¡THE QC LOCAL!

Charlotte’s a busy place. Here’s the best of it.

🎢 In the pinnacle show that my generation grew up with, The Office, Andy (played by Ed Helms) famously says as he’s leaving Dunder Mifflin, “I wish there was a way to know when you’re in the good old days, before you’ve actually left them.”

This past Saturday, as we waved goodbye to our 6U basketball team, my fellow coach, Statton, and I felt Andy’s sentiment.

On Saturday, Statton and I watched our team dominate, securing a closing win to end the season. Along with that, several kids who didn’t score the whole season ended up scoring, which had us cheering so loudly that they must have heard us in Raleigh. Point being, coach kids. I promise you won’t regret it. I mean, look at those little rascals.

🌹ROSE

• THE RETURN OF CHARLOTTE FC

  • Charlotte FC games pack out. They’re a ton of fun, and the city has really rallied behind them as of recent, most likely because of the recent failures of the Panthers. However, if you have never been to a game, I highly recommend getting out this season. Charlotte FC’s home opener is this Saturday, March 1st, against Atlanta FC, at 2 P.M. You can get tickets here.

🪷BUD

• I was recently asked to do a countdown until Billy Joel and Sting play at Bank of America Stadium, which is on May 10th, continuing the great list of Charlotte concerts this summer.

  • CURRENT COUNTDOWN UNTIL BILLY JOEL: 72 DAYS

DEAL OF THE WEEK

🍸QC Pourhouse has specials every day of the week, but their best one has to be the $7 Palomas on Saturdays. Served in a highball glass, they’re delicious and great bang for your buck if you want a break from beer.

Charlotte’s Best Coffee

‼️While it hasn’t always been this way, Charlotte’s Coffee scene is at an all-time high. Locally owned Coffee Shops are anywhere and everywhere you can put them. I’ve tried most of them throughout the city at one time or another, so here’s a ranking of my 5 favorite Coffees in Charlotte.

1. Not Just Coffee (Jay Street location)

   • While the other Not Just Coffees are also awesome, the ambience of the Jay Street location is by far the best one. My reasoning is partially because of the awesome folks that work there, the open concept, and the fact that I walked in on a Sunday morning and there was a half-opened case of PBR on the counter. Phenomenal pastries as well.

2. Backyard Brew (Dilworth)

   • Owned entirely by a local Jordanian family, their gourmet coffee has an absolute kick if you choose to drink it black. If you don’t go for the Banana Bread Latte. Trust me.

3. Bitty & Beau’s

   • Last weekend, CMPD was giving out free coffee at Bitty & Beau’s. How can you beat that?

4. Night Swim

   • With several locations of Charlotte, and the supplier to many others, Night Swim prides themselves on their coffee blends. You can’t go wrong with their gourmet coffee and great vibes.

5. Coco & The Director (Uptown)

   • The ultimate coffee chat spot in Uptown never disappoints. Their coffee is different from most in a hard to describe, but great way. If they’ve got the Apple muffin, make sure to give it a try.

Honorable Mention to the East Blvd Starbucks for holding its integrity as a coffee shop for the entirety of my life.

(1 of) My Favorite Restaurants Right Now

Carmella’s (Montford)

You ever wanted a dive bar that serves Italian food? That’s exactly what Carmella’s is. Don’t expect Toscana, but their strombolis and calzones are my favorite thing on the menu. You also can’t go wrong with any of their hoagies. It also happens to be the Ole Miss bar during football season.

Still affordable, Carmella’s is a Charlotte gem that brings me back to my high school days.

PROPERLY RATED IN THE 704

Sticking in the same area as Montford, who can forget about the best Karaoke Bar in Charlotte, Jeff’s Bucket Shop. 

While I’d say that most of the city knows about Jeff’s Bucket Shop, or JBS for short, it remains one of my favorite bars in the city. I think perhaps my favorite thing about JBS is that, like Forrest Gump’s box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get it. Sometimes you walk in, and the owner is singing Bill Withers’ “Lean on Me”, while the whole bar sings along. Other times, you’ll turn around to hear an angry, heartbroken girl singing the piercing lyrics of Carly Simon’s “You’re So Vain.” If you’re really lucky, you’ll walk into my friend Adam trying to hype up the crowd while belting out The Killers’ “Mr. Brightside” to the best of his ability.

No matter what songs grace the stage that night, you’ll have fun. Plus, drinks are cheap. Check out this Charlotte classic next time you’re in the Montford area.

other goings on 🔥

• Goldie’s is hosting a “Speed Dating” event from 3-5 P.M. on March 9th. You can grab the $30 tickets here, presented by @connectingcharlotte on IG.

• The supposed Carowinds Swim-Up Bar has been all the rage this week. Not sure how well this will do, but you can check out the press release here. 

Let me know of anything you hear about or wanna hear about!

Hit me up at [email protected] for any q’s or debates you may have.

“If my answers frighten you, cease asking scary questions”

— Jack