C.M. Wells (@cmwells_art), co-founder of the National Association of Collaborative Artists, is one of the many artists calling the new NoDa location of the Charlotte Art League home. The young artist works in several traditional art media: charcoal, sanguine (reddish-brown chalk), oil-paint, and clay. Wells calls her style Representational Realism, which she explains as “sort…
The 3rd Annual Homegrown Tomato Festival
Supporting Local Non-Profit: 100 Gardens Ah, July – the month of increased air conditioning bills, sun burns, and getting marred by rouge fireworks. Yet, we forget about those small inconveniences because July brings us homegrown tomatoes. Homegrown Tomato (noun): A delectable, vine-ripened fruit grown with love and sacrifice. This species can be consumed alone or…
Make a Mark Charlotte
Powered by OrthoCarolina, Supported by SHARE Charlotte, Hosted by Hygge Charlotteans are eager to make a mark in their community. Some of your local NoDa residents have poured their energies into bringing a national event to our local market. Make a Mark Charlotte brings together student and professional designers, developers, and other talented makers to…
The Pastry Shop
There was a time when NoDa’s hot commodities were porn … and pastries. While much has been said about Neighborhood Theatre’s interesting past as The Astor, a XXX porn theater (“Park in Rear” stated the marquee), just a few steps down the sidewalk was The Pastry Shop. It was a bakery that drew loyal customers…
Put on a Good Face
This is an article about “community” and “development” … in a philosophical sense. I moved to NoDa in 2007. I bought the last house that I could afford to buy in this neighborhood before everything got really, really expensive. And I was keenly aware that my house was already really, really expensive to the community…
Everyday Rhythms: Work Hard Play Hard
When was the last time you felt truly relaxed? Or had a moment of pure playfulness? Rest and play are crucial to a healthy lifestyle, and summer is the perfect season for recreation. The animals have come out of their hidey-holes, the plants are in full bloom, and even kids are out of school. It…
Bloom is Back to Bring Fringe Dance and Performance Arts
Dance, fire, circus arts, and more at this year’s Bloom: Return to Roots Satarah Productions is excited to announce that its annual cultural festival Bloom will be back for its seventh year. Performance artists from across the United States and Canada will once again come together with local performers to share their art and passion…
July Taroscopes
Cancer (Jun 21 to Jul 22) – 9 of Pentacles: Do your routines reflect how you want to look and feel? You may have come to uncomfortable realizations that helped you realize it is time to make adjustments for yourself and your health. Unfortunately, you have to do the work here, but you can go…
NC by Train
I’m not a “car guy.” And I’m definitely not a “road warrior.” Don’t get me wrong; I love my weekend hiking trips to Pisgah National Forest and Upstate South Carolina with my wife and dog, but my least favorite part is the white-knuckled jockeying for position and inevitable four-mile backups on the Interstates. So, when…
Brew Boldly
Bold Missy founder, Carol Waggener is about to celebrate the second anniversary of an incredible entrepreneurial journey. Waggener’s relationship with beer began in Saint Louis with behemoth brewer Anheuser-Busch. “Even though they are the ‘Evil Empire,’ I learned a lot from them, especially as regards quality and relationships.” Then about five years ago, while working…
Baby Mosh Pits, Girl Bands, and Social Justice
What do baby mosh pits, girl bands, and social justice warriors have in common? A spot in little NoDa called Rock on 22nd. It’s a new collaborative space, housing Girls Rock Charlotte and Pachyderm Music Lab at 423 East 22nd Street. Paul Sires and Ruth Ava Lyon, credited for setting the foundation for the NoDa…
#askingforme – Fail in originality
So here’s the thing. I haven’t received any questions. What I had hoped or envisioned for this column was a space for open inquiry and dialogue to explore our individual and collective narratives. The ones that inform, sometimes inhibit, our growth and progress as humans, as a community, and a culture. I hoped to create…
Marie Walker and the Gift of Art
Can NoDa be the arts district without galleries? If NoDa is Charlotte’s arts district, then where are all the artists? You only have to scratch the surface to find creativity and freedom of expression alive and well here, and Marie Walker is a gateway to the flourishing local arts culture just beneath the obvious. She…
June 2019 TaroScopes
Gemini (May 21 to Jun 20) – The Moon: Everyone wants your attention, and you’re being pulled in a million directions. For once you don’t have all the answers. The fact is, you’d rather sit and talk to yourself because you (usually) agree with you. Don’t sweat it. Speak with confidence. People will believe you…
Everyday Rhythms
“Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.” – Winston Churchill Our Convergence Church family is enjoying a busy and exciting spring! We are especially excited that we were able to participate in Open Streets 704 on Sunday, April 28. Thousands of Charlotteans…
Spread Love, It’s the Jade Sky Way
The colors and textures of Jade Sky captivate you before you even step through the door. All that positive energy is personified by Marissa Jade Willinsky who will welcome as you enter. Eye-catching pop art by Charlotte artist Matt Moore (@puckmcgruff), shocks of color, and diverse fabrics immediately transport you to a thrilling, creative space….
May 2019 TaroScopes
Taurus (Apr 20 to May 20) – The Tower: You plan; God laughs! Just when you thought you had it all figured out, you realize you don’t. It’s time to reexamine your belief systems and make room for adjustments. Change can be good. Go to Mac Tabby Cat Café to get a feline perspective. Gemini…
The Fried Rooster
You‘ve probably driven by The Fried Rooster’s unassuming location across from Food Lion at 3128 The Plaza. Just as the name implies, this establishment’s specialty is a take on the southern staple: fried chicken. And it is cooked masterfully. These crispy, amber-hued pieces are fried to order. Expect a moist, juicy, perfectly seasoned bird served…
North Davidson: from 37th to Craighead
Several small businesses exist beyond NoDa’s historic downtown area. Below is a survey of the businesses along North Davidson between the Johnston Mill and Crown Station. Though parking requires some creative thinking, we encourage you to check out these neighboring businesses that provide services beyond the restaurant, bar, and entertainment scene. The Colony #3440 Laurel…
Letter from the Prez
NoDa Neighbors & Businesses, We are already four months into 2019. Winter seems to have finally left, and NoDa patios are bursting with neighbors and visitors enjoying the spring weather. While we are still early into the year, the NoDa Neighborhood and Business Association (NBA) board and volunteers have been busy working towards the 2019…
Optimist Park Market
If you have lived in or around the area for any significant amount of time, you are familiar with that famously quiet stretch of land in Optimist Park between Uptown and NoDa. Between high-speed Parkwood Avenue and desolate North Brevard Street, it is typically used as a cut-through for drivers on their way to NoDa….
NoDa Author Writes New Novel
“A wonderful tale of lesbian and literary New York in the 1980s, often funny, sometimes raunchy, sometimes romantic, and always real. Paula Martinac has a gift for bringing different pasts to life. Her portrait of the difficult friendship between two women of contrasting generations is both generous and wise.” – Christopher Bram, author of Gods…
East Sugar Creek Flows Once Again
On Wednesday, April 17, after nearly three and a half years, East Sugar Creek Road reopened with a soaring new roadway bridge over the LYNX light rail and North Carolina Railroad corridor. Think back to that sad old intersection and railroad crossing: traffic backed up to North Tryon and The Plaza multiple times per hour…
#askingforme – Getting Out of Bed
#askingforme is an advice column featuring Grace Sanders, a psychotherapist with over 25 years of experience helping people improve their “human-in-process” stuff. Send questions to her by email or use the anonymous form below. Dear Grace, I recently turned 40 and have been struggling a bit with where my life is. I mean, I have…
Everyday Rhythms – Stories of Hope
“Fairy tales do not give the child his first idea of boogey. What fairy tales give the child is his first clear idea of the possible defeat of boogey. The baby has known the dragon intimately ever since he had an imagination. What the fairy tale provides for him is a St. George to kill…