I'm in a New York State of Mind...

So I was in a New York State of mind (click on this!)
and decided to do a road trip. Tootled around up north for a week or so, crossing the Hudson a few times to see "the SI-TEE", my city. Just like I pictured it, crawling like an ant hill with activity, I packed in as much food and friends as I could and left wanting more of the above!
BTW (by the way) Homeboy Bruce was in town, too, playing at the historic Apollo Theater in Harlem, but did I score tickets? NOOOOOOO, don't rub it in, already!

A smorgasbord of sights, sounds, and smells, New York never stops moving and it's like nothing you can even imagine. It's hard to "pull over" out of the bustling surge of pedestrians just to snap a photo or two, never mind to look around. Keep moving even if you are not sure where you are going, listen to your GPS set to "walk" and watch the traffic lights! You can get mowed down or very close to it. Hey, New Yorkers are in a hurry. "What are you looking at?!" They have places to go and people to see, it's no joke pal. And I love it.

It's not like down south where people eagerly wave you to "go ahead" at a green light when they have the right of way. No, no! Move or get run down. Ok, so that might not be the healthiest attitude. But in New York, the streets are like one giant conveyer belt, hop on, hop off, but don't block the lane! Pleaze!

Need a break when you need to get far from the maddening crowds? 

Try PINKBERRY! So far, this is my #1 favorite frozen yogurt destination. While in New York, I hit the one on 32nd Street and found school had just gotten out. Bad timing. Kids galore! Some whining, some tantrums, (and that was just me!) but I waited online because it is worth it, I swear!

Two locales in Charlotte- at the Arboretum on Providence Road and Phillips Place-been to both and I love the decor: cheerful and retro; it makes me smile for many reasons. Occasionally, (really) I don't mind calling this lunch and sitting alone slurping down their "daily swirls". I prefer the solitude of taking my sweet ole' time to fully immerse my taste buds in each unique flava flav. My yums go to: salted caramel and pomegranite. OMG! Did someone say that it's also Kosher. Oy veh! Top mine with fresh fruit (no syrupy soggy stuff like some other yogurt places!) and toasted almonds. If I feel especially wicked, brownie bites and some shaved dark chocolate to send me swooning! Ok, enough exclamations, just go try it. Opens at noon and rocks into the night!

WORD UP Heard a new word listening to NPR driving for hours on end and thought I'd share:  Nomophobia is the fear of being out of mobile phone contact. The term, an abbreviation for "no-mobile-phone phobia". Gotta love it.


smART: McColl Center for Visual Art has a gallery reception 6-9pm this Friday March 23 showcasing art from artists in residence- click for more details. Free to attend with a cash bar featuring $1.00 beer. 




MONSTERs anyone? Mad Monster Party (click on it) this weekend at the Blake Hotel, 555 S. McDowell Street, Charlotte. 

Over 40 monster movies will be screened, scary-queen contests, celebrity monsters will appear, such as the creature from the black lagoon, my friend dated him, I think! Creators of Monster Magazine in 2011, promoters Eben McGarr, writer-director-producer (House of the Wolf Man, Sick Girl) and Joe Moe whose many talents include filmmaking, writing and singing (his website also reveals that he "once operated the front half of beloved Muppet, Snuffleupagus". 
If you go, PLEASE send me some photos: kbshoots55@gmail.com and I will post them! 


REtail: Missing Sedona Boutique which had been in Providence Promenade some time back, I accidentally "rediscovered" it tucked behind Crate and Barrel at the Village at Southpark Mall. One of a kind items from around the world, shopping here is a visual delight. Everything is colorful, opulent and decorator perfect! Do hit the 50% off sale corner! My finds: great jewelry and colorful leaf bowls. De lovely. 

QUEENS CUP RACES/Tailgate!

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Where is this? If you know where this is, send me a comment. You can decipher the place by reading this sign- if you are dyslexic!

(in Charlotte!)

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JAZZY: MONDAY March 26 at 6PM
 Bechtler Museum of Modern Art features lecture and performance to highlight abstract art and hard bop jazz. Sounds intriguing! Cash bar opens at 6pm, Ziad Jazz Quartet and pianist Noel Freidline perform selections from Miles, Monk and Coltrane.

$8.00 admission fee   or free for members
Call 704-353-9200 for more info or click on Bechtler Museum (above in purple).

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Songstress from New York moves to our town! Lucky us- !

Presenting Liv Zato...performing 1st and 3rd Tuesdays 

Mugs Coffee 

5126 Park Road, Charlotte

Open: 7 am - 9 pm

Have a cup of Joe and support a home town girl!

Eat, play and love!

Valentine's Day! Don't let it go by without saying "I love you" to someone special in your life. Take them OUT! And do buy a present, even if they tell you, "I don't want you to spend any money on me!" Do not arrive empty handed. Consider yourself forewarned!

Ideas? WOO-HOO! Wednesday, Feb. 8th, Guys Night OUT at the Boulevard on South End (1440 S Tryon Street Suite 100, Charlotte), sweets for your sweet and jewels-what girl doesn't like jewels? Even the florist will be there to take your orders and don't think there isn't something in it for you, mister! New World Beer, also in South End, will be hosting and pouring some brewskies just pour vous! 

EAT HERE! Did y'all see Emeril Lagasse with Colleen Odegaard on the Charlotte Today show Jan. 30? OH YEAH! Emeril is in the HOUSE- our house, so to speak, promoting his new restaurant e2. I have eaten at Emeril's in Vegas and New Orleans (see the photo), more than once and always find his offerings fresh, fun and totally hip.

The most recognized chef and winner of the James Beard Award, Emeril races ahead of yesterday's trends. With over 20 years of experience, this top chef premiered the cooking network on TV, especially for the men! My man included. Comfort food is his forte. In 2011 Emeril hosted "The Originals with Emeril", a new series on the Cooking Channel, visiting historic eateries in cities around the world.

I am thrilled that he is HERE in our town and have several nights reserved with friends to try out his signature dishes, especially the oysters! YUM. Make your reservations because word is the place is packed. e2 is at the Levine Center for the Arts, Tryon Street, next to the relocated Mint Museum, the Knight Theater and the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art. Check out my review in the next blog!

RO-MAN-TIC! The ambiance is killer at Zink, which relocated from uptown Tryon Street to South Park Mall (Charlotte) recently. The same owners as my favorite seafood restaurant, Upstream in Phillips Place, and of Mimosa Grill in uptown, the interior has an ultra hip urban feel, dark lighting, a 30' zinc bar (hence the name), and live entertainment on weekend nights. Using local ingredients, chef Tommy Dyrness serves up comfort foods that your momma never thought of: lobster mac and cheese or sweet chili glazed pork wings! Sit down and shuddup! Perfect date food: buttermilk chicken sliders for the lady and a big juicy Rock House Farm Wagyu Burger for the guy and don't skip the fries! Awesome.

Cheap Date: WOO-HOO! February 9 at the McColl Center for Visual Art, bring your honey and warm up the night listening to funky, americana blues with HEYWIRE. Live music runs 7-10pm at 721 North Tryon Street, Charlotte, NC. $10.00 non-members.

Love is in the AIR! Saturday February 11- 7:30pm at the McGlohon Theatre
Carolina Voices bring CRAZY LOVE, their annual Valentine concert uptown, featuring songs from Patsy Cline to James Taylor.

Southern BLUZES! Five time grammy award winner, guitarist and vocalist, Robert Cray, hits the Neighborhood Theatre this SUNDAY in NoDa. Even if you have "No One Special", check out this true rhythym and blues legend.

Cray was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 2011.
 Call (704) 358-9298 for tickets and details.

smART: Pop up gallery at Atherton Mill, 2000 South Blvd. Charlotte
Opening reception: February 10, 5-8:00pm
Feeding the Soul and the Needy (Second Harvest Food Bank will accept canned food donations)
Featuring a month long exhibit of Carl Plansky

Yankee-born, New Yorker, Carl Plansky 1951- 2009. He was a prolific artist and paintmaker whose career spanned 35 years. This exhibit, sponsored by the Elder Gallery, will feature large paintings, charcoals and monoprints, some of which have never been seen.

WHERE IS THIS? I go here for music, food, art, shopping, people watching, tats, etc!

Note: WOO-HOO's are events that come and go in the blink of an eye! In other words, they have an expiration date, so act fast. Click on the Woo-hoo's to open up links to details and info. 

About Karen Cohen (the yankee blogger- me!)

Location	North Carolina, United States
Introduction	I am a born and bred Yankee from the New Yawk metro area. Say it loud! I tootle around town a lot: tootle means to walk or drive in a leisurely fashion, amble. I worked as a photojournalist for punk rock magazines in the metro area of NYC back in the 80's. I love punk rock and still think the Ramones and Patti Smith Group were some of the best live bands in the universe. In the 90's, we moved to the rural hills of Appalachia-yeah, that's what I said! and we learned how to SIMPLIFY. Simply put, that meant no running water, no indoor toilet, no heat, no neighbors for a mile around. Might I mention how great that decade of my life was!! (More later...) During that time, I wrote a weekly column called Nature's Way in my local newspaper and TAWKED (pardonez mon accent!), about organic gardening and well, nature! Now I live in the "south" (below the Mason Dixon Line), and have been called a yankee more than once. The funny thing is, we northerners like being called yankees. After all, we named our baseball team, da Yankees. My aim with this blog is to pass on to whomever wishes (not only yankees!) some of my adventures tootling around the south.
Interests	Being a foodie and an organic grower, I eat out often and favor slow cooking and locally produced food. Being a photographer, I snap shots of whatever grabs my fancy and have several exhibits, solo and en mass, here, there and anywhere that I can! I'll let you know about those. I attend at least 10 concerts/shows per year so I can give you advance notice of shows and reviews! I love art, professional,amateur and even student art. I buy it, produce it and attend gallery openings,receptions and exhibits-details will follow!

Transplants and visitors to the Charlotte-Metro area of the USA will find my blog helpful. Remember, it is just one yankee's opinion! Please give me yours! Tips, photos, ideas, I would love to hear and share them. Hit the comment box and leave me your thoughts. Your comments are all screened first before they appear online, just to keep it clean!!