live in upstate New York and Concord. They've been coming to the races for years and swear they have the best view. You know I couldn't hang out without finding the wild folks.

Viking says his friends challenged him to tackle a trashcan. Of course, he accepted the challenge.

Meet Boyd at Tent City

He was dropped off by a space ship. That's why he's doing what he was doing at Tent City in Turn 3 and 4. I don't exactly know what he was doing.

Body surfing for the Peppers

The police busted through the crowd during the Red Hot Chili Peppers' "Dani California." I looked around, wondering who was fighting. Then I saw it. A set of legs bobbled through the air.

Body surfing and the Red Hot Chili Peppers during the Nextel All-Star Race, who would've thought it was possible. The four-song, 15-minute set was part of NASCAR's continuing effort to make the sport hipper. The show was the first time band performed at a sporting event and the first time NASCAR scheduled a performance during a race. The Peppers performed at about 11 p.m. between the first and second race segments. Fans lined up in front of the stage at Turn 1 by 9 p.m. Giant screens broadcast the show for the people sitting in the grandstands.

Fans jumping, shaking fists and surfing made the sprawling grassy area feel as intimate as Tremont Music Hall.

Bleep the race

I didn't say it. It was a Red Hot Chili Pepper fan. The band was into its last song and the cars starting filing out.
"They're still racing," One fan said. "Isn't that crazy?"
"F the race," his friend replied and started dancing.


The Chili Peppers' four-song set got mixed reaction from fans on Saturday. Many walked away praising it with curse words. A few were disappointed that it was four songs for about 15 minutes. I haven't seen the Chili Peppers' live before and I liked the live version of "Dani California" way better than the album.

Hanging in the inflield

Its cuties and crazy action. If you hang out in the infield, you've go to dodge golf carts and all kinds of people telling you "MOVE," "WATCH OUT."

It's sensory overload out here and it's great.

P2P Goes to the All Star race

I have spent the last 45 minutes walking around with my mouth wide open. I'm stopping random people and asking, what's going on.

I'm hanging out in the pit crew area at the Nextel All-Star race and loving it. It's constant motion. Guys in fancy jump suits are taking lug nuts off rims that aren't on cars. Other men are marking tires with markers. One guy is stretching, I mean really stretching and simulating changing a tire.

Whoa!

When I got the call from Alan Taylor communications to go see the Red Hot Chili Pepper at the All-Star race, I figured I'd dip in, shoot a few wild fans, write about the concert and bounce.

I've been to a couple of races and I hadn't been impressed long enough to want to hang out for long, but Jess Hunter with Alan Taylor worked some magic and got the NASCAR folks to hook me up with passes for the infield, the garage area and pit row.

I have a whole level of new respect for the sport, but I can never watch another race from the grandstand. I need to be on the field where the action is. I'm pumped. I once changed my tire when I had a flat on I-485. I felt so powerful I ate a steak and potato when I got home.

Imagine what'd I'd eat if I was on a pit crew. Somebody give me a thingy to take lug nuts off, I want to change a tire.

It's deeper than the SkyShow

I know I’m weighing in on this one a little bit late, but last week was crazy.
I don’t blame WBT for moving the SkyShow elsewhere for economic reasons, but I’m troubled by the slow erosion of uptown traditions.

In the last few years, we’ve lost CityFest, the uptown music festival, and the New Year’s Eve gathering was considerably smaller than previous years. And now the SkyShow is gone.

City leaders have mostly brushed off each cancelled or downsized event. They say uptown is a thriving business and entertainment district and doesn’t need planned events to draw people here. Or they say, these types of events hurt uptown businesses because of street closures.

I’m not buying it.

CityFest, New Year’s Eve and the SkyShow are the type of events that solidify uptown’s standing as the heart of the city. Charlotte is spreading. Every little pocket community surrounding the city has bars and restaurants. Unless you like dance clubs and/or performing arts, you have fewer reasons to come uptown because the suburbs have similar amenities.

Longstanding events, such as the SkyShow and next week’s Food Lion Speed Street 600 Festival, help bring this us all together in the heart of the city.

Latest on the Goblin

I haven't been able to get up with Autumn or Torch to get their version of what happened at the Goblin, but this is the e-mail that went out to their Purgatory e-mail group:

"the club is closed due to a hostile takeover attempt. i will post any updates as i get them from my lawyers. thank you to the staff and fans who supported our brief but fun opening and life. we are currently working on moving the bookings we had at the goblin to new locations. this does not affect purgatory, singlecell or our fetish theme parties that we will be booking for the rest of the year or the upcoming national tour."

Say goodbye to the Goblin

After only one month, the Goblin -- the former home of the Steeple -is gone.

Internal bickering and financial miscues led to the dimissmal of Torch, who co-owned the club. All of this went down in the last couple of days. The club is under new management, which means no more overly aggressive pat-downs.

Mike Morelli, former owner of the Room, will be the bar manager and book entertainment. The club, at Central an Pecan, will be called The Spot. There will be a hip-hop night and a heavy metal night. The entertainment line-up is still being worked out. All previously scheduled shows will still occur.

I hope things get worked out there. The Steeple was a good space and that neighborhood could use a bar to complement Fire & Ice.

Plaza-Midwood has a strong nightlife and a good club would add to the bars and restaurants that make the area a popular draw. I'll keep you posted when I hear about a date to re-open.

The Roots concert - whoa!

I'm not sure what was hotter, when ?uestlove did his solo drum set and got funky Caribbean, or when the Roots' guitarist took "You Got Me" to a George Benson level. He expanded the song for five minutes with Benson style riffs and scatting. But the best part of the concert at the Forum could have also been when entire band took it back to old school and new school hip-hop with medleys of current and old hits. I especially liked Ray Charles' "I've Got a Woman."

What a show. The Root's broke off favorites such as "The Seed," "Break You Off," "Don't Say Nuthin'" and "Hip-hop (The Love of My Life." But as always, their improvisation made the show special.

And Common. Man, I'd never seen him live before. Talk about energy. The Roots were cool, rocking the mike and playing their instruments like jazz cats, but Common jumped around the stage and the crowd jumped with him.. He mostly stuck with cuts off his newest disc, "The Corner," "Go!," "The Food" and "Testify." For "Testify" he brought a chair on stage and theatrical. Blazing.


My surprise of the night was Jean Grae. Last night, she made me want to buy her disc. Tight rhymes.

Kudos to the folks at the Forum. I wasn't sure how things were going to go. After all, moving a production of that magnitude to another venue with such short notice is not easy. And as much as I like the Forum, I couldn't fathom having a full blown concert there with at least 1,000 people because of the way the club is laid out.

It seemed to go well. The line to get inside moved relatively quickly considering that it stretched from the Forum down the alley toward the Museum of the New South. Once inside, the show was streamed to monitors and speakers throughout the club. I ended up on the balcony overlooking the dance floor. Much love to the lady upstairs on the balcony. She was in charge of the eye candy graphics, but she was nice enough to rig her camera to project the performance on her video screens. My girl Gigi helped my friend and I get into the Kool VIP section so we had an excellent view over the balcony and directly down to the stage.

I know everyone couldn't see because the club was packed and because of the stage layout it was hard to see unless you were on the main dance floor or along the stairwell. But hey, most people got in for free because they bought tickets for the Amos' show, which was cancelled, and they're getting a refund through Etix.

How often can you see or hear a Roots and Common concert for free?

Everyone I talked to last night left smiling and happy. Did you go to the show? What did you think?

The Roots updated

Okay, here's the latest. If you bought a ticket through Etix you have free access at the club 8-10 p.m. After 10 p.m., all bets are off and it's $10.

It's been a crazy 24 hours. It started with Kitch's e-mail from Amos' Southend saying the Roots show was cancelled. I caught up with John Ellison at Amos' to confirm. Then last night a girlfriend got a call from a friend saying the show was still on. This morning my girl called at the crack of light, okay 8:21 a.m., saying her cousin hung out with some Roots folks last night. And the Roots folks didn't mention the show was cancelled.

I dragged myself out of bed and got on the phone and computer. I had a message from a hater reader who doesn't think I should have job, and who wanted to tell me the show moved to the Forum.

I had an e-mail from Amos' Southend explaining that the show had been moved. I worked the phones and thankfully the Forum's Kevin Mitchell called me back to confirm the e-mail and update me on the latest. Apparently, the deal didn't get confirmed until yesterday afternoon, and it's been crazy since then. Kinks are still being worked out. I'll keep you posted if I hear anything else.

Roots Show Is On

The Roots thing keeps getting crazier and crazier. The show, originally scheduled for Amos’ Southend, has moved to the Forum, according to Forum manager Kevin Mitchell. If you bought a ticket your money will be refunded to your credit card, but you will have priority access to the club from 8-10 p.m. You must have a photo ID and
credit card in the name of the Etix purchaser to be eligible. The club is not guaranteeing admission or a good seat, but video will be provided throughout the club. Admission is $10. After 10 p.m., all remaining tickets will be released to the public.

Roots cancelled

Yes, it's true. The Roots concert at Amos' Southend on Thursday has been cancelled. When I caught up with club owner John Ellison by telephone on Wednesday afternoon, he said he was about to throw himself off the roof of his club. I begged him not to. After all, I'd never get a giant bear hug from him again.

The cancellation is a result of construction delays and Ellison assures fans that once the club re-opens it's going to be the premier live music facility in the area. I can't imagine how frustrated he is since he owns the club, but I know I'm disappointed and so are Roots fans. My e-mail, cell phone and telephone have been blowing up. For hip-hop fans this was the show of the year -- the Roots and Common. I'm crying as I type this. Freelance photographer Ebony Stubbs suggested we show up at Amos' anyway on Thursday. Maybe we could bring a boom box and have our own concert.

Ugh, it's been gloomy and gray all week, and now this. I might join John on the roof.

Brokeback Mountain moment

Remember the scene in "Brokeback Mountain," when Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger get their groove on in the tent? They were aggressive and rough.
I asked a gay friend if that scene and the one where the two cowboys get into the random fistfight are typical of men who don’t want to admit that they want each other.
My buddy said yes because they have so much testosterone and they don’t know what to do with it.
I still found it hard to believe until I saw a snippet of that testosterone at Loft 1523 on Tuesday night. I was with three women and a guy for an Absolut vodka tasting party. Absolut unveiled its citrus line. Bar and restaurant industry folks came out. It was the best crowd I’ve seen at Loft. The usual yuppies were out, but so were deejays, folks from the Penguin -- which meant hair dyed colors your mom wouldn’t dream of -- as well as my New Year’s Eve booty-on-you-leg man Denny and folks from Ragin’ Uptown. I met the owner of the Solstice Tavern, which is scheduled to open soon in NoDa. DJ Jason Herring, aka Jah Sun Rising, spun groovy down tempo house music that by 12:30 a.m. had older men dancing with women half their age.

The Brokeback moment started when L-Boogie asked this club kid, a person you always see in the club, for his blinking sticker. He gave it to her and then started talking to us. By the end of the night, he was like a stray cat - he wouldn’t go away.
We went outside for a change of scenery. We were sitting on giant ottomans talking when the club kid plopped down with us. He starts running his mouth and my male friend looks at him. Not like, "I want you," but more like, "Ugh, please stop talking."

It begins.

Club kid: "Why are you looking at me?"
My friend: "Because, I can."
Club kid: "Be careful, what you ask for."

My friend rolls his eyes. They exchange a few more words and I realize that Brokeback scene really could happen. Unchecked testosterone is a beast.

It's a party blog, but...Monday equals "24"

It's time for our weekly "24" update. I missed last week because I was hanging out at the Wachovia Championship.

Chloe is forever my woman. Double-zapping the drunk guy with the Taser last week was great. Wouldn't the club experience be different if more women carried Tasers? We wouldn't have to worry about being harassed at a club if guys started dropping like flies after being zapped when they became obnoxious? Just a thought.

I'm digging the Homeland Security lady now. I'm telling you, women are about to take over the show -- The President's wife, Chloe, the Homeland Security lady...The bomb.

I have to admit, tonight's plot line with the president authorizing the military to shoot down the passenger airliner is too much. We'll see what happens.

Please sir, can we spend our money?

Calm before the storm

As promised, car wash tips

Yesterday, I promised the secrets to a showroom-clean car from the folks at Eagles Eye. Some of you may be wondering who cares about the cars, but if you attend the tournament you know that the golfers arrive in the hottest Mercedes and other luxury cars. They park in a special area and the cars look clean enough to eat off.

I always thought I kept my car pretty clean until I saw these beauties. I try to wash mine every other week, and wax it once a year.

Who am I kidding? To keep your car looking good, the folks at Eagle recommend washing it weekly and get this, waxing it once a month. Once a month.

Okay, golfing peeps. This was my last post from the tourney. I'm out of here. If you're coming have fun, if you're not have fun wherever you go.

I'm out.

Chillin' in VIP

Volunteers make the tournament go

One of the most important groups working the tournament is the volunteer. Each year, volunteers give so much of themselves to make the tournament run smoothly. They take their tasks extremely serious, whether it's the guy who raises his arm for quiet while a golfer hits or the woman who ropes of the "golfer x-crossing" areas, these are the people the tournament depends on to make the week run smoothly.


Phillip is one such volunteer. He's a tent captain for the Mecklenburg Aquatic Center's concession stand. In a matter of minutes, I watched him handle a woman who wanted to be a cashier and not a food processor, break-in two rookies and make sure all of the condiments stayed dry when it rained. It was Phillip's first year as a captain.

There's starving children in....

I'm in the executive kitchen which sends food to numerous tents. Antwan sauces, not bastes, more than a dozen pans of ribs, and Brian chops cantaloupe. I see the unthinkable. A chef grabs a pan of steamy carrots, rolls, and asparagus in a creamy sauce. He dumps it in the trash.

My eyes bulge.

He returns to the warmer and grabs another pan. My mind screams nooooo. He dumps it in the garbage too. Then another and another.

I'm speechless. Why?

He needs four empty pans.

Troubleshooting with Fitz

Handling the food at a major golf tournament isn't easy. This morning I zoomed around with Restaurant Associates' John Fitzgibbon. The biggest problems of the morning were a leak a terrace tent, the bomb squads request for more trash pick ups at one of the sites and making sure the condiments didn't get soaked in the rain.

My favorite cocktail

Roaming around the Champion Club, I saw so many people drinking Bloody Marys I had to taste one (non-alcoholic) for myself. I'm a Bloody Mary junkie and I'm always looking for a good mix. My favorite is Zing-Zang. The folks from Restaurant Associates use Ocean Spray. It's tasty, but still not as good as Zing-Zang. If, add a little Tabasco sauce and Old Bay seasoning and you're all set.

Any Bloody Mary fans out there? If so, what's your favorite mix?

This is how we do it

Oh yeah, it's Friday and the Champion Club on the eighth green is buzzing upstairs. Bloody Marys flow and the weekend has begun. If you have an upgraded ticket the Champion Club is the place to be. There's food, beer, wine, liquor and most importantly shelter from the rain.

Friday is a big day

I've got big plans for Friday. First, I'll be dressed more appropriately. And don't think I'll be the only news reporter rocking shorts. A lot of those pretty TV reporters who look all button-down are wearing shorts, too.

I'm hanging with John Fitzgibbons tomorrow. He's the man who puts out the fires, you know --trouble shoots. I'm hoping to catch up with Chef Lou again. Last year, I made a salad with him. I talked to the Restaurant Associates top chef on Monday and I think I may have offended him. (Imagine that.) I was telling him that I wanted a harder job this year because I had mastered making salads. He looked at me and said, he hadn't even mastered salads yet. What he really wanted to say was "Idiot girl, how dare you think you can be a salad expert in a half hour!"


I'm also trying to hook up with the car wash guys tomorrow. They keep the rides real shiny and they told me the secret on how to keep your car looking showroom new. You gotta hit the blog tomorrow to find out. I'm off to flag football and then pre-Cinco de Mayo parties.

Holla'

Stayin' on top of the scores

Kiosks throughout the course allow fans to keep up with the stats.

If you'd like to make a call

A couple of weeks ago, several of you ripped me for criticizing the ushers at Blumenthal about their anti-cellphone fanaticism. (One blog poster is still waiting for me to apologize)

Well, at the Wachovia Championship cellphones aren't an issue. Patrons are advised to leave them in the car and there are five call centers set up throughout the course with Sprint telephones. Each has six phones, along with high-speed Internet access in case patrons need to check mail. Callers are asked to limit their conversations to five minutes to allow more people to use the phones. Call centers are great, but it's not the same as holding up your own phone and letting the person on the other end hear the roar of the crowd when David Duval whacks the ball.

Who cares about golf?

Crowds of people gathered around the parking area to see the cool cars lined up. This Mercedes SLR was the eye catcher of the afternoon.

Dressed for the tourney

Aww, they're so cute: Jessica Pinti and Patrick Rabun on their way to see Vijay Singh

Doing it with style: Maurice Brown (green) and Reggie Weddington ( brown) taking in their first Wachovia Championship

It's hot out herre, I wanna take my clothes off

Whoa, I totally didn't pay attention to weather when I got dressed for the tournament this morning. I rode my motorcycle because I'm in gas conservation mode. That means I'm wearing boots and jeans, and I'm dyiiing. Tomorrow I'm taking it back to zip away pants. You know the ones that turn into shorts when you zip the legs off. I'll be rocking those when I rode over.

Missing Tiger

A buddy and I stopped by Belle Acres for the Wachovia Championship media night and were surprised by the light crowd. The food was great (as you can tell by the line of people in the photograph), but there were fewer people than last year. We wondered if the absence of Tiger brought less media folks out this year or were reporters chasing reaction about the passing of Tiger's dad, Earl.

Speaking of which, a couple of co-workers and I got into a heated debate about the importance of Earl Woods' death. I won't mention any names, but two others and I remarked about how sad it was that he died. After following Tiger's career, I felt like I knew his father. I was shedding tears along with Tiger when he won the Augusta National in 1997 and hugged his father for a long time. My mom and I sniffled on the phone to each other as we watched. I'll always remember the elder Woods in that moment.

One colleague commented that the passing of Tiger's dad was no more significant than the death of any other 74-year-old man. We argued about why the death of Tiger's dad was news and was more notable than any random person in our obit pages. Our colleague didn't budge.

What do you think? Should Earl Woods have been an obit inside our local section?

Wooooo, it's my birthday month

It's May baby, and I've already begun my monthlong celebration of my birthday on May 26. I spent last weekend at home with my girls, pictured above, and we tore up D.C. Read about it in Friday's Paid to Party in E&T.

Woooo, I love May. I'm so hype, this week is going to be off the chain. I'm starting tonight at a media party for the Wachovia Championship.

On Thursday, I'll be at Alive After Five, then I'm hitting the streets for pre-Cinco de Mayo parties. Friday is Cinco de Mayo and I don't know what I'm doing on Saturday. There's so much to choose from.

I'll be blogging from the Wachovia Championship most of the day on Thursday and Friday. If you know of any good spots or things I should highlight while I'm there pop me a note.

See you in the streets.

Wachovia Championship is back

Getting ready for the big week


Everything has to be clean for the big week

Getting Ready for the big dance

The hordes of people haven't arrived yet, but on Monday afternoon Quail Hollow still buzzed with life. Bobby Miranda whipped his golf cart around corners zipping past other carts and pedestrians. He needed to find a guy named Chris and he was running late for a training session.

Miranda is responsible for the food and beverages in the dozens of chalets that will host high-profile parties and guests. Monday, is training day. There's a party tonight, one on Tuesday and things really kick off on Thursday. Miranda has coordinated food at the Grammys, a "Sex and the City" party for HBO and other high profile events.

If you're ever been in one of the chalets at the Wachovia Championship, you know how elegantly the food is laid out. Presentation is everything! For about five minutes, Miranda went over the types of serving dishes, silverware and even making sure all of the stickers are peeled off the fruit. I need to bring Miranda's folks to my house. I always eat the sticker along with my apple.

After his spiel, Miranda got the 12 staffers pumped for an afternoon of polishing silverware.

Fun.

Partying on the rooftop

So my girl Olivia Fortson caught a little heat for her partying on the rooftop package last week.

The folks at the Forum were a little chafed that she didn't include their rooftop. The Forum does have a phat rooftop. It's spacious with a bar and it's perfect for people-watching along College and Sixth Street.

Other readers complained that the rooftop at Presto Bar and Grill wasn't included. I'm not really feeling that complaint because there's no good people-watching happening in that area.


By the way the rooftop patio at Cans will be doing a test run this weekend. They're still getting furniture and other essentials, but weather permitting it will be open.

Olivia will be running a follow-up rooftop story in Friday's E&T, but until then I wanted your feedback on your favorite rooftops and balconies.


Who has the best spot and what's the best night to go? Post your replies below.

It's a party blog part II but...

Last night wasn't one of the more exciting episodes of "24," but what a cliffhanger.

So, does anyone think Sec. Heller is dead? I think he made it out of the car. I also don't think that was one of Curtis' men who snagged Henderson during that shootout. I think it was actually one of Henderson's guy and Henderson is going to get away.

Okay, the ladies are kicking butt. First, Chloe and now the Homeland Security lady. You know the First Lady still has a role to play in all this. So, do you think Aaron was really transferred to D.C. or is he dead? And who is the crew controlling the President? At least I was right, he is a puppet.

Gotta go the booty show

I knew from the name, that Yo Mama's Big Fat Booty Band was going to be fun, but I didn't realize how fun until I saw them at the 3 Rivers today. They're a bunch of young guys who are having a great time being in a band, and you can tell in their stage persona that they're having fun and want the audience to do the same thing. They easily dip into New Orleans style brass and funk instrumental jam. Their lyrics are catch and easy to sing along too. When the Asheville-based band comes to the Neighborhood Theater on June 23, they're a must-see.


Alright party peeps, I can't stick around for Styx tonight. There's a hip-hop show at Fire & Ice and a Greek party at the Forum in Charlotte, so I'm headed back.

Party's almost over

It's Sunday The sun is blazing, the streets are dry and today is the last day of the 3 Rivers Music Festival. Despite the rain, it's been a great weekend. I missed Friday night but I hear the Hinder, Shinedown and Theory of a Deadman performances were crazy with people moshing and rocking out on the main stage. Earl Klugh was just as good on the jazz stage.

Last night was phenomenal. Franklin took fans back to soul music's heyday and George Clinton and Parliament gave us the funk and nothing but the funk. Pat Green kept fans yeehawing with his rendition of "Glory Days" as well as his own country tunes.

Music doesn't start until 3 p.m. today and it's an Americana and classic rock finale. Sam Bush and Nickel Creek headline one stage and Styxx and Edwin McCain headline another. And just because it's a music festival doesn't mean organizing lost their religion. It's Sunday, so know there's some gospel music with Christ N U Youth Mass Choir, Blest by Four and the Gospel Four.

The festival is on the Congaree River, for more info: www.3riversmusicfestival.org. I'm heading to brunch and then back to the festival to catch Yo Mama's Big Fat Booty. Holla' if you see me.

Aretha loved it, and they loved her

The hour dipped well past midnight and Aretha Franklin should have been off stage more than a 45 minutes ago. About 12:30 a.m. she was finishing her last song and graciously thanking Columbia and festival organizers for their hospitality. Then she did something that surprised me.

Aretha asked fans to come out and support her when she comes back again. That tells you a lot about how much she enjoyed the show and Columbia.

City officials were equally appreciative. They gave her a key to the city, key to the banks, plaques and flowers. Usually those ceremonies are cheesy, but last night it felt right. It had been a long day of rain delays and gloomy weather. Aretha's performance and the crowd's love for her wiped all of that away.

If you've been to concerts and especially ones at festivals, you know, typically the acts finish and get the heck out of there. Organizers want you off stage, so they can clean up and go home. There was none of that impatience early Sunday morning when it came to Aretha. There was only respect.

Respect Yo Self

If you love Aretha Franklin's music, then seeing her live is a whole other experience. She is well past her prime, but Aretha is truly the Queen of Soul. She filled the stage with her presence and her music.

And to stand among thousands of people of all ages and ethnicities straining and standing on chairs to see her, I understood why her music has carried individuals through so many hard times. She gave fans what they wanted on Saturday night -- "Respect," "Natural Woman," "Chain of Fools" and "Jump to It."

Aretha talked to the audience and sang what she knew people wanted to hear. Before the night was over, she took us back to her church roots.

Man, oh man. Aretha Franklin live. What a night.

Still chasin' the cat

George Clinton.
He doesn't sing much anymore when he perform. He mumbles into the mike, throws his hands up and walks around the stage, but that's all fans need. They come to catch a glimpse of George, but mostly to dance and sing to funk favorites.

On Saturday, hands waved in the air as everyone celebrated the funk. Parliament gave them the expected cast of characters -- the guy in the diaper, the freaky guy for "Atomic Dog" and Clinton. The crowd stretched for at least a block. The band didn't disappoint and people abandoned their bag chairs to stand and dance to the classics.

Next up -- Aretha Franklin.

I'm pumped. I've never seen her live.

A pleasant country surprise

After leaving The Red Tub, we headed back to the festival. We were actually going to leave for a little break, but were drawn to the Miller Lite Stage where country singer and Columbia native Lauren Lucas was performing. We hung around there for a minute digging her music. It was pop-country and fun.

Red Tub

After watching Fa Sho, we walked around the rest of the festival. It spans across the Congaree River and into West Columbia. There are two stages on the other side of the bridge and one in the middle of the bridge. The stage on the bridge is weird because people constantly walking front of the performers.

The merchandise vendors are also on the bridge, which makes sense. The festival doesn't have nearly as many merchandise or food vendors this year as it's had in years past, but we stumbled upon this great South African jewelry vendor. I charged up my credit card buying chokers and bracelets from them.

While we were taking a little hiatus, we stumbled upon State Street in West Columbia. We wandered into the New Brookland Tavern, but it was too dark and grungy for my mood. We continued up the block and found the Red Tub. You've got to walk up a set of steps like the ones at the Wine Up to get to the lounge. Once upstairs you're glad you made the trip. The place is cute and tiny. It's two small rooms, even smaller than Wine Up. Dali style abstract art by local artists adorn the walls. The bartender was nice. It's dark inside with hardwood floors and an extensive import bottle beer list. They specialize in live performances by singer-songwriter style artists. The air conditioner wasn't working, so it was stifling inside.

In the bathroom, I found guess what -- a red tub.

Next B2K?

Atlanta's Fa Sho' stepped onto the mainstage with B2K and New Edition style moves. Four distinct personalities for the ladies, limited singing ability and pearl-clutching dance moves. Cute guys. With a litte coaching they might blow up for the kiddies.

Dirty old men in the club

My favorite moment at Rio Nightlife was watching a wanna be sugar daddy get shot down by a young honey. I spotted him as soon as he walked onto the dancefloor.

Most of the people inside Rio were under age 30 and wore jeans for the fellas and black stretchy dresses for the women. The old man wore a pin-striped brown suit. He looked to be older than my own daddy. He walked onto around the dancefloor looking the women up and down. He spotted a young cutie with long black hair and black dress standing in the corner talking with friends.

Target locked.

He kept walking if he didn't see her, but I knew he'd back. He finally made his way back near her and her friends. He hovered. A few seconds later, the old man was in the young woman's ear. Her body language told him to bounce, but he kept yapping. After a few futile moments, he walked away and then left the club.

Young lady - 1, Dirty old man - 0.

Eats, drinks and chillin' in Columbia

Okay, I didn't make it in time to check out any bands on Friday night. By the time, I got to Columbia, S.C. and hooked up with my buddy it was felt too late to do the media check in thing at the festival.

Instead sampled, Columbia's nightlife. The last time I was here, I hung in the Vista area. Last night, some friends and I went to Hunter Gatherer on Main Street. From the name of it, I thought it was going ot be a true meat-market, but it was more a folksy more rustic version of the vibe at the Evening Muse. Apparently, Hunter Gathere is one of the first brewpubs in the state. It looks like an old hardware or farm supply store, but African masks adorn the walls and beams. The doors to the bathroom are antique wood doors with stained glass. They look like something you'd find after much searching in a junkyard.

An old-timey band played on stage. I figured Hunter Gather would be all charm with average food, but I was pleasantly surprised. The grouper on a bed of stoneground yellow grits was huge and delicious. The hot black bean dip and duck over warm salad greens were also good. For desert we had a moist rum cake. The menu was small, but varied with several dishes that I wanted to return and try.

After dinner, we stopped by Delaney's Speakeasy on Saluda Avenue in Little Five Points. The area is a strip of bars where college-age students and yuppies mill spill onto the sidewalks in front of bars. It's my kind of area, not as polished as uptown, but still lively. I dug Speakeasy. If I lived here, it would be teh first place I took visitors. When you first walk in, it's long and narrow bar kind of like Liquid Lounge. The back opens to a spacious area with sofas and a gas fireplace. We huddled on a couple of oversized sofas, and ordered drinks from a reluctant server. Note: if you go, order drinks at the bar and then find a seat. Speakeasy has a huge imported bottled beer selection that rivals Hotel Charlotte. Music sets the tone, but it's not so loud that you can't have a conversation.

We finished the night at Rio Nightlife on Main. That was a mistake. It's strictly for young hip-hop fan, but what made the place whack is that It felt like a high school dance. Boys danced together and the girls danced together. It's like each group was scared to talk to each other.

Chill usher lady, I don't want any trouble

When I got to work this afternoon, Urban Vixen told me she thought about sending me a text from her seat at the Toni Morrison lecture last night. We were both there and she could see me.

I told her it was a good thing she didn't because the ushers would have jumped down her throat. What did I say that for? I didn't realize so many people have had bad experiences with the ushers at the Belk.

Mine occurred when I was trying to type notes on a Treo during the Soweto gospel choir. The usher made me put it away after I tried to explain what I was doing. I tried to keep my voice lowered, but the woman talked to me as if I were an insolent child. I respect my elders, but she tested my patience.

Last night, I watched two ushers descend upon a woman who pulled her telephone out. The woman put her phone away, but the ushers hovered as if to say, "We're watching you."

After Morrison's lecture, I was talking to a friend in the bathroom. She told me she was trying to finish e-mailing on her Blackberry before the lecture and the ushers made her put it away. People talking on cellphones in the movies or at performances is annoying, but some of the ushers who work the Belk Theater are overbearing about cellphones and are sometimes downright rude.

I don't know if they're acting this way because been told to prohibit any kind of cellphone use or if its by their own initiative. If it is policy, the women can be nicer about how they deal with patrons. And if it's policy, it's one I don't agree with. If I want to pay my hard earned money for tickets to a show, and then I sit in my seat sending text messages or checking the score of the basketball game, that's my business. I'm not bothering anyone if my phone is on silent mode.

My co-workers stories didn't involve cellphones. Urban Vixen (who requested her real name be withheld for fear of retaliation)said she watched the ushers fuss at a few women who weren't headed to their ticketed seats. (Mind you, the Belk was far from full for Morrison's lecture.) While I was talking to Crystal, the reading life editor stood up at her desk and talked about her experience. Before the lecture started she left her seat to visit her husband, and an usher aggressively asked if she needed help. You know how sale people say, "Can I help You," as if you're up to no good.

I wonder if it's a generational disconnect. Some of the ushers at the Belk look as if they're well into retirement age and these are the ones who act as if patrons are children about to climb all over the good furniture.

The treatment by the ushers at Belk is in stark contrast to my experiences at the Bobcats Arena, Ovens Auditorium and even Spirit Square. I'm going back tonight to see the opera "Margaret Garner." I sincerely hope the ushers drink some tea before the show and remember that they're working at a performing arts venue not nightclub. No one is going to be moshing in the orchestra level. Although, I would love to see how they'd handle that.

What do you think? Have you dealt with aggressive ushers at Belk or any other performance venue? And do you have an issue with people text messaging during a performance? Post your replies below.

Sippin' champagne with A.I.

If Allen Iverson looks sluggish tonight, the Bobcats can thank partiers at Crush for slowing down the basketball star.
Iverson sipped champagne from the bottle and hung with rapper Nelly and other celebs last night at Crush.

The invitation-only party was the place to be Tuesday night. When my friends and I arrived about 11:30 p.m. the line wrapped around the building. Since I don’t have clout like that, a few of my friends got in and a couple of us stopped by Cans to wait for the line to disappear.

By 12:20 a.m. Larken, who was inside Crush, sent me text telling me to head over. When we arrived it wasn’t as crowded as I expected. Nelly was in the VIP area with two big beefy body guards who kept men and woman at bay. Bobcat Sean May walked around with his honeys and Panther Kris Jenkins was his usual jovial self and extremely happy to be walking without a limp.

I didn’t see Emeka Okafor, but I heard he was there. Iverson finally arrived sometime after 1 a.m. He and the other celebs posted up next to the DJ booth.

Did you go to Crush last night? If so, what did you think of the party? If not, what else was poppin’ Tuesday night? Post your replies below.

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.