Sunday, March 19, 2017

Wandering as usual

Blogging is fun. Not really. Blogging takes time, dedication, a love for computer work and sedentary action, all of which I am agreeable to. I haven't blogged in years, moved to DC and am consumed with my photography work and so I want to share again...adventures of a traveler, a snatcher of images, an outspoken liberal and yes, a tootler, which simply means, I wander.

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

FALL IN



                         FALL IN  LOVE WITH FALL
                                                                 click here to hear FALLing

The list  of the inducted nominees for 2013 Rock and Roll Hall of Famers includes five performers I've been lucky enough to have seen LIVE. Check it out,  how many have you seen? Go to Nominees to find out now. Alright already! Here's one song by one nominee whom  YOU WILL REMEMBER (maybe)...click here y'all.
Last year, this yankee chic was inducted into the Hall of Fame.  Born in DAH Bronx in 1947, she lived only 50 short years. Self taught on the piano, she composed her first song at the tender age of eight and made her first professional appearance at 18 singing in a San Francisco cafe. This generation has Adele; forty years ago we had Laura. Oct. 18 would have been her 65th birthday. Take a minute to hear her amazing voice, Click here. Does anyone see the birth of lady GAGA in this video? I do!

Stoned Soul Picnic: A Celebration of the Life and Music of Laura Nyro
NOVEMBER 9
The Katharine Hepburn Theater
Old Saybrook, Ct
Tickets available: www.katharinehepburntheater.org

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Just a few more New York Minutes...

Another New York Yankee will be celebrated by renaming West 121st Street "George Carlin Way", where the world renown comedian grew up nearby and attended Corpus Christi Church where he attended school. Little known fact: Carlin was the first to host SNL in OCTOBER of 1975! Click here. (This takes a bit long to load but it's worth it!)

RIGHT HERE - New York public garden designer and director of the Conservatory Garden in Central Park,  Lynden B. Miller,  is coming to Charlotte to speak about the importance of preserving open space on October 25 at 6pm in Tate Hall - CPCC.  Parking is available at the Student/Faculty deck off 4th Street. 

 Lynden B. Miller's work includes gardens for The Central Park Zoo, Bryant Park, The New 
York Botanical Garden, Madison Square Park, Wagner Park in Battery Park City, waterfront 
gardens in Red Hook, Brooklyn, (take a breath), improvements to Union Square Park and the 97th Street Park 
Avenue Mall, renovation of the “Gateway to Harlem” Broadway Mall at 135th Street, Loeb Plaza 
for Hunter College, the 67th Street Armory, and the completion of a garden design for the
 US Supreme Court in Washington, DC. Whew! This gal has been busy! 

 Lend support- go listen and learn. Miller will also meet with Mecklenburg's Park and Recreation’s Horticulture staff to relate her approach to various landscape design challenges.

And while I mentioned it, did you know that Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation was selected as the 2012 National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) Gold Medal Award winner? Yeah buddy!

Established in 1965, the Gold Medal Award honors U.S. communities that demonstrate excellence in parks and recreation through long-range planning, resource management, volunteerism, environmental stewardship, program development, professional development and agency recognition. Applicants are separated into five classes based on population.

Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation was selected the winner in the Class I category (population 250,000 and over) competing against:
  • City of Henderson (NV) Parks and Recreation Department
  • Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, Riverdale, MD
  • Plano (TX) Parks and Recreation

Recently visiting beautiful Mecklenburg County, hostess EDEN Grishpan of the latest foodie/travel show, Eden Eats, toured and feasted in our queen city, Charlotte.  Eden Grinshpan is a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu (mon dieu!) with the "Grande Diplome" in Pastry and Cuisine. What a show off! After attending New York's Institute of Culinary Education, she opened a bakery called Babycakes and is the co-owner of ethNICtY Productions and host of her own TV show on the Cooking Chanel.  

One of her recent shows that I caught on TV showed Eden trekking through Charlotte for 24 hours, some of the places I had never been to or hear of!  She visited: Nova Bakery, Grand Asia Market, PePeRo, Bollywood Bites and a few other cool places to eat. My next blog will retrace her steps and give my own review! Stay tuned. Have you been to any of these places? If so, please email me: kbshoots55@gmail.com and I'll publish your thoughts-only good ones, please!

                                 Eden Grinshpan
                                               Eden Grinshpan
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This just in...CHARLOTTE, N.C. 

 Two new outlet malls will open in Charlotte in 2014 giving three-quarters of a million square feet of retail space for us to shop till we drop!  

~Simon Property Group, which also owns and operates Concord Mills and SouthPark Mall, plans to open Charlotte Premium Outlets at Interstate 485 and Idlewild Road.

~Greensboro-based Tanger Outlet Centers announced plans to open Tanger Outlets Charlotte at Steele Creek Road and I-485.

The new shopping malls will generate over 300 construction jobs and 900+ full- and part-time retail jobs.
                                            Can  you spell R-E-C-O-V-E-R-Y?

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                                              Vote now or forever hold your peace!



Can I register and vote the same day?

Yes! But only during early voting. North Carolina’s  One-Stop Absentee Voting system allows same-day registration during the early voting period. So whether you vote early or on election day you must Register Before Election Day.
A North Carolina resident who is qualified to register to vote may register In-Person and vote at a One-Stop Site in the person’s county of residence during the One-Stop Absentee Voting period. The One-Stop Voting period extends from 19 to 3 days before Election Day. However, there is no voter registration during the One-Stop Voting period for a Second Primary.
To take advantage of same-day registration during the early voting period, you must show election officials one of the following acceptable forms of identification as proof of your residence:
  • NC Driver’s License with current address
  • Utility bill with current address
  • Bank statement with current address
  • Paycheck stub with current address
  • Student ID with a document from the school showing the student’s current address
  • Any local, state, or federal document showing your residential address (car registration, fishing license, military ID, Social Security letter, tax bill, etc.).
                   
                       Remember early voting ends Saturday November 3rd.
People who are eligible to vote but didn't register can do one stop at
early voting sites.   They can register to vote there, then vote.
Voters can cast their ballots at more than 350 early-vote locations statewide. Find a list of early voting locations near you here.                             

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                                                                 More Americana



Pops: America

Presented by Charlotte Symphony at Belk Theater
October 26-October 27, 2012
Admission Info:
$44.50 - $79.50
Founding members Gerry Beckley and Dewey Bunnell bring America’s infectious harmonies and winning blend of pop, rock and folk -listen here folks- to Charlotte for two nights of unforgettable music. Since their chart-topping 1972 debut made them cornerstones of 70′s Top 40 and FM rock radio, America has amassed a string of hits that includes “A Horse with No Name,” “Ventura Highway,” “Sister Golden Hair,”... 

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                                Get some culture- click here for some
Kinda like a culture "club", Art and Science Council's "Connect with Culture" card is an invitation to the cultural offerings our Charlotte community.  Get your card today buy making a donation to ASC online or call 704-333-2ASC (2272).

~Then PRESENT your card at participating organizations to receive buy-one-get-one-free offers and discounts. (See the link below.)

~ENJOY connecting with culture along with friends and family.
Every donor who gives $50 or more to ASC's  Make Your Mark campaign receives a Connect with Culture within a few weeks.
                                   The 2012-2013 Connect with Culture card expires June 30, 2013.
                                                             Click here for info
To visit and learn more about CharlotteCultureGuide and sign up for 
CulturePicks! e-mails, click here.

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My new discovery this month was stumbling upon Lenny Boy Kombucha Tea. What?



Watch this little impromptu video I did at Lenny Boy's "kombucha bar" !


This month I have dined at some new places for me, that is: Soul Gastrolounge, FERN, Anntony'sCaribbean Cafe - all in Plaza Midwood section of Charlotte-my favorite place to hang on weekends. All three places were yummy. Anntony's was a Sunday comfort dinner for me, chicken slathered in Anntony's famous sauce, spicy collards and corn bread!
Urban Spoon Rating click!


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Speaking of Plaza Midwood~don't miss the big sale!
  Oct. 25-27


"Clean SLATE" Sale    10am-5pm

Temporary sale location directly behind 

SLATE Interiors, 1401 Central Ave, Charlotte, NC


                       ~Cash or check only please~



and

Oak Hall Estate Sale  


Thurs.Friday 12-4pm    Saturday 8:30 am until ...
2101 Central Ave, Charlotte
          
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Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2012/10/19/3607652/simon-property-opening-charlotte.html#storyThurFourth Annual Three Olives Vodka Martini Fest
                                             Also on Thursday October 25
                                                       MARTINIFEST

~More than a dozen local restaurants and bars will be mixing up their signature martinis along with great food, while music fills the air.
~Living in Perfect Pleasure Fashion Show by Lipp Boutique. 6-11 p.m. $20; VIP $40.  
                   at Pavilion at EpiCentre, 210 E. Trade St., pavilionatepicentre.com      ticketssoeasy.com/martinifest
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                                                       Friday, October 26

                                                   Oktoberfest at Whisky River

Enjoy cornhole and complimentary food from 5-10 p.m., along with drink specials all night such as $3 seasonal brews and $5 pumpkin bombs.
Time: 5 p.m.-2 a.m.
Place: Whisky River, at EpiCentre, 210 E. Trade St., whiskyrivercharlotte.com.
                             
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                                                             Saturday, October 27

Any plans for Halloween? How bout the Monster Mash Ball

at D'Vine Wine Cafe?
14815 John J. Delaney Drive, Suite 240 Charlotte,  NC

  4th Annual "Monster Mash Ball" featuring music by Cap'n Sam's DJ (alias Mayor Curt) and Prizes & Gift Cards for tons of costume categories. 
                                                 Party starts at 9:30 PM


The Wine Shoppe at D'Vine features over 600 (yes 600!) selections and 2000 bottles including Library Selections in the temperature controlled cellar from Opus, Caymus, Pio Caesere, Chimney Rock, Pride Mtn., and many others. Located in the back of the Cafe section inside D'Vine Wine, it's Ballantyne's only retail wine shop.

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                                             Oct. 29: Canvas and Cuisine. 
                                                       Pop-up Dinner!
The Market Kitchen's latest pop-up restaurant event is inspired by the Bechtler's Giacometti: Memory and Presence exhibit. The museum will host, and the dinner will include a four-course menu, with dishes that focus on subject, color, technique, and texture. 7 p.m. Tickets are $80 per person. 704-353-9200,bechtler.org.
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BEST CONCERT in OCTOBER in CHARLOTTE

Neighborhood Theatre-NoDa
LEON RUSSELL

I don't want to hear that old guys (or gals) can't rock! Speak for yourself!
Get out of your rocking chair, turn off the TV and really rock.
Me, I'm going out on the town to find some rock and roll.
It's not hard to find. Charlotte gets all of the best, top name acts without the crazies that mob big city concerts. 





Most creative ART Exhibit in OCTOBER in CHARLOTTE

these are life-size!


NOW until November 3rd-don't miss it!
Red SKY Gallery
1523 Elizabeth Ave, Charlotte, N.C.

October 26 an evening with
Betsy Towns~talk and ceramic demo!
6:00-8:30pm







                       $pendit$hareit$preadit$pendit$hareit$preadit                        








Wednesday, September 26, 2012

See you in September

Click here to start out with a song about SEPTEMBER, what else!

WHAT to do with leftovers...

I know I'm not the only one who can't figure out how to dispose of leftover and unused drug prescriptions. We are told NOT to flush medicines down the toilet because it affects our water supply and critters in the water systems. I have taken pills back to the drug store from which I bought them and that works although one does hope they don't reuse them. Once a year, we have a simple solution to destroy unused drugs.

September 29 is National Prescription Drug Take Back Day.Click here for more info.
 Federal and local law enforcement agencies prevent pill abuse or theft and allow any medicine to be dropped off to be destroyed.
“Prescription drug abuse has reached epidemic proportions in our country,” U.S. Attorney Anne Tompkins said in a news release. “Events like this give people the opportunity to safely remove prescription drugs from their homes and put them beyond the reach of those who may abuse them.”

Last year North Carolina collected over 7,500 pounds of prescription drugs according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.  
Drop off sites are open Saturday, September 29, 2012
Mecklenburg County
• Bi-Lo: 9101 Pineville-Matthews Rd., Pineville, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Cornelius Town Hall, 21445 Catawba Ave., Cornelius, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Harris Teeter (multiple sites): 959 Sam Furr Rd., 5810 Prosperity Church Rd., 6701 Morrison Blvd., 7852 Rea Rd., and 1811 Matthews Township Pkwy. Matthews. All open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., except for Morrison Boulevard location, which will run from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Pike’s Pharmacy, 2133 Shamrock Dr., Charlotte; 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Walgreen’s, 9202 Lawyers Rd., Charlotte, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Union County
• Food Lion, 3812 E. Hwy. 74, Wingate, 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
• Stallings Police Department: 315 Stallings Rd., 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Wal-Mart: 2406 W. Roosevelt Blvd., Monroe, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Waxhaw Police Department, 703 E.W. South. Main St., Waxhaw, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Wesley Chapel Fire Department, 315 Waxhaw Indian Trail Rd, Waxhaw, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

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               NOT LEFTOVER!
Here's a song for you...click here, sultry and sexy with the signature mirror shades! 

White haired and long flowing beard, he could pass for Santa coming a bit early to town, our town. The Neighborhood Theatre in NoDa, Charlotte is presenting an oldie but goody, septuagenarian and father of Delta Funk: Leon Russell. Many of us remember seeing and hearing Leon for the first time tickling the ivories with Joe Cocker's band, Mad Dogs and Englishmen on their live 1970 album. Yes I was alive then and old enough to rock and roll!  
In 2010 Elton John dug up Leon from his state of self exile and recorded some songs with him. Then in 2011, Russell was inducted into the R&R Hall of Famers, introduced by Elton himself. Hallelujah! Click here to view

Neighborhood Theatre, 511 E. 36th St. Charlotte
$25-$40. Sept. 29, 8 p.m. 

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 You know and I know that rock and roll can NEVER die! 

Farm Aid video by Karen Cohen 2012

Neil Young said it best! I just caught my first Farm Aid concert on September 22 in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Neil Young hosted a sold out show with fellow melody makers: Jack Johnson, John Mellencamp and Dave Matthews, just to name a few. Willie Nelson finished the all day festival which ran from 4pm-11pm+. The guys shared a new song, called "Home Grown". 

Farm Aid has been raising funds for the farmers of America for the past 27 years since 1985. Here was the lineup for that premiere show: AlabamaHoyt AxtonThe Beach BoysThe BlastersBon JoviGlen CampbellJohnny CashDavid Allan CoeJohn ConleeCharlie Daniels Band,John DenverBob DylanJohn FogertyForeignerVince GillArlo Guthrie,Sammy HagarMerle HaggardDaryl HallEmmylou HarrisDon Henley,Waylon JenningsBilly JoelRandy NewmanGeorge JonesRickie Lee JonesB. B. KingCarole KingKris KristoffersonHuey LewisLoretta Lynn,John MellencampRoger MillerJoni MitchellNitty Gritty Dirt BandWillie NelsonRoy OrbisonTom Petty and the HeartbreakersCharley Pride,Bonnie RaittLou ReedKenny RogersBrian SetzerSissy SpacekTanya TuckerEddie Van HalenDebra WingerNeil Young, and Joe Ely. OMG!

 Now some of these dudes are in their 50's, 60's, 70's and are still rocking. "Old man, look at my life, I'm a lot like you are. "
                                   Click here! 

The money raised from the annual Farm Aid concerts provides food, legal, financial and psychological assistance to farmers who have lost their crops and belongings through natural disasters, such as victims of Hurricane Katrina.

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Tootlin' from North Carolina to Hershey PA took us about 8+ hours. To pass the time, I signed up with audible.com and we listened to a book read out loud through my smart phone. You can plug in earbuds and share them with your driving buddy and both listen, or play the phone on speaker. How cool is that! Each book is priced differently and you accrue points.  
      
                               audible.com           
                                
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Vote NOW: Yes, now! Click on this link to place your vote for Hickory Tavern, Charlotte, NC
                                  For The Second Year In A Row
                      HICKORY TAVERN
                                   Has Made The Finals In The
              ESPN Best Sports Bar In North America!

Show your Charlotte hometown pride and help keep this title in the Carolinas. The competitors are: Gator's Cafe and Saloon in Florida and Moose McGillycuddy's in Hawaii. Having not been to either of those establishments, I can personally testify for Hickory Tavern as being the best out of the lot. There's two within 5 miles of my home and I am there at least once a month! Good place to grab a late night meal, a quick bite for lunch or dinner and enough TV screens to spin your head! Click here to vote.


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Free, did I say Free? Free Museum Day all over this country-
          Click here to get two free tickets Saturday Sept. 29, 2012  
Enter your information to get an email reply with free tickets for 
                                           two.
                                          
Carolina's Aviation Museum

4672 First Flight Dr
Charlotte , NC 28208   

AND                           



Mint Museum Randolph
2730 Randolph Road
Charlotte, NC 28207

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Another oldie but goodie, I found this vehicle in a car lot upstate New York.           Now I want one! Click here
       Do you know what make and model this is? Email me if you do:              kbshoots55@gmail.com