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ACRL NATIONAL CONFERENCE: Charlotte nights: What to do at the end of the conference day

by Barbara Tierney

About the author

Barbara Tierney is associate professor at the J. Murrey Atkins Library, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, e-mail: bgtierne @email.uncc.edu

Traveling to Charlotte, North Carolina, for ACRL’s 11th National Conference, April 10-13, 2003? Here’s your chance to sample a heaping helping of the Queen City’s legendary southern hospitality.

Charlotte has tons of intriguing diversions to keep you entertained at the end of the conference day when you want to unwind from overload learning and networking.

Before you set off on your own southern escapades, be sure to include the following special ACRL-sponsored evening events on your end-of-the-day agenda!

• (FREE) All-Conference Reception,Saturday, April 12th, Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County, Main Branch, 8-10 p.m. (310 North Tryon Street, Uptown Charlotte, 704-336-2725, http://www.plcmc. lib.nc.us).

Join colleagues for sinful desserts and live music (bluegrass, Cajun, and Celtic). Enjoy behind-the-scenes tours of this headline-capturing library, and don’t miss its Virtual Village computer center.

• (FREE) Levine Museum of the New South,Saturday, April 12th, 8-10 p.m. (200 East 7th Street, Uptown Charlotte, 704-333-1887, http:/www.museumofthenewsouth.org).

Enjoy a private after-hours open-house for ACRL National Conference participants by strolling a half-block down the street from the

Public Library to the brand new Levine Museum of the New South. Use your conference badge for complimentary admittance.

This gem of a social history museum uses living history displays, oral history, and videos to tell the story of Charlotte’s economic transformation from post-Civil War small farm region to 1920s textile factory center to second largest U.S. banking center.

Thought-provoking interactive displays include: “We Shall Overcome” (an interpretation of the segregated South, featuring lunch counter sit-in and school busing displays); “Remaking the Countryside” (a recreated cotton farm); “Bringing the Mills to the Cotton” (a recreated textile mill home and oral history); “Newsreel Theater” (President Franklin Roosevelt’s “Green Pastures” speech in Charlotte); and “Banking Boomtown” (an interpretation of the rise of Charlotte as a financial center).

• Dinner With Colleagues,Friday, April 11th, 6:30 p.m.

Ask at the Charlotte Convention Center registration desk for hosted “Friday Night Dinners with Colleagues” sign-ups or simply make your own memorable dining plans using the following restaurant suggestions.

Uptown dining headliners

Recommended Uptown dining headliners include:

Bistro 100(100 N. Tryon in Founder’s Hall, 704-344-0515), one of the city’s premier dining establishments featuring wood-roasted preparations of chicken, beef, and seafood, along with gourmet appetizers; the Palomino (525 N. Tryon, 704-373-9499), a romantic European bistro with fountain-side dining that specializes in Mediterranean cuisine; Mimosa Grill (in the First Union Plaza Atrium, 327 S.

Tryon Street, 704-343-0700), a chic destination with both indoor and plaza dining, featuring mouth-watering nouveau southern cuisine; LaVecchia’s Seafood Grille (225 E. Sixth Street, 704-370-6776).

Bijoux(201 N. Tryon, 704-377-0900) is an excellent choice for French cuisine; Sonoma (129 W. Trade Street, 704-377-1333), a sophisticated café that boasts an excellent wine list; Morton’s of Chicago (227 W. Trade Street, 704-333-2602), a renowned chain of steakhouses; Carpe Diem (401 E. Trade Street, 704-377-7976) is located inside a renovated historic florist’s shop. The lounge area is known as “The Living Room” and has a curved bar with exposed brick and oak floors, a local favorite with outstanding vegetarian options; Capital Grille (201 N. Tryon, 704-348-1400) is a truly elegant dining spot that features aged

Charlotte dining delights beyond Uptown

Southern Comforts(1511 East Blvd., 704-331-9222) offers fine southern recipes via sophisticated culinary techniques in the heart of the trendy Dilworth neighborhood; Cajun Queen (1800 E. 7th St. in Charlotte’s Elizabeth neighborhood, 704-377-9017) has specialized in the best of New Orleans style cuisine in the Queen City since 1985. This Charlotte landmark offers nightly jazz and creative specialties featuring blackened fish, crawfish, and shrimp entrees.

“NoDa Art District” eateries (Charlotte’s North Davidson St. area) include: Fat City (3127 N. Davidson St., 704-343-0240), one of Charlotte’s original live music spots, features alternative rock, blues, reggae, and jazz, with open jam sessions on Sundays. This is an excellent place for eclectic dining (inside or out) accompanied by a variety of musical styles and artists; Boudreaux’s Louisiana Kitchen (501 E. 36th St. at N. Davidson St., 704-331-9898) features Bayou specialties such as gumbo, jambalaya, and po’boys.

Laughs, drinks, games, and conversation

The Comedy Zone(516 N. College St., in Uptown, 704-348-4242, http://thecomedyzone.net) is Charlotte’s number one venue for laughs featuring national and regional comedians. Show times vary, so be sure to call for information and reservations; The Perch (1500 Central Ave., Charlotte’s Midtown-Plaza Neighborhood, 704-372-7724, http://www.theperch. com) features live sketch comedy 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 1 a.m. on Sundays; Jillian’s (200 E. Bland St. in Charlotte’s South End, 704-376-4386) is a great spot to play billiards and catch sporting events on the multiple big-screen TV’s in the Sports

Video Café. Check out the virtual reality games in the 7,000 square foot “Amazing Games Room”; Ri Ra (208 N. Tryon Street, 704-333-5554, http://www.rira.com) is a traditional Irish pub in the heart of Uptown. Experience authentic Irish food, live music, and great Guinness.

Dance to the music!

The Big Chill(911 E. Morehead St. in Charlotte’s Dilworth neighborhood, 704-347-4447) boasts the largest dance floor in Charlotte and is a great place to dance the night away with rhythm and blues; Latorre’s (118 W. 5th St. in Uptown, 704-377-4448) is famous for its salsa dancing, nuevo Latin cuisine, South American wines, and tropical martinis. It is Charlotte’s premier Latin American restaurant and dance club, offering free dance lessons Friday and Saturday nights. Mythos (300 N. College at 6th St. in Uptown, 704-375-8765, http://www.mythosclub.com) is an award-winning progressive dance club featuring excellent local, regional, and international DJs, and boasting the largest dance floor in Charlotte.

Swing 1000(1000 Central Ave. in the Elizabeth neighborhood, 704-334-4443) features great cuisine and entertainment that capture the spirit of the 30s, 40s and 50s. Enjoy dining and dancing in an atmosphere similar to the Rainbow Room and Cotton Club in New York City; Time Lounge (514 N. College St. in Uptown, 704-373-2515), one of Charlotte’s premier nightclubs, is an excellent place to meet friends in the late evening. Its outdoor patio has one of the best views of the Charlotte skyline. This ultra-stylish dance club has a highenergy nightlife atmosphere in the heart of the North End District. It’s a great place to find young professionals and trendy cocktails. (Specialty drinks include the Time Warp, Times Up, and Times Square)

Evening cultural events and entertainment

The Neighborhood Theater(511 E. 36th St., North Davidson Art District, 704-358-9298‚ http://www. neighborhoodtheare. com) offers exciting regional and folk music concerts at economical prices.

North Carolina Blumenthal Performing Arts Center(130 N. Tryon St., Uptown, 704-372-1000, http://www.performingartsctr.org) offers a wide range of musical and dramatic performances.

Discovery Place(301 North Tryon Street, Uptown) includes an Omnimax Theater with Friday and Saturday night showings. Call 704-372-6261 for show times.

Navigating Charlotte

Uptown Charlotte is a visitor-friendly, compact locale that is easy and safe to explore on foot.

Charlotte’s free Center City Circuit Shuttle provides 43 stops on a round-town-loop, with pick up at each stop every seven to eight minutes.

For a more nostalgic mode of travel, experience the historic Charlotte Trolley for a 15-minute ride to South End Charlotte where you’ll find a wealth of antique stores, trendy restaurants, and the Trolley Museum.

Time for more activities?

Check the October 2002 C&RL News article “Charlotte on a shoestring” to browse daytime attractions in the Queen City such as the Uptown Walking Art Tour and the Uptown Walking Historical Tour.

Browse the November 2002 C&RL News article “Charlotte revs up” for a rundown on ACRL-sponsored daytime tours, such as the Lowe’s Motor Speedway tour (Thursday, April 10, 9 a.m. -2 p.m.); the Biltmore Estate tour (Wednesday, April 9, 8:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m.); and the Charlotte City and academic library tour (Thursday, April 10, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.). ■