Charlotte's Levine Museum of the New South Featured in the New York Times

New York Times reporter Edward Rothstein penned a well thought out story on Charlotte's Levine Museum of the New South. The piece ran in the February 12, 2010 Time but was completely over looked by the Charlotte Observer.

Meckburbia thought it noteworthy:

It is unlikely that anything resembling the impressive Levine Museum of the New South would exist anywhere else. A museum of the New North or the New East would be merely peculiar, but here the term “New South” has a venerable heritage, recalling unrealized hopes and great expectations. There is also much at stake in trying to understand just what the term really means.



It came into use in the aftermath of the Civil War, signifying the changes that had to take place in the Old South. A rural agricultural world dependent on slave labor had to remake itself under the tutelage and dominance of the industrial North. This imposition of liberal modernity and urban life incorporated a demand for social transformation, an urgent call for restructuring the economy and a conviction that the South’s deepest beliefs must be jettisoned. It called for a full-scale reinvention. But there was little follow-through, so in the decades that followed Reconstruction, the process was punctuated by reversions and rebellions. The New South was always contested terrain.

The rest of the story is here.

The Levine Museum of the New South is at 200 East Seventh Street, Charlotte, N.C.; (704) 333-1887, museumofthenewsouth.org.

Big Ben Pub Burns

A Charlotte British termed restaurant has been destroyed in a fire this Sunday morning. The location at 810 Cottage Place has be operated under a number of names over the years. As far back as the late 1970's the home has been a restaurant.

My brother even manged the "Cottage" back in 1978. It's longest run was as Proposition XLV. While Fenwicks holds the title for longest continuous operation. Other names that have come and gone Saucy Crepe, Kakies

The building is a total loss, with damages estimated at about $1 million, Charlotte Fire Department Capt. Rob Brisley said.

The blaze started at about 6:30 a.m., and Providence was closed until almost noon.

No injuries were reported in the blaze, which took 60 firefighters to control.

The investigation into the fire's cause is still underway, but Brisley said the fire is believed to be accidental.

Big Ben, a British-themed pub and eatery, opened in 2006.

Senor Tequila Cantina Grill is a hidden gem in South Charlotte

There’s a little strip mall in southeast Charlotte, NC that is home to one of Charlotte’s hidden gems: Señor Tequila Cantina Grill, a Mexican restaurant and tequila bar that has a decent selection of tequilas and a menu packed with food choices from south of the border.

Tequila Examiner By Ryan Kelley

First thing to note is that Señor Tequila is cozy. That’s real estate lingo for “small.” There’s about a dozen tables inside and a few outside, with four stools at the small bar in the back of the restaurant. You do not step into a whole new world from the suburban strip mall that’s outside, but the warm, brightly decorated interior attempts to convince you that you are elsewhere, with bright yellow and deep blue walls, geckos painted with southwestern flair, and a Mexican mask or bronze sculpted sun here and there. The coolest decorations are the barrels that hang from the ceiling which are labeled with brand names of different tequilas. Strangely enough, I thought the bathroom was also really cool (see slideshow for a picture).

The menu is huge. There are tacos, enchiladas, chimichangas, burritos, steaks, seafood, beer, margaritas, and, of course, tequila. There are about 20 or so listed on the menu, but they are not always available - they were out of the first few I ordered. I ended up with Cabo Wabo resposado, which was brought out in a kitschy green cactus shot glass and garnished with a lime. I sipped the Cabo while enjoying my complimentary chips and salsa and watched a Carolina Panthers game projected onto the wall. According to user reviews on restaurant review web sites, there have been complaints about the wait on weekend nights. On this particular Sunday afternoon, however, it was a great place to relax. There were only a few other people, and service was friendly and attentive.

I always have a difficult time selecting from a large menu, especially one with standard Mexican fare. Prices at Señor Tequila are reasonable bordering on inexpensive, with entrees ranging from about $10 to $15. Even though it was only lunch, I selected one of the larger plates, the carne asada steak that comes with rice and beans. I also ordered a margarita, made with Hornitos.

The food was fantastic! It arrived piping hot, with a wonderful, spicy beef aroma. The carne asada was perfect - moist, juicy and tender. I didn’t even bother with tortillas, preferring to fill up on the meat and the unremarkable (yet still good) rice and refried beans in a fried tortilla shell. Unfortunately, the margarita was not great. It is your typical, run-of-the-mill Mexican restaurant margarita that is made with a bottled mix. It was too sweet, and the taste of the tequila was all but lost.

With my stomach full, my tequila palate still needed to be quenched, so I opted for a shot of Cuervo Reserva de Familia Añejo. I was planning to finish with Cabo añejo, but I have never had the Cuervo Reserva and my server was rather emphatic that I try it. He even brought out the bottle to show it to me. (I humored him with some ohhs and ahhs). Señor Tequila seemed like it would be the perfect place to try some top-notch Cuervo, which also arrived in that kitschy cactus shot glass. I was not blown out of the water by the Cuervo, but it is certainly one of Casa Cuervo’s better offerings and was a great way to end a satisfying meal.

OVERALL GRADE B
Tequila Selection C+
Food and Cocktails B+
Service A-
Ambiance B


Señor Tequila Cantina Grill
Piper Glen
6414 Rea Road
Charlotte, NC 28277-2528
(704) 543-0706‎

MedCenter One

The faint distant sound of Med Center One, a low rumble at first then louder and louder until it is nearly a deafening roar overhead. And just as fast it is gone from view just a dull whisper against the back drop of city noise. But in this troubling sound, a single word hope.



I hate the noise but I'm so glad those guys are there, be safe and keep up the good work.

Sundance Film Festival Brings Southern Rural Life to the Big Screen

Year's ago I attended a small film festival sponsored by Robert Redford at Park City Utah. The week long event had just changed its name from US Film Festival to the Sundance Film Festival . Back then it was nothing more than a whole lot of skiing and beer drinking with a few movies each evening made by little known producers, directors and actors, who in many cases were the same person. The hype and celebrities were no were to be found.

Now the once small festival is huge and very main stream. Robert Redford has often smiled when asked about his greatest achievement, his answer is often the annual Sundance film festival.

Last year Frozen River became one of my favorites. Frozen River was the winner of the Grand Jury Prize for Dramatic film. The film is a gritty look at life on the economic abyss as well as the edge of the United States where only a frozen river divides the US from Canada.

This year Debra Granik’s “Winter’s Bone,” changes the venue from up North to down South. The film is one that Sundance patrons have called the best movie in the festival.


Jennifer Lawernce in Winter's Bone

Based on Daniel Woodrell’s novel and set in Southern Missouri’s Ozark woods, the film follows indomitable 17-year-old Ree Dolly (Jennifer Lawrence) as she scours the pine-strewn hills and hollows near her cabin home in search of her missing meth-cooking father, who put their house up for bond after he was arrested. At the same time she's hunting for her father, Ree must care for her ailing mother and her young brother and sister. Ree’s terrifying outlaw kin are none to happy that she’s asking questions and dredging up the past, but her mission remains singular: find her father and protect her family.

The naturalistic thriller is saturated with small, telling details that collectively create an undeniable authenticity and regional authority; one set of neighbors is dressing a recently slaughtered deer, and more than one rusted-out car litters the otherwise bucolic landscape. This is no accident. Granik, who won the director’s award at the 2004 Sundance for her film “Down to the Bone,” explained her filming process as “visual anthropology.”

Granik, who first started working on “Winter’s Bone” in 2006, ultimately shot the film in 2009 entirely on location in Missouri. They cast locals in supporting roles and used them as dialect coaches. The costume department exchanged Carhartt jackets and plaid flannels with residents, to make sure the garments were stained with the dirt, soot and work of the local land.

“It was these details,” Granik said, “that helped us flesh out the characters.”

A little closer to home The Southeastern Film Critics Association gave "That Evening Sun" its Gene Wyatt Award, honoring the film that "embodies the essence of the South."


Hal Holbrook in Evening Sun

Adapted from the short story by William Gay called "I Hate to See That Evening Sun Go Down." Writer-director Scott Teems, who makes his feature debut, has been shown in limited relase since Thanksgiving. You can catch Evening Sun this week at the Ballantyne Village Theatre.

If you have moved to Charlotte in the last ten years and have never left the protection of SouthPark or the Brikdale Village you might not recognize the real world that is out there past I-485. But each of these films will leave you feeling a little out of touch with the real world, a world that is hard and never fair. A world free of bling and six figure incomes and multi million dollars homes that are so often portrayed on MTV Cribs.

If you're tired of Avatards telling you how great James Cameron's epic motion picture is or friends that can't wait for Twilight Eclipse (aka Twilight 3) these 3 films might be just what you need.

The Cat Moans

The cat weathervane anchored above my house has been moaning for the last 3 hours. The wind rushing past the eves with an occasional rumble, makes sleep elusive. WSOC’s John Ahrens a freakishly narrow shouldered guy I’m used to seeing in Charleston is explaining the National Weather Service’s watch and warning system to a sleepy Charlotte. It’s 11:30.

Funny how the talking weather heads and station executives like to stay on the air for extra innings when storms roll across the Piedmont.

Of course 100 years ago those who lived along Queens Road or out in the hither lands of Providence or Sharon didn’t have the play by play and color commentary of John Ahrens and Steve Udelson nor the computer graphics of WSOC-TV's Severe Weather Center 9.

They just listened to the wind and the rain.

I turn off the flat screen high definition image of John Arenas plunging my bedroom into welcome darkness. The wind pushes harder against the trees that surround my house and I listen.

The rain comes harder, then stops and comes harder still. The cat moans as the wind pushes its tail South then East, then North and South again.

The tornado warning will last until 11:45 and so I listen for that tell-tale sound of a freight train rushing through the night’s darkness. I’m prepared at any second to make a dash to the basement to escape the reported tornado’s path. But all I hear is rain and wind and a copper cat moaning as it pivots in circles on the roof above my house.

I imagine that 100 years ago a weather vane and a watchful eye to the west was about as good as weather forecasting could be. Quiet tin roof panels on a barn across the pasture meant all was well. Livestock running for cover meant you might want to do the same. A banging unlatched door on the chicken coop meant you might want to pay attention.

It’s the thud of a limb on the far side of the house that gets my attention and I get up to have a look. Madison my 7 year old black lab stirs in the kitchen and tags along to see what is up. Close behind Madison is Callie her six month old Labrador student of all things dog. The three of us determine all is well and one by one we wander back to our respective beds.

It’s 12:05 and a new day, the wind has eased and so too the rain, its steady rhythm quiets further as I drift off to sleep.

While not winter's end this storm will be one of many that will signal that spring is coming and with it more weather alerts and Severe Weather Center 9 interruptions.

Next time I think I’ll turn off the talking weather heads, and just enjoy the sounds of rain as it falls across the Carolinas.

My Dates with a TV News Reporter Part Five

Soon after the TV girl story first showed up on the web I started getting emails. Some kind, some pretty threatening.

TV girl divorced the Marine two months after he returned from Iraq. She left Charleston and hasn't been back since late 2007. Her carreer has moved on and she's been dating a guy who is just like the Marine she divorced, controling, mean and insulting, some things never change.

The last text message was something to the effect of "you know I can't come back to Charleston and you can't come here" my reply was a final "K".

But as much as we learn from life we also tend to repeat our mistakes, and so it goes.

Charlotte's CMUD Billing Mess

The Charlotte Observer's Paper Trail Blog notes the following:

City: No widespread water problems

Investigations of high water bills have not detected any unexpected trends or systemwide problems, according to a city memo released today.

City officials expect a Cornelius task force of business owners and residents to finish by March their work looking into the string of complaints, many from the Cornelius area the report says.

Here are excerpts from the "Utilities High Bill Concerns Update":

Cornelius Task Force - The group is tackling the complexities of meters, rates and billing and began clarifying some concerns raised by customers in the audience. Most customer concerns raised Monday evening were addressed by the task force, with four new cases identified that require further investigation by Utilities.

Additional Meter Testing – Utilities has begun implementing a meter-testing plan. Since mid-December, accuracy tests have been conducted on 11 in-service meters. The tests were conducted in accordance with industry-accepted practices and the meters were found to perform properly and accurately. The next step will include independent third party verification of the in-house test results.

Electronic Transmitters – It’s relatively infrequent, but malfunctioning electronic transmitters can result in low water use readings for a period, which can eventually lead to a high reading and subsequent bill ‘spike’ after the transmitter is replaced. Any customers affected by failing transmitters – or any other error on the City’s part – receive appropriate adjustments to their accounts.

Customer Investigations - Ongoing media coverage continues to prompt higher than normal bill inquiries and concerns. ...To date, Utilities staff has not detected any unexpected trends or system-wide problems in its investigations.

Last fall, residents of the Peninsula neighborhood in Cornelius complained of unusually high bills - in some cases, more than $500 a month - or abnormal spikes. Media coverage spurred more complaints citywide, and CMUD said it's struggling to investigate all of them.

My Dates with a TV News Reporter Part Four

I've been asked so I'll tell.

First TV girl is not pissed that I'd post this story or parts 1,2 and 3.

To those who sent me hate mail because her husband is "serving our country" overseas, get a life. No it's not Marika Kelderman on channel 5, she's not married and I'm not that smart.

To anyone else who thought this is dumb ..... Oh sorry I thought it was kinda cute. I also thought some people might see part of their own lives in my mess.

So the update.. might as well call this the "epilogue" now if you're expecting Pucke to take center stage and pour his heart out. GUESS AGAIN!

The marine husband returned to Iraq six months after we first met. Ever since then he's been blowing up TV girl's myspace page and cell with graphics and text messages. Seems TV girl put him on notice and he doesn't want to lose what he lost long ago.

The once uncaring self absorbed husband is suddenly Mr. I want to change. Hummm.

Well, I don't really know what to think. Considering TV girl confessed she had spent the better part of the past two weeks being the wife (yuck!) and trying to sort out their marriage.

So let's cover the facts first she's below my age limit (sorry Juliet I'm sticking to my 30+ rule) Let's be real here unless you have a PhD or are in your last year of an internship at MUSC (yes that would be you Jamie) I'm not even thinking drinks, much less relationship. Second I hate being lied to, which TV never has but man do I know a couple of experts on that subject. Third I don't want to be the cause of any marrige to come to a crashing end. Last I'm so not ready to make nice j/k, I mean play husband... but someone, somewhere, sometime though I'm not dumb enough to make it a goal or have a deadline.

To TV girl just because you think I'm a nice guy, polite in every way and have really nice hands doesn't mean we are meant to be. Please don't flip your entire life upside down for me. On the other hand I'll always be your best friend, just a cell phone call away.

BTW You best not wink on camera again it's not as subtle as you think, plus you know I'm in love with Robin Meade!

So what next? I have not a clue.

How about the Bahamas? Any takers?

My Dates with a TV News Reporter Part Three

When you fall for someone you shouldn't fall for, the first warning sign is you can't think straight. The second warning sign is you can't remember when it was that you last had a coherent thought.

I put the coffee pot in the refrigerator and the milk sits on the counter, it's the 3rd time in three weeks I do this and the cause is another 4AM phone call from TV girl. She's been at the scene of a fire since 2 AM, so I have 3 hours before she shows up at the door to the resort condo I've rented for a few days.

Over the last three months we have settled into a very comfortable routine. Three hours is too far to drive for dinner and sex so we opt for just the sex. Going out for dinner takes too much time, so we don't eat.

A week after we met at the wedding it was like we'd know each other a lifetime everything just clicked, it fit and fit well.

When we do go out dinner is always big fun, we joke and laugh, the conversations are always free and easy. Even the server at Poogan's cracks huge smile and tells us we are sooooo cute. We agree on most everything. Except, I like blue (colbalt) but she likes her blue light (Carolina).

She's smart and funny as can be, but the serious side comes out when work calls. I watch her toggle between her professional voice and her flirt voice. She's way cute then all busines and right back to way cute. She's also the new kid on the block at W whatever TV and that means weekends are a lost cause. She has big goals and big dreams and I learn fast don't crack on Katie Couric EVER!

At the end of May I'm reminded that the Marine will have a two week leave, but then would go back for another six months or so.

Last week the call came, the Marine was on his way. Tomorrow maybe Saturday afternoon. We call and text and call some more. At 11:52PM news comes that the Marine got an early flight out and will be "home" in the morning.

With her use of the word "home" comes a really sobering feeling, but I'm a nice guy. I offer encouragement and understanding. I promise to be here.

The next morning brings a text from TV Girl, "no call - no text K?" I don't reply. The "L" word shows up a few seconds later. I start to send the only thing I can say to that ... but change my mind. "Ditto" is not me but I send it anyway.

So all I can say is what was I thinking.

Footnote:

The "Marine" is back, and I'm really kinda glad. I'm also pleased to lean that his company has not been in a hostile area in 11 months. His job is at a desk at camp something freedom, they even have a Subway and Taco Bell. I'm sure it's not fun and frankly I think the war in Iraq is a mistake. I've also learned that "the Marine" has a really bad temper and once even loaded his AR15 and stormed out of the house to have a word with a friend who in a drunk fest made a move on TV Girl.

I think I'll change my cell number tomorrow. Move to LA or better yet the islands.

My Dates with a TV News Reporter Part Two

There's that really cool moment where the attraction flows both ways, when the mind shuts down and passion takes over.

I drive, she snuggles, we hold hands and the night races by. It's late and the lights on the Ravenel bridge over the Charleston Habor turn off as if on que. XM Radio is playing Snow Patrol Chasing Cars and even my SUV seems to know where this is all headed. I love to drive fast and high above the waters of the harbor we are flying, to a destination unknown.

Along highway 17 traffic lights become make out sessions, we get lucky and hit every red light for six miles.

Funny thing about weddings, there are always stragglers. But it seems a little odd that there are so many people in the parking lot. Turns out there has been an "all points bulletin" out for Ms. TV Girl as her car is still in the parking and she is no where to be found.

Suddenly my very attractive new found friend has the horrid look of panic on her face. I'm not sure if it is the crowd or the police car. She pleads to keep going and not to stop as we drive past the entrance to the country club.

OK, I'm game, I start to ask why are we running from your friends then pause to think or are we running from the police? All of a sudden Snow Patrol is replaced with Dirkes Bentley "What was I thinking" and we are on the run.

This would also explain the frequent looks at her Blackberry, the text messages and phone calls she wasn't answering. Things are not all that I had hoped for, it seems as Ms. TV is married. Or in her own words "I'm kinda married" and do I have questions.

Where is husband? Answer, we don't get along.

I try again.

Where is husband? Answer, Oh he's not here he's overseas.

Really? I reply.

Where overseas?

Iraq, she calmly answers.

I nearly take out a street light. What was I thinking is replaced with the twilight zone theme song.

It's surprising to me how fast things can go bad. Turns out Ms. TV Girl is married to a Marine who is in camp "Anaconda" which is the kind of death I can expect when he hears about Ms. "I'm leaving him" and won't be back until next summer.

Time to bail.

Guys are really not good at this, lame as I know it sounds I offer the, it's be fun, it's late, I have a big week coming up and I'll call you. Safely on the other side of the parking lot Mrs Married to a Marine who's in Iraq TV Girl slips out of my car.

The look is "I'm sorry" and "don't be mad at me"

I step out of my car and she comes over to my side. Silence, she hesitates, I do not. The kiss lasts forever.

To be continued....

If Time Could Go Backwards

Do you ever wonder were all the years have gone? If Einstein’s theory is correct, if we travel fast enough we can make time go backwards and sometimes that is all I’d really like, just to have time go in reverse.

Back to a simple time when Charlotte was nothing more than a small town.

If you have lived here all your life then it is called Highway 51 and not Pineville Matthews Road. But 16 is still and always has been Providence Road.

The corner of Queens and Queens doesn’t bother you, and you know that Charlotte Country Club and Myers Park Country Club are not the same.

If you’re old enough, I’m not but my father had an “account” at Myers Park Hardware. Accounts were kept on a ledger and hand written statements were mailed out at the end of every month. I still remember being asked if I wanted to put my bag of Scott’s fertilizer on my account. I paid cash, though I don’t think my father would have cared.

My brother pumped gas at Queen’s Shell station when gas was under a dollar. I remember the day “Ben” retired and the last time I saw Dan Queen up under a car.

The lunch counter at Eckerd’s was a great place for a hot dog while you waited for Dan to change your oil.

Things were a lot simpler back then. Charlotte’s soon to be suburbs were Raintree and Carmel Estates, everything else was farmland including the winding road to Sharon where they had just anounced plans to built a new shopping center called SouthPark.


Herefords graze where Belk's now stands. Circa 1966

Efird's

Efird's, downtown Charlotte, North Carolina. Exterior façade on Tryon Street with wall sign, circa 1955 (courtesy Pat Richardson)<

By Steve Swain - Special to Meckburbia

Beginning operations as the “Racket Store” and soon thereafter as the “Bee Hive” on the corner of East Trade Street and North College Street in Charlotte, North Carolina, the store would become Efird’s Department Store was bought by Anson County native Hugh Efird and two of his brothers, Joseph and Edmund, in 1907.



Joseph Efird took charge of the Charlotte store after Hugh died in 1909 and oversaw the creation of a chain of stores that eventually included over 50 retail establishments across the Carolinas and Virginia, all directed from Charlotte.





In 1922, plans were announced for constructing a brand new half million dollar Efird’s Department Store on the 100 block of North Tryon Street. The new flagship Efird’s store was designed by locally renowned architect Louis Asbury and was a state of the art store: five stories high with over 100,000 square feet of floor space including a bargain basement a top floor dining room and, uniquely of its time, escalators.


Efird's, downtown Charlotte, North Carolina. Exterior façade on Tryon Street with wall sign,date unknown. (courtesy Pat Richardson)

Efird’s sold out to Belk in the mid 1950s, and its North Tryon Street store became part of the adjacent Belk complex. The store building was razed in the early 1990s, and the Bank of America Corporate Center sits on its site today.

More about the stores and malls of the past including early photos of SouthPark at Live Malls.

The "World’s Worst Martin Luther King Statue"

A follower of Cedar Post sent this link to us, thinking that indeed the Martin Luther King sculpture in Marshall Park is just a little odd.

The piece is by Creative Loafing Columnist John Grooms who writes a little known blog called Boomer with a Attitude.

We at Meckburbia say "little known" because we noticed nearly all of his posts have only one comment. Mostly negative, as in "Get a Real Job!" and "Do You Have On Clean Underwear?" and "Get A Haircut!", well at least his mother comments on his blog.

Check out his blog at the link above!

MLK Day’s coming — time for a new statue

By John Grooms

An Associated Press story today about President Obama redecorating the Oval Office featured a photo of a beautifully sculpted bust of Martin Luther King Jr. The picture was a stark reminder, particularly with MLK’s national holiday coming up soon, that Charlotte needs to find a replacement for the statue of (supposedly) MLK, Jr. in Marshall Park.

The sculpture, which looks as if some arbitrary guy is holding his hand out to check for rain, was created in the 1980s by then-80-year-old Selma Burke, originally of Mooresville and ostensibly the creator of the Roosevelt image featured on the dime. The MLK statue, and I’m being very kind, sort of, kind of looks like Martin Luther King, but not really — although, strangely enough, it’s a dead ringer for a guy I grew up with named Hazel Willis. Seriously.


The Marshall Park statue of (supposedly) Martin Luther King, Jr.

The Marshall Park statue once inspired an unsuccessful effort to replace the head of the full-body sculpture, which, on top of its other distinctions, was named “World’s Worst Martin Luther King Statue” in a book by Jerry Bledsoe, North Carolina Curiosities.

With MLK Day approaching, this is the perfect time for local government to spring for a better statue. It’s simple, really: if you honor someone with a statue, at least make sure it looks like the guy.

Fury Cold Day in Charlotte

You know it is cold in Charlotte when the "Yankees" start shopping at the Harris Teeter in fur jackets that match the color of their hair.



Sends a chill down our spines.

Charlotte's Holiday on Ice set to Close This Weekend

WBT's Holiday on Ice will close on this week end despite record cold temps.



If you missed out of the fun, don't worry Meckburbia has the line on some other places to slip on a pair of ice skates in Charlotte and Meckbubria:

Extreme Ice Center

Pineville Ice House

Remember Mom's advice: "Keep you hands closed so you don't get your fingers cut off and don't lick the ice!"

My Dates with a Charleston TV News Reporter Part - One

I spend a lot of time in Charleston but at the same time, I'm not real familiar with local TV personalities. So when I was introduced to Ms. TV girl at a wedding in late October few years ago I had not a clue.

The introduction offered not much other than.. "This is my sister's … ummm.... college roommate, I think...." left to fend for myself I came up with the most amazing pickup line… "Hi"

Thank God she saved me with a cute complement about my tie.

So a few glasses of really nasty champagne, a turn around the dance floor and we were out the door. We stood in the parking lot, traded phone numbers and started to go our separate ways.

It's only 9:10 PM and I'm going home unless I do something quick, "Coffee"? I ask.

"I'd love some coffee", came the surprise reply.

I love a great coffee and know all the stops at home and but when I'm out of my element I am smart enough to follow. We took my Lexus and she gave directions.

Her choice first, it's not really late but her fav place is already closed. My turn, there's a five star restaurant with tiny bar in a hotel near by …. SCORE! A happy hostess, some really good champagne, one seven layer coconut cream cake to die for, two forks and then the best coffee.

I don't notice the stares at first, but before long I do notice. There's a couple in their mid sixties and they are staring and still I have no clue that this person, this stranger to me is no stranger to everyone else, as Ms. TV has described her profession as "I work in media" and she quickly changes the subject.

She asks me about my work. "My work is simple and at the same time complex, I'm an investment manager, as my father and my grandfather before me".

Neither of us are giving up any secrets tonight, but our conversation moves with an easy flow, my life in Charlotte, my friends, her friends, her dreams, mine.

Time stands still and the older couple soon depart. If there are other patrons I don't notice and soon it's just the two of us and the last of the restaurant staff.

I open the door for her, as the restaurant's vacuum comes to life and we step out into the moist evening air. I suddenly find her hand on my arm and she's holding on tight.

She's prefect, pretty, a great smile, with all the needed parts in all the right places. Though I don't know it yet, I'm about to bail.

Part Two is Here.