CLT Blog

Colleges all over Charlotte are graduating their Seniors in May and we thought this would be a great reason to throw a party… Not just any party though. A bar crawl around Charlotte to some of the hottest bars in town.

Come join Carolina Nightlife, 1800 Tequila, Corona Light and over 120 party people on Charlotte’s double-decker party buses!

Simple plan: you purchase your tickets by calling the number below, show up at the check-in the day of the event and your ticket will be at will call.

We will take party buses around to some of Charlotte’s best party bars with all access VIP treatment! No waiting in lines, no paying cover charges, just party!

TIME:

Check-In at Boardwalk Billy’s & Bad Dogs 7pm-9pm (there will be free food at check-in for everyone)

Black Bear Saloon: 9:15-10:15

Town Tavern: 10:30-11:30

The Gin Mill: 11:45-12:45

Dixie’s Tavern: 1-2

We will have give-a-ways and prizes at each bar, including Corona Burton Snowboards, Corona Inflatable Party Rafts, and much more!

Cost: $10

There will be refreshments on the party bus!!!

21+ only please.

TO PURCHASE YOUR TICKETS:

Please call 704-516-2674 to purchase your tickets today. We have limited seats available on this bar crawl.

We accept Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover cards.

NC Music Factory is at it again!

Every Friday starting May 7, come experience a new take on the end of the work week as the NC Music Factory transforms into a lush tropical escape. Presented by Black Bear Saloon, Butter, Halo and Wet Willies. FREE ADMISSION & FREE PARKING Outdoor Cabanas and Private Beds – for cabana and bed reservations email viptables@buttercharlotte.com or call 704.295.1565. Sushi by NIKKO served from 7:00 – 9:00 pm. Sounds by DJ Vikas from NYC. 2 Live Bands! True Religion Brand Jeans Fashion Show presented by Butter (May 7 only). A portion of the proceeds will benefit Project Go. 21+ Special thanks to: Grey Goose Vodka, Bacardi, Red Bull, Kiss 95.1, Creative Loafing, Elevate Lifestyle, Uptown Magazine, North American Lawn and Landscape, Cavalia and True Religion Brand Jeans.

The Reddoor Store is Charlotte’s best exotic boutique with now a brand new location in the University area! Located next to Flying Saucer, The Reddoor Store is located in the heart of the University area and close to everyone. The perfect stop for any gift idea!

Come check out The Reddoor Store and mention Carolina Nightlife for extra discounts and specials gifts!

At The Reddoor Store you can be naughty or nice! We prefer naughty!

The Red Door Store:
9605 N. Tryon St., Suite E
Charlotte, NC 28262
(704) 595-9099

Six years running, Carolina Nightlife’s Endless Summer Pool Party Tour has been an event series anticipated all year long. We are proud to announce this year’s pool party dates and locations.

Carolina Nightlife presents:

2010 Endless Summer Pool Party Tour
Cure for the Common Summer

Come out to each event and enjoy live music, free food, free drinks, and many prizes and give-a-ways! These events fill up FAST so get there early to get your chairs.

Each event is 100% free to the public!

BYOB: NO BOTTLES.

Featuring:
DJ LP (http://www.facebook.com/SupaStarDJLP)

Sponsors:
Corona Extra
Corona Light
ZX Fitness
Palm Beach Tan
The Reddoor Store

_______________________________
2010 Endless Summer Pool Party Tour

Dates & Locations:

May 1st: 901 Place (RSVP to this event)

May 15th: Pavilion Crossing (RSVP to this event)

May 21st: Copper Beach, Greenville NC (RSVP to this event)

May 29th: 901 Place (RSVP to this event)

June 12th: Perimeter Station
June 19th: 901 Place
June 25th: Copper Beach, Greenville NC

July 9th: Copper Beach, Greenville NC
July 17th: 901 Place
July 24th: Oak Pointe

August 15th: 901 Place
August 20th: Copper Beach, Greenville NC
August 28th: Copper Beach, Columbia SC

__________________

Apartment Complexes:
Please email info@carolinanightlife.com if you would like to get involved with next year’s event series.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (April 5, 2010)—-DJ Jacques Dumas, famed in New York and beyond for his work at the decadent Bagatelle brunch, will bring his musical styling to Charlotte with two events at the Epicentre on April 10 and 11.

On Saturday, April 10, Dumas will energize the scene at Mez with a dance party from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. Admission is $10. For tickets, visit www.mezcharlotte.com or call (704) 971-2400.

On Sunday, April 11 from 1 to 5 p.m., Kazba Café channels New York’s legendary Bagatelle Brunch with tracks by Dumas and complimentary breakfast and champagne. This isn’t your mother’s brunch, so dress to impress and be prepared to dance! Email VIP@kazbacharlotte.com or call (704) 400-6571 for reservations.

DJ Jacques Dumas

Jacques Dumas performs in several of the world’s hottest clubs in Paris, New York and beyond. He spins a mix of soul, rock funk, jazz, house and dance music. Dumas is the energizing force behind the legendary brunch at New York’s Bagatelle, where midday revelers close out the weekend by indulging in champagne, fine cuisine and dancing. He can also be heard on Sirius Satellite radio.

Mez and Kazba Café

Mez and Kazba Café  renowned for their VIP experience, are located at 210 East Trade Street in Charlotte. For more information, visit www.mezcharlotte.com.

Every UFC Saturday, nightlifers give up the clubbing and count down the hours until the next fight begins. .  .  my fiancé and I are no different. So we headed over to the Tilted Kilt , to enjoy delicious Scottish food and watch the fight. It was sometime during dinner that I noticed a large group of muscular men walk through the door. I probably should have looked away: after all, they have muscles and I can’t even lift a heavy box! But I was intrigued by their look of familiarity.

That’s when I realized the Tilted Kilt had arranged something special: I was watching the UFC fight with the fighters! And while I was slow on realizing who they were, I wasted no time in seeking out an interview. It must have been my lucky night, because in between the fights, I was able to sit down and chit-chat with the headliner for the Charlotte Fight Night,  . . . UFC fighter Kenny Florian.

Interested in finding out how he was preparing for his next fight, we got to talking about his UFC experiences:

What was it like to go through the Ultimate Fighter?
KF: Difficult, but fun. I didn’t have a lot of MMA experience at the time, so it was a really good opportunity to learn.

How do you prepare for a fight?
KF: I work out 6 days a week, 2-3 times a day. But really, it comes down to the incredible team of coaches I have. I couldn’t do it without them.

How do you unwind after a fight?
KF: I like to eat a good meal and hangout with family and friends.

Anyone you’d like to get back in the ring with?
KF: Hmm. No, not really. I’m just thinking of my next opponent. I like to take one fight at a time.

With the headlining fight for UFC 111 about to come on, I left Kenny to eat a good meal and enjoy the fight with friends. I felt honored to have to opportunity to talk to Kenny. Not only was he extremely polite, he was a pleasure to talk to. . . well, as long as you’re not his opponent that is! Speaking of which, watch out for Kenny Florian’s big fight against Takanori Gomi, coming up on the 31st at Bojangles Coliseum and airing on Spike, 8 pm ET/PT.

Let’s face it, some nights you just don’t want to go anywhere. But after a work day where you felt reaaaaaallllly close to recreating office space (I mean you were so close, you even snuck the fax machine out the office) a beer is sounding too damn good to give up.  Those are the moments where having your own bar can make the difference between returning the fax machine or beating it with a baseball bat.

Yet on top of staying at home and still getting a dose of forget-the-job, there are several benefits to creating your own home bar, including financial ones. Because building a bar doesn’t mean breaking the bank. Here’s just a few of the benefits . . .

Your favorite beer is always on tap. After-all, you are the bartender! I spoke to Albert Calloway, a man who just recently built his own home bar, about the costs of buying a keg. He explained that purchasing a beer keg usually costs anywhere from $80-$120 a keg. While that sounds expensive at first, it’s important to note you can get at least 55 pints from a 5.2 gallon, slim keg. I’m no math expert, but if a beer costs $2.50 at the local bar, and you drink 12 beers all weekend, that comes out to 48 beers a month for $120. And that’s before you’ve included cover charges and parking fees. So for $120, you’re getting 7 more beers than you would by going out somewhere. As an added bonus, you don’t have to worry about drinking too many beers and driving home later- and that’s a heck of a reason to drink up!

Furthermore, an in-home bar is custom made to your tastes- so naturally it’s the best looking bar in town.  From the bar and high chairs to the wall fixtures, you can find interesting pieces to fit your personality everywhere. Target is particularly good for providing bar room décor on a budget, like this Jack Daniels wall art, for $15 in store, and $13 online. And of course, Spencers and Target provide unique drinkware, like this Octoberfest style boot,  HYPERLINK “http://www.spencersonline.com/product/25-liter-beer-boot/” http://www.spencersonline.com/product/25-liter-beer-boot/ , at Spencers for $8. Beer taps aren’t that expensive either. Depending on the tap you want, handles start at about $10.  By gradually collecting pieces over time, you can create a bar that’s solely yours. 
And if nothing else, you can watch all your favorite sports games without worrying about the DJ interrupting the game with the greatest club hits. There’s nothing wrong with a great bar playing good music- after-all, most nights that’s what nightlifers are looking for. But if you’re watching an important game and the bar isn’t playing the sound, you can miss the glory of the big game-winning moment.

In the end, bar-hoppers will always appreciate a good night on the town. And with the way the Carolina bar scene has developed, it’s hard to resist heading out into the innovative nightlife world. But sometimes, it’s nice to get the same atmosphere from home, and your neighbors will certainly appreciate the upgrade- neighborhood block party anyone?

8pm on a Thursday, I found myself Uptown; the light rain coming down was no match for my growling stomach as my boyfriend David and I tried to decide where would dine that evening. Our first thought was Sonoma so we headed over to Tryon St where we were happy to take advantage of the valet. Unfortunately Sonoma was having a private party, so we found ourselves back to square one. That’s when it dawned on us that Aria is owned by the same restaurant group and literally around the corner from Sonoma.

We walked into Aria and were told there would be about a 30minute wait. Despite being busy, we were able to snag a couple seats at the bar. The bar itself is not to be missed, featuring a huge glass encased wine rack which shows off over 100 bottles from Aria’s impressive wine list. The restaurant had a modern décor, but managed to be cozy and comfortable at the same time. We had to start with their limoncello, which is house made, and definitely my new favorite drink for the summer: a lemon liqueur, sweet and refreshing.

We were excited when we were seated earlier then expected, within 10 minutes of being at the bar. It was time to get down to business. Aria’s menu is described as old world comfort food featuring simple, classic, Italian, and served in a contemporary atmosphere.  All of their appetizers sounded amazing, and it was hard to choose just one to start with. I decided on the steamed mussels (picture 2), and when they came out I was glad I had only ordered one. There was a large portion of mussels served in a huge bowl with a plum tomato sauce, sambuca, fennel and herbs. The mussels themselves were really nicely done, not chewy in the slightest, and the sauce they were served in had a hint of sweetness to it.  The tomato sauce was great for dipping bread in as well. Even with Dave’s help we didn’t finish all of the mussels for fear of being to full for our entrees.

It didn’t take long for our main courses to come out. I had gone with the Veal Scallopini (Picture 3), while Dave went with their Wild Boar Pappardelle special (Picture 4). My scallopini was awesome, two thin and tender pieces of veal served in a lemon butter sauce with capers, parsley, and broccoli rabe. The lemon butter sauce covered the bottom of the plate, which I was thankful for because it was delicious even on the broccoli. The real showstopper, however, was the special Dave ordered. Pappardelle is an egg noodle comparable to a broader fettuccini. It was served in an amazing tomato sauce with shredded wild boar meat throughout. It was an adventurous dish, executed perfectly, and my favorite thing that we had.

At the end of the meal I was beyond stuffed, but I felt great. My only regret? Not having enough room to try one of their desserts. I gave Aria a 94; the service, food, and atmosphere made for a wonderful experience, and I can’t wait to go back in and try more.

Each month we will update you on the hotspots in Charlotte serving up Corona Extra (CX) and Corona Light (CL) on special.

The quick list below is a great guide to help you decide where to go and what to drink!

Loco Lime-$2.50 CX and CL-Wednesday
TGIF-Northlake-$3 CX Sunday
All Fox and Hounds-$2.50 Tuesdays and Fridays
All Hickory Taverns-$3 CX and CL Fridays and $2.50 “Cinco De Drinko”
Situations-$3.00 CX Fridays
Wild Wing-UNCC-$3.00 Sundays
Corkscrew-$3 CL
Lupie’s-$2.50 CX- Fridays
Tilted Kilt-$3 CX and CL Fridays and Sundays
Red Lion-$2.50 CX and CL Thursday and Friday
Salsa’s-Ayrsley-$2.50 CX and CL Wednesdays
Fifty-One-$2.50 CX and CL Friday and Saturday
Rusty Rudder-$2.75 CX and CL Everyday
El Paraiso-Davidson-$2.75 CX Saturday and Sunday
Graduate-Hwy 51-$2.00 Mondays-CX
Big Apple Grill-$3.00 CX Wednesdays
Five Steps II-$3.00 Fridays CX
Las Margaritas-$5.00 Coronita buckets-Everyday
McKoys-$2.50-CX and CL Saturdays
Luna Lounge-$3.50 CX and CL Saturdays
Big Daddy’s-$2.75 CX and CL Fridays
Cedar Street Tavern-$3.00 CX and CL Wednesdays
Forum-$3.00 CX Wednesdays
Alley Cat-$3.00-CX Saturdays
Stool Pigeons- $3.00 CX and CL Fridays

Charleston Magazine does it big again this year for their annual Charleston Fashion Week in Marion Square.

In the event’s forth year, Charleston Fashion Week continues to grow as one of the regions largest fashion events of the year! This year, Carolina Nightlife was there covering it all! Below is a quick list of the week’s albums we took for Charleston Fashion Week:

Tuesday, March 16th:
Fashion Show, Day 1
After-Party at FISH
After-Party at NV
NV’s Celebrity Backdrop

Wednesday, March 17th:
Fashion Show, Day 2
After-Party at Torch
After-Party at Chai’s

Thursday, March 18th:
Under the Style Tent
After-Party at Club Habana

Friday, March 19th:
Guests Arriving to the Tent
After-Party at WOK
After-Party at Shine
After-Party at Halls Chophouse

Saturday, March 20th:
Finale Show!
After-Party at Oak Steakhouse
After-Party at Social

Thanks to everyone that came out and we look forward to seeing everyone next year!