Brittney Cason After Dark

Beer doesn’t get enough credit. It’s as classy of a drink as wine – and there are connoseuiers that like to study the process of making beer and sample and savor it. And now, there’s a place for the beer connoisseur to go… Growlers PourHouse.

It opened last Wednesday in NoDa next to Crepe Cellar, which is its neighboring, and sister venue as it shares space and ownership. Growlers is essentially the beer cellar to the that of the crepes – like a wine vault, for beer. They even have cheese plates with beer flights, along with organic truffled popcorn and a meaty menu. They have American craft style beer with 19 locally brewed beers on tap that alternate every three weeks. Read the rest of this entry »

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The Panthers were playing last night, but more importantly, so were both USCs (the Cocks and the Trojans, if you will). Rejoice, college football has kicked off. It’s like a holiday. And Charlotte celebrated alright, at ALL the sports bars around town. I had to go to Fairview Grill just to find a parking spot.

When I want to watch a game, and I can’t actually be at it, I want to be in an environment not so much like a crowded game in a bar — but my living room with a beer tap in exchange for the remote control. So when I pulled up to the sports bars more packed than clubs on a Saturday night, I had to change my game plan.

For my first play I headed to Dilworth Tap House on the corner of Montford and Park — but both Park Road Shopping Center and Montford Drive were packed beyond parking capacity. So that play was incomplete and I lost 15 yards, or 5 miles rather. On my second attempt I went to the newly opened Taco Mac, but some asshole bogarted the spot I was literally in the process of pulling into. Flag on the play! But rather than pulling a  scene from the movie Fried Green Tomatoes and smashing in the rear of his car to make room for mine, I drove to Fairview Grill to have some fried green tomatoes.

Fairview Grill is under new ownership — the former owners of Hef’s and Blondes before it became Thurstons and Hef’s with new owners. But aside from that, and a new kitchen manager, there is nothing new about Fairview. It has the same staff, same look, same menu, same karaoke nights, same drink specials (such as the $3 wine on Thursdays), and same TV setup — which I particularly appreciated because they were playing the Braves game, the Panthers game, and what I was there for: So Miss n the Cocks (as in Southern Miss and the USC Gamecocks).

So in other words Fairview Grill is still a good place to go … especially on game night!

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Cans is re-opening this Wednesday, Sept. 1 … as something else: The 5th Element nightclub.

When I went in to check it out, they were all secretive, treating me as though I was some sort of investigative reporter trying to uncover some scandal; I just want to know about your club.

So I can’t really tell you a whole lot about 5th Element Nightclub, except that it is softly opening this Wednesday as an after party for Budweiser Superfest, featuring Charlotte’s own Anthony Hamilton, with Kem Jaheim and Raheem Devaughn.

The space looks pretty much the same, with the addition of black and white curtains (that I wasn’t allowed to take a picture of), that make it really dark inside.

Though a nightclub, they’re keeping the football bar element Cans had. They have indoor tailgating parties before Panthers games, and every Saturday, Sunday, and Monday they’ll be showing NFL and NCAA football — according to the flyer I yanked as the door was hitting my ass on the way out.

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In this week’s print edition of CL my column covers tailgating, and the fact we do it for just about every occasion in Charlotte … except church maybe.

But after attending a tailgate for the Panthers game against the Titans last Saturday, I have something I’d like to add … because at said tailgate, I discovered one of the most genius tailgating tools ever invented. Well, that is since my friend told me she used to fill her silicone bra padding with liquor.

… The Booze Belly. You fill it with liquor and strap it around your waist like a flask fanny pack. And just like that, you have a beer belly full of liquor (in disguise). And this beer booze belly is so handy, you can then refill your cup by unzipping your pants, like this guy here …

If you’re interested in getting one, the cost is $12.95, plus shipping and handling. Isn’t it spiffy?

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In 2001, someone had the audacity to write that Charlotte would never be considered a “real” metropolitan city until it got a 24-hour restaurant. At least said writer understood the importance of late-night eating, as it is a major factor in the quality of nightlife for a city. A 24-hour restaurant is typically the universal after party for a night out. There’s nothing like going for an edible night cap at a diner after a night out to prolong the night … and coat your stomach from a hangover the next morning.

Luckily, Matt King and Steve Estes read said article and decided to open a 24-hour diner in Charlotte, right in the middle of the N.C. Music (and nightlife) Factory.

Because surely the Waffle House and Skyland restaurant (all the way down) South Boulevard don’t really count in regard to 24-hour-nightlife. And they tore down Athens, which was like taking a trip to Narnia late at night.

Speaking of Skyland, I’m not exactly welcome there anymore. A bunch of my friends went after karaoke night at Gin Mill, and we were apparently still drunk off the performance because we were still singing — and getting others in the restaurant to sing with us. We broke out into a real-life scene from a musical in a classical rendition of “Baby Got Back.” And this apparently warrants eviction from a diner.

But we are a big city now with Mattie’s Diner, which is literally out of the big city. Mattie’s is a 1948 diner from New Jersey rescued after Hurricane Floyd … and it rescued me one early morning when I found myself with a broken down car in the parking lot of Reel Works studio behind the N.C. Music Factory waiting for a tow truck.

Stone cold sober, I went in and ate so much I could’ve skipped the tow truck and rolled home. You can’t pay me, or even dare me, to go to the Waffle House before 2 a.m. But Mattie’s is a 24-hour diner with food that’s good 24 hours … making it even better at 2:30 a.m. after a night out at the factory!

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I used to refer to Montford Drive as Dive Drive between Moosehead Grill, George Pappas Lanes, Angry Ale’s, the Press Box, and Jeff’s Bucket Shop.

But now that Brazwell’s has taken over the Press Box and Andrew Blair’s and Good Food on Montford have taken residence in this nightlife corridor of Charlotte, Montford is more jive than dive.

And now … 15 North Roadside Kitchen has opened up, adding another upscale yet casual venue to the Montford menu. The kitchen is not actually road side, but the bar is — with garage doors that open up and give the bar area a patio feel.

The restaurant is an upscale spin on Southern food, with a bar that’s designed for watching games in a living room vs. a bar setting. Their specialty drinks include Tank Tyler’s Cuban strawberry mojito 93 and the Roadside Tea … that actually reminds me an awful lot of the Brittney Cason Sweet Tea Mojito at Red Rocks … perhaps because it has all the same ingredients. I feel a little less original now. But don’t tell the bartenders I said that … their arms are getting buffed from muddling all those mojitos.

The official grand opening is this Thursday, Aug. 26 — start there, then crawl on down Montford and take a gander at the renovated Jive Drive. Just be sure to utilize the complimentary valet at 15 North … ’cause they’ll tow your ass from the Roasting Company.

Photo compliments of Catch Light Studios

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I have 20 tickets for to the SOAK kick-off party this Sunday, Aug. 22 at the EpiCentre from 12 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. .. and I am leaving 18 of them (and being selfish and keeping 2 for myself) at the Creative Loafing office in the NC Music Factory.

Come and get em’ …

First come, first served … a coupon for $10 what is promised to be one of the biggest summer parties Uptown! EpiCentre’s rooftop plaza patio is transforming into a rooftop pool party featuring DJ Rowshay and a 2,000 square foot turf with bocce ball, ping-pong, twister, cornhole, and limbo atop it, as well as a bikini fashion show, and giant baby pools — adult pools, if you will.

Here’s the address … Ready, Set … GPS! You have until 5 p.m. to pick them up, or until someone else picks them up that is. (Limit 2 per person). Ask for Kim Lawson.

1000 Seaboard St.
Suite C-2
Charlotte, NC 28206

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Along with the completed condo building that popped up on the corner of 7th and McDowell, a little neighbor pub opened to accompany this new borough of Uptown: QuarterSide and M Street.

Pillar Pub opened on St. Patty’s Day ans has been busy ever since.

Is it the free parking? Or the fact they serve free food on Thursday nights? Naturally, that’s why I went …

When I walked in, I had to pause for some Cornhole players tossing the bag right over the walk way in.

“Game Off,” I said as they paused for me to pass.

“Game on,” they said as I opened the door and walked inside.

Party on Wayne … Party on Garth.

With its digital jukebox that allows patrons to be their own DJ, sporadic trivia nights and live music, and hole-in-the-wall ambiance, it reminded me of the Corner Pub … and it’s essentially the corner pub on the other side of Uptown.

But if you park there just don’t walk back to your car alone, ladies … I use to live on M Street and was so scared walking home at night I would walk in the median of the street with mace in my hands. Then I realized taking a cab was a lot more sensible.

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No, it’s not a taco or macaroni place, but rather a wing place. Their specialties are wings, beer and sports. This made me plum giddy … that is, until I opened the nutritional information on their virtual menu. Did you know that one wing is 160 calories and 12 grams of fat, without the sauce … one wing! Nutritional labels should just tell us how many minutes we have to exercise to burn the calories: One dozen wings = 2 hours of cardio.

Taco Mac has 140 different beers on tap, including local brews and 200 bottle beers. They even have their own Brewniversity— a beer education with graduate credits that equate to frequent shopper rewards, kinda like a Harris Teeter card for beer.

With locations throughout Georgia and Tennessee, Taco Mac promises to be one of the premiere sports bars in Charlotte. Because Taco Mac has one of the largest HD televisions in the country, and over 70 HDTVs on top of that … thus, a new place to watch Panther’s games.

The grand opening party is Tuesday, Aug. 31 — so plan to go for a long run after work so you can divulge on a few wings and 140 different kinds of beer that night. Taco Mac is located in Piedmont Town Center next to Del Friscos — but according to a representative in its corporate office in Atlanta, this is only the first location in Charlotte and will be opening several others in the future. Touchdown.

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And right now I am giving away a spot on the VIP guest list to party with Kiowa Gordan, the dude Embry from Twilight at Whisky River on Aug. 10. Screw Jacob and Edward, it’s Team Embry tonight!

First person to go “like” my new page, then e-mail me the link to brittney.cason@creativeloafing.com with the subject line “Team Embry” gets on the list.

Ready, set, GO … to this page.

And next week I’m giving away 10 pair of tickets to the kick-off party for SOAK, EpiCentre’s new Sunday rooftop pool party featuring DJ Rowshay and a 2,000 square foot turf with bocce ball, ping-pong, twister, cornhole, and limbo atop it, as well as a bikini fashion show, and giant baby pools — adult pools, if you will.

So you can soak up the rest of your summer with free shit!

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