Remembering Bill Spoon

On Friday, Bill Spoon died. Even if you never ate his barbecue, you might be familiar with his name. That was his joint down on South Boulevard (now run by his grandson, Stephen)–the one with the sign that says “We use the whole pig–it makes the difference.” Or something to that effect. Bill Spoon’s place consistently cranks out the best Eastern NC-style barbecue in the city. But it won’t be the same without Mr. Spoon behind the counter, taking IOUs, pushing the banana pudding, and rounding down bills. The Observer published a nice article today on his funeral, and I really recommend you read this profile that we published in June 2001. Written by then-senior editor Will Boye (who’s now with the Charlotte Business Journal), it’s a great piece, and it tells the story of who Spoon really was and how he started his restaurant. —R.T.

We slam the best

In our April issue, we featured many of the poets who make up SlamCharlotte and the burgeoning scene they’ve created in NoDa (“These Voices Carry,” by Steve Goldberg). The story talked about how they were one of the best poetry slam teams in the country. Now they—we—are the best.

SlamCharlotte recently won first place at The National Poetry Slam 2007 held in Austin, Texas, beating out seventy-five other teams. Made up of Bluz, Bethsheba, Mike Simms, Carlos Robson, Da Minista, Paul D, and team manager Inkera, they performed twelve different, original poems during the competition.

You can catch these guys during monthly poetry slams at the McGlohon Theatre (345 N. College St.) every second or third Friday, including tonight at 8 p.m. Many of the poets also perform weekly at Wine Up (3306 N. Davidson St.).

Panthers should be mean

Yesterday I attended the Carolina Panthers’ annual Countdown to Kickoff luncheon. It’s a pretty big deal, considering the fact that all of the players and coaches are in attendance. The Charlotte Sports Commission and the Charlotte Touchdown Club put on the event, now in its sixth year. This year was another sellout and the event was moved to a larger hall in the Convention Center to accommodate.

The coolest thing about this luncheon is that each table gets a Panther player or coach as their guest. This creates a lot of suspense and anticipation. Everyone is sitting there hoping they get Jake Delhomme or Steve Smith or a big-name player like that. The players are announced in order by their jersey number, they come trotting out from behind a curtain, and the emcee says which table they are being paired with. Each table is numbered. Charlotte magazine was table fifty-seven. So we’re hoping we hear that number called after a star player’s name. We got Keary Colbert. Not bad. At least I knew of him and what position he plays. Last year I hadn’t heard of the guy we got, and I’ve since forgotten his name (sorry). The year before, the magazine was paired with Julius Peppers, though this was before I started working here.

Colbert was very cool. He didn’t seem to mind the million questions we were asking him—everything from where he lives to what he does in preparation for a game. The real Q&A session, though, is more formal. A panel consisting of Coach John Fox, Delhomme, Smith, Mike Rucker, John Kasay, Dan Morgan, and Jordan Gross took the stage to answer questions about training camp and the upcoming season. They were all on their best behavior, giving some of the fluffiest responses you’ll ever hear from professional athletes—this is great, that is so much fun, what a joy, everyone works hard. To be fair, the team is made up of a bunch of nice guys. But maybe a little too nice.

Even Steve Smith has become mellow. During the Q&A session he mentioned his wife and kids several times. Awww, how sweet. I’ve met him in person a few times. We photographed him last year for our Best Of the Best (B.O.B.) cover and he was a pleasure to be around. But what happened to the Smitty who had the over-the-top touchdown celebrations and the cocky attitude. Nowadays he talks about sharing the ball more with his teammates. No, Mr. Smith. Get yours! We want no fewer than 100 receptions and 1,500 yards from you. We want the #89 from 2005. We need more attitude from our Panthers. I know the Richardsons preach good character throughout their organization, but what’s wrong with a little Randy Moss-esque sometimes. You’ll never hear Moss talk about sharing the ball. Steve, my friend, the Panthers are only as good as you make them. And tell nice-guy Julius Peppers that he’s going to need to turn over some water coolers this season.

Come on Panthers. Get cocky. Be angry. Win games!

Start tonight against the Patriots.

Last Chance for Hedwig

…at least until Actor’s Theatre brings it back again (hey, Dan Shoemaker and co. know a moneymaker when they see one). But back to the point. Tonight and tomorrow night are your last chances to see Hedwig and the Angry Inch at Actor’s Theatre. This is the third time in the past three or so years that AT has mounted the show. I saw the first one, which starred Billy Ensley, and it was highly entertaining. I recommend it. Ensley directs this show, which stars Scott Ripley, who was won pretty much every best actor award offered in town, including ours. Buy tickets here.
—R.T.

The Vera Bradley Outlet Sale comes to Charlotte!

If you’re anything like the average Charlotte woman, you have at least one item from Vera Bradley (I have too many to count from a make-up case, wallets, clutches, and a sunglass holder to the Petite Villager in three different patterns). And if you really love you some Vera, then listen up—on August 30th through September 1st at the Merchandise Mart there will be Charlotte’s first Vera Bradley outlet sale. The sale offers up to 75 percent off a variety of Vera goodies plus the admission is free. And if you’re really obsessed with Vera, check out this travel deal, which has you meeting the preppy company’s co-founder Patricia Miller plus you get early-bird access to the sale (for more info. go to this site for more details).

CLT dives on the Food Network

Because football season has not started yet (I refuse to watch the preseason), I spent most of Sunday afternoon watching a marathon of “Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives” on the Food Network. I was captivated as host Guy Fieri took me on a tour of American barbecue joints, rib joints, burger joints, and hot dog joints. He even hit two Charlotte faves, the Penguin and Bar-B-Que King. At The Penguin, he and Chef Greg Auten (who knew the Penguin had a chef?) came up with a new creation that I instantly fell in love with–a corn dog stuffed with bacon and pimento cheese. Doesn’t that sound outstanding? I don’t think it’s on the menu, but I’ll be they’ll fix it for you if you ask. (By the way, here’s a link to Auten’s recipes for pimento cheese and black bean hummus–that’s two separate dishes, by the way.) The episode airs again August 17 at 8:30 p.m. and August 18 at 3:30 a.m.

I’ve been to the Bar-B-Que King before, but only once or twice. I think I’ll go again and check out the fried barbecue chicken. You read that right. Since 1959, the good folks at the King have been frying chicken, then drenching it in their secret-recipe barbecue sauce. It’s a little hot this week for a drive-in, but that is definitely going on my list.

Anyone out there have any favorite Charlotte-area dives? —R.T.

Avett Brothers tearing up the West Coast

Concord’s own The Avett Brothers, a band we’ve written about several times in the magazine and once or twice on this blog (caution: links on blog post aren’t working until we update the archives on our new site), are currently touring the West Coast, and crowds are coming out in droves. I just got this email from Dolph Ramseur, who works with the band:

The Avett Brothers sold-out SLIM’S in San Francisco last night.  They had 628 paid!  The tour out west is going great.  They sold out their show in Chico, CA on August 7th.  Los Angeles is on Saturday night and I expect they will sell 500 or more tickets.  This will be the first time the band has played in Los Angeles.  The buzz is really spreading in California as their show at the Lobero Theatre on October 20th in Santa Barbara, CA is already sold-out!  They play Bumbershoot in Seattle, WA on September 1st.  Bumbershoot is a huge music festival.  The Avett Brothers already are at the stage of pulling out 750 paid in Seattle and this will really step things up.  I just wanted to keep everyone posted in North Carolina how the tour was going.  Tour dates are below.

Thanks,
Dolph Ramseur, Ramseur Records

It’s hot, but you should be grateful

This is our third consecutive day hitting or surpassing the century mark with this summer heat. Saying that it’s hot is an understatement. Last week was hot. This week has been inferno.

But you know what? The heat isn’t that bad for people like us. Those of us who leave our air-conditioned homes, get into our air-conditioned cars, and arrive at our air-conditioned jobs. You know who the heat is really bad for? The people who don’t have these luxuries…the homeless.

Yesterday, I met with the Reverend Anthony Marciano II, executive director of the Charlotte Rescue Mission. He took my publisher, one of our account executives, and me on a tour of his campus on First Street. Marciano is one of those people when you hear speak puts you at ease (“Hurt people, hurt people” was a memorable line he used). He seems like the perfect person to be leading this nonprofit, faith-based organization that serves the city’s homeless population (estimated to be at 5,000), most of whom are battling alcohol and drug addiction.

The Rescue Mission has a very stringent recovery program, one that doesn’t have the amenities of these “spa-habs,” I mean rehabs, that have been making the news recently as the Lindsays and Nicoles of the world have been making addiction look like the life of the party. They should be sent here, to see how tough life really could get. And to see what a wonderful job Marciano and his staff does with about 130 homeless men each day (“We could have 100 more beds, and they’d be filled by tomorrow,” Marciano says.). They are a dedicated staff of full-time employees and volunteers (administrators, substance abuse counselors, tutors). And they do it with faith, compassion, and contributions from the community. Nearly 70 percent of the mission’s funding comes from donations from individuals—and they could use more (hint, hint).

It would be impossible for me to do the Charlotte Rescue Mission justice in this blog. You can find out more on its Web site, www.charlotterescuemission.org. And you can learn even more if you get involved. I plan to. I think my coworkers and I are going to coordinate an “Undie Monday,” in which we ask our staff to donate new underwear, something Marciano says contributors often overlook.

Okay, now I have to get back to editing stories for our October issue. But first I gotta adjust the temperature on the A/C. They keep it so cold in here.

Next week a great one for foodies

That’s right, a new Earth Fare AND a new Trader Joe’s are opening in Charlotte. The Earth Fare organic grocery store opens August 15 at The Morrison, at Colony and Sharon roads near SouthPark mall. There’s a party the night before from 6-9 p.m. ($10, benefits Second Harvest). Check out the menu: petite crab cakes with roasted garlic aioli, North Carolina pulled-pork sandwiches, cocoa espresso tri-tip steak, local marinated heirloom tomato salad, brie layered with local chutney, and a variety of wine and beer.

Trader Joe’s opens August 17 in The Shops at Piper Glen, at 6418 Rea Road. There will be a lei cutting at 8:45 a.m., and the doors open at 9. Personally, I am excited about Trader Joe’s. I’ve been to one in Atlanta, and I had a blast wandering the aisles checking out the exotic goods. The two-buck Chuck wine gets a lot of hype (it’s actually not bad), but I also enjoyed the coffee selection and the spices and ice creams. Just a fun store to which I will make a semiregular trip. —R.T. 

New wine bar near SouthPark

Dolcetto Wine Room is set to open August 16 in Piedmont Town Center, over near SouthPark. It’ll be in the same area as Oceanaire, Brio, and Del Frisco’s. We’re glad to see a local joint going in there. Dolcetto is owned by Jeffry McNeice and run by Paul Nance. Look for 70 wines by the glass and over 150 by the bottle. Also look for artisan cheeses(!), apps, and desserts, as well as light fare like sandwiches and salads. There’s a patio and live piano on the weekends, with plans to stay open till one a.m. on weekends (What? Night life in SouthPark?). The website: www.dolcettewineroom.com. —R.T.