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APRIL 12TH
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APRIL 2019 | VOLUME 33 | NUMBER 3
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9 CREATIVE LOAFING IS PUBLISHED BY WOMACK NEWSPAPERS, INC. OFFICE: 336-316-1231 Publisher BRANDON BUTLER brandon@clclt.com EDITORIAL Editor KATIE MURAWSKI katie@yesweekly.com Contributors IAN MCDOWELL
NOSTALGIC TATTOOS
MATT BRUNSON JENNIFER ZELESKI JOHN ADAMIAN
What do the Star Wars Millennium Falcon, The Legend of Zelda’s Hyrule Castle and a juice box of Hi-C Ecto Cooler all have in common? They’re each intricately-designed, detailed and nostalgic tattoos that Alex Santaloci has created within their time as a tattoo artist and owner of Iron Ghost Tattoo.
CHUCK SHEPPARD AMY ALKON PRODUCTION Designer ALEX FARMER
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designer@yesweekly.com Creative Loafing© is published by CL, LLC 5500 Adams Farm Lane, Suite 204, Greensboro, NC 27407 Creative Loafing welcomes submissions of all kinds. Efforts will be made to return those with a self-addressed stamped envelope; however Creative Loafing assumes no responsibility for unsolicited submissions. Creative Loafing is published the first of every month by Womack Newspapers, Inc. No portion may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher. First copy is free, all additional copies are $1. Copyright 2019 Womack Newspapers, Inc.
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Sure, you can grab two slices of pizza at most local locations, pile them one on top of another and eat them off of the flimsy paper plate as you rush back to work. Or, you can pick up a CHICKEN PARMESAN sub sandwich, hoping you don’t drip tomato sauce on your outfit and it will be just a few minutes faster than building your own.
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Jordan Peele’s US, the writerdirector’s first effort since the Oscarwinning Get Out rocked the nation two years ago, begins with a T.V. ad plugging 1986’s Hands Across America, a charity event that found over six million citizens and celebrities (among them Robin Williams,
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Michael J. Fox, then-Governor Bill Clinton, and Chewbacca) linking palms and forming human chains in an effort to raise funds to combat homelessness.
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C is an average grade for most students not in graduate school. On a normal distribution curve, 68% of all grades received in high schools and undergrad college programs fall between 70 and 79. But that letter means something much more dire on a SANITATION RATING than it does on a report card.
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THE SEA THE SEA play Charlotte’s The Evening Muse on April 11. I spoke with Stanley and Costa
recently by phone while they were in Rhode Island after having spent some time in Connecticut doing a short residency at a school there, working with students on songwriting, an enterprise that touches on narrative, storytelling, character, melody empathy, form and more.
CREATIVE LOAFING IS PRINTED ON A 90% RECYCLED STOCK. IT MAY BE RECYCLED FURTHER; PLEASE DO YOUR PART.
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Researchers at St. Mary’s Hospital in London had been stumped how 10 British men had contracted a rare VIRUS called human T-cell leukemia virus type 1.
get social
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/clclt
I’ve been with my boyfriend for four years. I thought I was super happy, but I recently got a CRUSH on a co-worker.
@cl_charlotte @creativeloafingcharlotte APRIL 2019
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THINGS TO DO
THRU APRIL 14
APRIL 7
QUEEN CHARLOTTE FAIR
SPRING FEST 2019
WHAT: The Queen Charlotte Fair is a major bi-annual event hosted in Charlotte every spring and fall offering family-friendly entertainment, carnival rides and food.
WHAT: Celebrate spring, music, beer drinking weather, and great beer. Live music and performances on two stages by local, regional and national talent. The lineup includes Of Good Nature, Zach Deputy, Falconheart and more! Indoor and outdoor beer and cider stations, ProseccoPops, Frosé, and limited edition event T-shirts and koozies.
WHEN: Opens at 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 12 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. WHERE: Route 29 Pavillion, 5650 Sandusky Blvd., Concord, NC 28027 MORE: Adults are $10, 12 and under $5, children 4 and under are free. Cash only accepted at the gate, but ATM’s are available on site. For more information, visit www.queencharlottefair.com.
WHEN: 12-10 p.m. WHERE: Sycamore Brewing, 2161 Hawkins St, Charlotte, NC 28203 MORE: For more information, visit www. sycamorebrew.com.
APRIL 12 3RD ANNUAL POP-UP PICNIC WHAT: Come spread a blanket and enjoy a relaxing evening outside with family and friends! Pick up your pre-ordered picnic basket meal, bring your own picnic meal or enjoy dinner from one of the onsite food trucks. Celebrate the connection between local farms and local food, and the importance of conservation. There will be live music by Greenlanders and family activities. Wine and beer will be available for purchase from Blue Blaze Brewing and Lenny Boy Brewing Co. WHEN: 6-8:30 p.m.
APRIL 13 PUGFEST 2019 WHAT: Come out and enjoy beer, food, vendors, dog costume contest, professional photography, auction, and pugs lots of pugs! All dogs welcome to come and play and enjoy the day and help raise money for the MidAtlantic Pug Rescue. WHEN: 12-5 p.m. WHERE: Lucky Dog Bark & Brew, 13835 S. Lakes Dr, Charlotte, NC 28273 MORE: Admission is $15 per person and will include a custom t-shirt. This event is for 21 and over. For more information, find MidAtlantic Pug Rescue on Facebook.
WHERE: Mint Museum Randolph, 2730 Randolph Rd., Charlotte, NC 28207 MORE: This event is free and open to everyone. Proceeds benefit Catawba Lands Conservancy and the Carolina Thread Trail. For more information, visit www. catawbalands.org/picnic
CREATIVE LOAFING APRIL 2019
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april 19
april 20
april 25-28
Free Drive In Movie
Easter Egg 400
Tuck Fest
What: If you haven’t been to a good ol’ fashioned drive-in movie in a while, head to The World Worship Church drive-in. You can park the car, or bring a lawn chair. Hotdogs, popcorn, cotton candy, and various drinks will be available for purchase. Obstacle course carousel bounce house and face painting are available for the kids to enjoy. The feature film will be Incredibles 2. The movie will start as soon as the sun goes down.
What: The hunt is on! Little ones will join the Easter Bunny for a morning full of entertainment and games, balloon twisting, face painting, egg relays, plus a photo opportunity. During the signature egg hunt, each child will take home a carton of eggs filled with candy and prizes.
What: Tuck Fest is a multi-day festival that celebrates the outdoor lifestyle through competitions, exhibitions, demos, and live music. The festival features a variety of outdoor competitions that include trail running, kayaking, biking, climbing, stand-up paddleboarding, obstacle, and adventure racing.
When: 7-9:30 p.m.
More: General admission is $12 for all ages. Children 2 and under are free. For more information, visit www.nascarhall. com/events/easter-egg-400.
Where: World Worship Church, 3925 Rose Lake Dr., Charlotte, NC 28217 More: Admission is free. For more information, visit www.facebook.com/worldworshipchurch.
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When: 9:30-11 a.m. Where: NASCAR Hall of Fame, 400 E. M.L.K. Jr Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28202
When: See schedule online for details. Where: U.S. National Whitewater Center, 5000 Whitewater Center Pkwy., Charlotte, NC 28214 More: There is no ticket or registration required to attend. If you would like to participate in one race/competition, there is a one-time flat fee that grants access to all races and competitions throughout the four day festival. Activity Passes and food and beverage options can be purchased online or on-site. For more information and complete schedule, visit www.tuckfest.usnwc.org.
april 27 Charlotte Art Collection Spring Show & Sale What: Featuring the work of approximately 25 Charlotte area artists skilled in the areas of painting, mixed media, photography, pottery, jewelry, book arts, print making, woodturning, fiber arts, glass mosaics, handmade purses, and garden sculptures. The Charlotte Art Collective has produced shows for more than 17 years. Participate in the Art Raffle & win a basket full of original art. Proceeds benefit Dilworth Elementary School. When: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Where: Avondale Presbyterian Church, 2821 Park Rd., Charlotte, NC 28209 More: Admission and parking are free. For more information, visit www.charlotteartcollective.org.
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Capishe: Order fast and eat slow
eal, fast, casual. Three words that Capishe: Real Italian Kitchen, a recently-opened Italian restaurant at 500 East Morehead Street, are using to describe their approach to the evolving quick-serve scene. But something about “fast” and Italian doesn’t always Jennifer add up, right? Zeleski Sure, you can grab two slices of pizza at most local locations, pile them one on top of Contributor another and eat them off of the flimsy paper plate as you rush back to work. Or, you can pick up a chicken parmesan sub sandwich, hoping you don’t drip tomato sauce on your outfit and it will be just a few minutes faster than building your own. But getting homemade pasta and wood-fired pizza? Surely that would take at least as long as a traditional Italian family meal — there’s nothing fast about it. But Capishe challenges that assumption, with freshly-chopped salads, handmade pasta and wood-fired pizza that takes barely a few minutes to form crisp crust. I dared them to prove it. The space in Capishe is vast and modern, with plenty of tables to host larger groups, or individuals looking to stop in and head out before anyone missed them at the office. Guests order at the counter unless you want to grab a seat at the bar. All on tap and bottled beer is $5 unless otherwise marked, and there’s a small list of selected red and white wine. When first getting a look at the menu (which is the same for any time of day), I was grateful for its simplicity. Spaghetti and meatballs, Margherita pizza, Caprese salad, all of which many have heard of or enjoyed before. But I was also pleasantly surprised that it didn’t stop there. Broccolini with sausage pasta, topped with bufala and ricotta cheese. Pesto white pizza with pesto alla Genovese, gorgonzola, artichoke and sautéed mushrooms. Could it really be that I could stop by for a quick lunch and have all of the fresh, Italian flavors I craved, without committing to a highdollar Italian dinner, or trying to recreate my Nana’s on my own? As it turns out, yes. My boyfriend Peyton and I ordered the prosciutto pizza (of the red sauce variety), the Margherita pasta and the small Italiano salad, all to share. In under 10 minutes, each dish arrived at our table at their optimal temperatures (obviously, the salad wasn’t warm) and well-plated. It was clear from our first impression that there CREATIVE LOAFING APRIL 2019
is care and attention put into presentation of the dishes, despite still being efficient. And for the price (just under $25 with tax), I was already pleased. The prosciutto pizza was love at first bite. A crisp, blackened crust that was still soft in the center, but had the durability around the edges to hold the toppings (mostly) in place. Topped light spread of marinara, melted mozzarella di Bufala (mozzarella made with water buffalo milk), arugula, caramelized Cipollini onions, thin slices of prosciutto and grated Pecorino cheese. There was a lot going on here, so let’s break it down a bit. The foundation of the pizza, the crust, sauce and cheese were great, although there was a bit too much of the melted mozzarella in certain areas, and not enough sauce in others. If you’re going to be fast, it wouldn’t hurt to take an extra few seconds to ensure proper pizza coverage, but I’ll leave that be. With the toppings, the thin prosciutto had a mild briny and salty flavor, which was great if you’re a fan of sliced Italian-style meat. Possible unpopular opinion: I preferred it much more on this pizza rather than a charcuterie board. The arugula was peppery, and before you think, “I’m not eating lettuce on a pizza, that’s one step away from a salad,” just hear me out. By adding a freshness and extra bite of crunch, the arugula made the pizza feel light and refreshing, rather than your typical heaviness. The real winner was one I would have never expected: the caramelized onions. Sweet, tender, not greasy and wonderfully paired with each of the other toppings. Altogether, I knew I would be craving this pizza again in the future. Speaking of salads, the small Italiano salad was an Italian-sized portion of fresh spring mix lettuce, with shaved Pecorino cheese and a light lemon vinaigrette. It was a great side to share to keep yourself feeling a bit healthier, and you could easily add a protein from the menu to make it a delicious, yet lower-calorie lunch. Based on the vinaigrette and freshness of the greens, I would say the other salads would be even better, and definitely worth a try. The pizza was a test of speed and ingredients of course, but wood-fired tends to be pretty quick. The homemade pasta seemed like the hardest one to accomplish in being fresh, fast and delicious. Yet again, they succeeded. The rigatoni had the chewy texture and salty
flavor that all pasta should have, and the marinara sauce was tart and light. The fresh basil throughout added that extra touch of earthy, traditional flavor. All of the times I attempted to make Margherita pasta as a kid, mixing fresh tomatoes with too much garlic, boxed pasta and dried oregano, were overshadowed. For an $8 dish of homemade pasta, this could be one of the cheapest and best pasta dishes to grab in Charlotte. If not for its fresh ingredients and crave-worthy taste, then solely for its price and efficiency. Again, we were a little disappointed with the distribution of the mozzarella cheese, which just clumped up together in the center and needed to be ripped apart between bites. In some cases, it’s inevitable (because of the stickiness of the cheese), but maybe a little more coverage would have avoided the recreation of the original mozzarella ball within the bowl. The garlic bread on the side was the perfect excuse to indulge in sauce bread. I was satisfied. More than anything, I couldn’t have been happier to have eaten fresh and delicious Italian food that was convenient and well worth the price. It made me wish it hadn’t taken so long to find a place that could accomplish it in the Charlotte area. To top it off though, we just couldn’t pass up the fresh gelato. Chocolate, dulce de leche, mint chip, ginger. Each would offer that creamy dessert we wanted, instead of the very large cannolis that were also available. We decided to split a cup of the strawberry gelato with no regrets. It was not too sweet, fruity and creamier than any homemade strawberry ice cream it reminded us of. But eat it quickly, or else you’ll end up missing the smooth texture. A great end to a real, fast and casual Italian lunch — one I’ll come back to time and time again. JENNIFER ZELESKI is a senior Communication major at High Point University, who is always eager to cook, eat and listen. Her many food adventures can be followed on Instagram @jayz_eats.
WANNA go? Capishe Real Italian Kitchen, 500 E. Morehead Ste. 100, Charlotte. Parking deck located behind. Delivery through DoorDash and online ordering through ToastTab are both available.
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VISIONS SEE IT!
All of the nostalgic feels with tattoo artist Alex Santaloci
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hat does the Star Wars’ Millennium Falcon, The Legend of Zelda’s Hyrule Castle and a juice box of Hi-C Ecto Cooler all have in common? They’re each intricately-designed, detailed and nostalgic tattoos that Alex Santaloci has created Jennifer within their time as a tattoo Zeleski artist and owner of Iron Ghost Tattoo, located at 427 E. 22nd St. in Charlotte. Contributor Although they have been drawing since before ever writing or reading, Santaloci spent much of their young adulthood taking a path in another direction. They postponed a tattoo apprenticeship after high school to commit to playing guitar in a metal band with their sister, Aria. “I was working crappy day jobs so I could travel with the band, and found myself at 25 years old selling insurance while still trying to make the band work,” Santaloci said. “I was miserable in a cubicle, so I cashed in my 401k to live off of while I did my apprenticeship. That’ll be 10 years ago this November and the best decision I’ve ever made.” In 2018, Santaloci had been seeking a new place to succeed and hoping to find more of a work, life and travel balance. So on the off-hand chance that could win, they took the chance to enter a nationwide annual art contest through Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer. “One of the three categories was 3D, and I used to mess around with clay pretty hard as a kid instead of doing homework, to my Mom’s absolute irritation,” Santaloci said. “So I decided to do a tiny arcade bar based on my favorite place in Charlotte, Abari Game Bar, inside of a 24-ounce can of PBR. To my absolute shock, I won.” They used the prize money to open Iron Ghost Tattoo, a private space in Charlotte, where Santaloci could thrive in their own environment after a temporary time with Green Light Studios, and a challenging, toxic work environment prior. “That allowed me to get out of an unhealthy work situation sooner, and I can never thank [PBR] enough for inspiring and supporting art and artists that way,” Santaloci said. “And I literally wouldn’t have been able to open Iron Ghost if it wasn’t for Troy and the incredible crew at Green Light Tattoos. They were nothing but kind, supportive and amazing, allowing me to heal and grow, and I’m eternally grateful.” As Santaloci dove deeper into creative work
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in 2018, they continued to channel inspiration from their self-described “geeky” interests, fond memories and personal connections. They’ve created a style that includes (but is not limited to) video games, movies and pop culture references, hyper-realistic food and flower recreations, and one of Santaloci’s favorites — pin-ups. These pieces, ranging from a merman to Morticia Adams, to Friday the 13th’s Jason mask, aren’t just about their connection to wellknown media and memorabilia. “Celebrating all kinds of bodies and building into this conversation where it’s cool to look or be any way you want, or to like or love anyone you want, is a really neat thing,” Santaloci said. “And I’m lucky I’ve gotten to take a very small part in it.” Santaloci has taken these passion pieces across the country to multiple tattoo conventions, getting the opportunity to work with people of all backgrounds and interests, while piecing together their portfolio of awe-inspiring work. “I’ve had the opportunity to meet so many amazing weirdos, and I love it,” Santaloci said. “A lot of people start tattoo conversations with ‘I have this really dumb thing I’ve always wanted...’ and it’s never dumb, and very often ends up being among my favorite pieces.” And they have plenty of favorites. One of their recent pieces was on a close friend, a Harry Potter sorting hat tarot card, and another was a favorite character from Netflix’s Stranger Things, fit with a waffle and cup of coffee, of course. “I did a Sheriff Hopper pin-up on one of my favorite clients, and she met [the actor] David Harbour at a convention and showed him,” Santaloci said. “It absolutely made my life.” Despite the talent and creativity it takes to create these pieces, Santaloci always comes back to the nostalgia.
“I think a lot of people my age use nostalgia as a basis to form relationships and that’s totally a valid thing,” Santaloci said. “Nostalgia means cooking with my dad every holiday since I can remember while wearing doll dresses as chef hats. Or staying up until 5 a.m. with my friend Jake playing X-Men vs. Street Fighter on his Sega Dreamcast. Or watching Dinosaucers with my little brother, Rory, and shrieking the theme song for weeks at a time. And that carries into adulthood.” With almost a decade in the books and a new studio, Santaloci is continuing their nostalgic-filled journey forward with plenty of artistic potential and is eager to work with new people here in Charlotte. The band might not have worked out, but their artistry did. “I’ve always done [art], I don’t know how to not,” Santaloci said. “Back when I was in the band, one of my favorite parts was traveling to play, [giving me the opportunity to] meet other musicians and people from other places. Being able to do that with tattooing is incredible and something I feel so lucky I get to do.”
WANNA go? Want to find know more about Iron Ghost Tattoo and Alex Santaloci? The best place to connect with them is through Instagram , @alextattoosnc and @ironghosttattoo. They do all of their booking and “fun stuff,” through e-mail at alex@alextattoosnc.com. APRIL 2019
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Double, double, toil and trouble BY MATT BRUNSON
ordan Peele’s Us ( ), the writer-director’s first effort since the Oscar-winning Get Out rocked the nation two years ago, begins with a T.V. ad plugging 1986’s Hands Across America, a charity event that found over six million citizens and celebrities (among them Robin Williams, Michael J. Fox, then-Governor Bill Clinton, and Chewbacca) linking palms and forming human chains in an effort to raise funds to combat homelessness. Given the theme of Us, another commercial from the period that could work would have been the one for Wrigley’s Doublemint Gum that featured various sets of twins … although the lyrics of “double your pleasure, double your fun” might have given pause to the terrorized protagonists of Peele’s heady, harrowing but ultimately overreaching horror yarn. Certainly, the Hands Across America promo plays into the picture’s DNA, though that’s hardly a spoiler: Anyone who saw Get Out already knows that small details perpetually inform Peele’s narrative sensibilities. So that Michael Jackson Thriller T-shirt? That Jeremiah 11:11 passage? And that boat with a motor that’s so Looney Tunes in its unpredictability that it might as well have been manufactured by the Acme Corporation? Yes, yes, and yes. When the picture commences way back in ’86, Adelaide is just a little girl (played by Madison Curry), one who’s taken to a seaside boardwalk teeming with games and rides. Adelaide wanders off on her own and enters a spooky funhouse of mirrors, wherein she sees herself as a sinister-looking child. But this isn’t merely a mirror distortion — it’s a flesh-andblood doppelganger, one so frightening that Adelaide bolts from the joint. Cut to the present and Adelaide (Lupita Nyong’o) is now happily married to the garrulous Gabe Wilson (Winston Duke) and the proud mother of Zora (Shahadi Wright Joseph) and Jason (Evan Alex). But an ill-advised trip back to that same beach unleashes a horror that follows the Wilsons back to their vacation home. Standing outside in the driveway, deep in the darkness of night, are four figures who eventually break into the house. And the four are exact duplicates of the Wilsons (and portrayed by the same four actors), although only the Adelaide clone, Red, has the gift of gab, as the other three can only communicate via moans, shouts and howls. To reveal more risks ruining the ultimate direction the movie takes, but suffice to say that Peele maintains an unnerving ambience for at least the film’s first hour. After that, the CREATIVE LOAFING APRIL 2019
film allows too much of a jokey demeanor to siphon away some of the tension — this is partly due to the performances of Elisabeth Moss and Tim Heidecker as the Wilsons’ funloving friends. In their defense, the pair are fine in their earlier scenes and are obviously directed by Peele in the latter passages to go overboard in their emoting, but it nevertheless breaks the moody spell the film has maintained until this point (on the plus side, this midsection does include a great gag involving a notorious N.W.A. song). Fortunately, the movie recovers and Peele again pours on the suspense, although it’s at this point where the plot specifics start to come into focus and Peele is revealed to have attempted to juggle too many eggs. To be sure, there’s enough thematic material here to power an entire semester of college dissertations: the notion that we’re our own worst enemies; the idea that you never really know other people; this nation’s pronounced struggles with xenophobia; the invisible status of those deemed disposable to our society; and so on and so forth. But Peele is never able to integrate the sociopolitical horrors with
the cinematic horrors as brilliantly as he did in Get Out— consequently, the more fantastical aspects of Us require a lot of hard-swallowing and ultimately generate more questions than answers. As for the big twist, it’s likely to floor many a viewer, but, honestly, it struck me as rather obvious — then again, maybe that’s because I’ve sat through so many ham-fisted M. Night Shyamalan movies and found this twist to be almost on that grasping “gotcha” level (even if Peele does add more subtext to his reveal than Shyamalan ever did). The performances by the four principals are exceptional, considering they’re all required to provide both “good” and “bad” interpretations to the same characters — Jekyll and Hyde, as it were. But it’s Nyong’o who truly excels in Us. Already an Oscar winner for her superb turn in 12 Years a Slave, she’s phenomenal here as well, bringing a damaged yet ultimately resilient quality to Adelaide and somehow flipping her internal switch to transform into the ravenous and razor-voiced Red. Even when Peele occasionally allows his reach to exceed his grasp, Nyong’o maintains a tight grip on the proceedings.
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2019 F E AT U R E D F A C U LT Y May 3 - 5 Eben Alexander &Karen Newell
A Home for the Heart
Living in a Mindful Universe May 3 - 5 Dan Millman
Life purpose & the peacful waaior’s way May 10 - 12 James Van Praagh
Discover your Spiritual Superpowers
In the Blue Ridge Mountains
Jun 21 - 23 Sharon Salzberg
Lovingkindnee Retreat
All year around ART OF LIVING FACULTY
Haainee Retreat
In the serene Blue Ridge Mountains, discover peace of mind, greater energy and vibrant health through
All year around ART OF LIVING FACULTY
Silent Retreat
Weenee journeys, Yoga & Ayurveda.
All year around ART OF LIVING FACULTY
Yoga Retreat Schedule your visit at aolrc.us/creative
All year around ART OF LIVING FACULTY
Spa Retreat
BOONE, NC
april 2019
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GOTCHA COVERED!
When a ‘C’ is way below average Lows and highs of restaurant sanitation ratings
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he most dangerous thing I ever did in college was a moment of mundane recklessness, brought on by hunger and conveIan nience. I’d just McDowell bullshitted my way to a C+ on a midterm essay Contributor I’d expected to fail miserably, due to my disdain for attendance, the professor, the reading material and the subject. That’s the only excuse I can offer for ordering a gyro-to-go at a now long-gone Chapel Hill sandwich shop even after noticing that the sanitation rating of 78. They got a C+ just like me, I thought. What was the worst that could happen? CREATIVE LOAFING APRIL 2019
I survived, so the worst didn’t actually happen, but the pretty damn bad sure did. I spent the 1979 Halloween weekend hooked up to an IV in the UNC Med Center, too weak to make it to the toilet, attended to by a lovely dark-haired dark-eyed student nurse I’d vaguely known from another class and wanted to ask out, but never would, due to my embarrassment over those three days she spent cleaning me off at both ends. It taught me an important lesson, more than I can say for that class I’d been only rarely attending. Since then, I’ve heeded restaurant sanitation ratings, and so should you. 78, the number that should have warned me, was not actually accompanied by a big bold C, the scarlet letter of sanitation ratings (there are no Ds or Fs). Such letter grades did not become
part of state-mandated restaurant grades until 1995, when the first such system was enacted by South Carolina, with North Carolina and Tennessee following suit. C is an average grade for most students not in graduate school. On a normal distribution curve, 68% of all grades received in high schools and undergrad college programs fall between 70 and 79. But that letter means something much more dire on a sanitation rating than it does on a report card. In some counties, although fortunately, not in Mecklenburg, as many as 24% of all restaurants receive a C rating. But in others, it’s lower than 1%, and in most parts of the country, including this one, the percentage of restaurants receiving a C is in single digits. So, way below average. To get a C grade, restaurants typically have more than four critical food-borne illness violations or more than a
dozen non-critical good retail practice violations. Under North Carolina law, any establishment that prepares and serves drink or food to the public for pay is subject to inspection by the Environmental Health Section within the Division of Public Health, which is part of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. Every food service establishment in Mecklenburg County receives an unannounced, on-site inspection one to four times a year. The inspection ensures that the establishment is meeting food safety requirements. The inspector records any observed violations during the inspection. Each violation is associated with a range of points depending on the type and extent of the violation and the risk it poses to the public. At the end of the inspection, the points are added together for an inspection score. A numerical scoring system
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on a 100-point scale is used, with points deducted for each violation. As one might expect, a score of 90-100 points is an A, 80-89 points a B and 70-79 points is a C. Anything below 70 points results in the immediate revocation of the establishment’s permit, and its operations must cease until all issues are corrected. Once an establishment is inspected and receives a grade, its permit is required to be posted in conspicuous view of all diners. With that in mind, here follows an examination of restaurant sanitation ratings at the Mecklenburg County Department of Public Health’s food & facilities inspection site (those reading the print edition can easily access this site by Googling “Mecklenburg County sanitation ratings”). The Mecklenburg County database includes 7,759 businesses and institutions. Two thousand six hundred sixty-one are restaurants, 2,203 of which are in Charlotte proper. Nine hundred eleven are food stands, and 219 are listed as “mobile food,” meaning food trucks. It also includes sanitation ratings for a variety of establishments and facilities outside the scope of this article, including commercial lodgings, school cafeterias, and tattoo parlors. As of midnight, March 25, the restaurant with the lowest current sanitation rating in the database was Emzy Sushi Bar & Asian Kitchen at 550 S. Tryon in Uptown Charlotte. It received a score of 82 on March 22. Its seven critical violations included noodles with a temperature of 76 degrees
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Fahrenheit in the walk-in cooler two hours after cooking and unwashed produce stored over ready-to-eat food. The only previous grade lower than an A was the 88 the restaurant received on April 26, 2016. Its 11 other scores since April of 2017 range from 90 to 97.5, but the 90 was the most recent score previous to its current one and was received Nov. 7, 2018. Two restaurants received scores of 83 on their last inspection, both occurring in March. These were Eddie V’s Prime Seafood at 101 S. Tryon St. in Charlotte, inspected March 6, and Taqueria La Unica, inspected March 13 and has since closed. Two other Charlotte restaurants received a score of less than 86 in their most recent inspection this month. The recently-opened Rebeca’s Deli at 6404 Albemarle Rd. in Charlotte received 84 on March 13. Ed’s Tavern at 2200 Park Rd. in Charlotte received 85 on March 18, and The Randazzos’ Grid Iron at 13105 S. Tryon in Charlotte received 85.5 on that same date. As of March 25, the database contained no restaurants with a current rating of C. Two Charlotte restaurants received that rating this year but were given A grades upon reinspection. The lower and more recent of these was the 77 given to the Social Bar & Kitchen inside the Sheraton Hotel at 555 McDowell St. on Feb. 7. It received 12 critical violations, including ones for “undercooked foods” and “some foods in prep coolers and walk-in coolers measuring above 41F.”
The restaurant was reinspected on Feb. 21 and received a score of 93. In its five-year history in the database, all the other ratings have ranged from 91 to 95. On Jan. 9, Ink n Ivy at 222 S. Church St. received a 78. On its Jan. 22 reinspection, it received 94.5. On its 13 inspections from 2016 through 2018, it received nine A grades and three B grades. From 2013 to 2018, 18 Charlotte restaurants received a C score on at least one inspection. The lowest listed was the 70 given to Dim Sum on 2920 Central Ave. on March 10, 2017, when it was cited for storing fish in its cooler in direct contact with beef, chicken stock left overnight at 80 degrees Fahrenheit with the pilot light burning under it, and multiple instances of soiled utensils. On all its seven inspections since, Dim Sum has received A grades, with the highest being the most recent, the 96.5 received on Feb.19. It received 13 A grades and three B grades on its 16 inspections previous to the one on March 10, 2017. These date back to 2013, with the lowest the 84.5 it received on Oct. 21, 2013. But what about the opposite end of the sanitation rating scale? More than 2,500 Mecklenburg County restaurants have received scores of 90 or above on their last inspection, but the database doesn’t allow for high-to-low filtering, nor is it exportable. Therefore, I’ve confined my search to restaurants that received an A grade in March of this year, and have attempted to exclude those coffee shops, breweries and taprooms that don’t prepare food on prem-
ises, as well as industrial cafeterias and caterers. (Apologies to any left of this list; corrections will, if necessary be made to the online version of this article as we’re notified of them, with the stipulation that the rating must have appeared in the database by midnight on March 25.) The following four restaurants each have scores of 99.5 as of March 25: Jamba Juice #1396 at 3211 N. Tryon in Charlotte, Legion Brewing at 1906 Commonwealth in Charlotte, Sabor Latin Street Grill at 624 Jetton St. in Davidson, and Umami PokéRito at 7510 PinevilleMathews Rd. in Charlotte. The following five have scores of 99: Bi-Lo Café at 2924 Mt Holly-Huntersville Rd. in Charlotte; Bonefish Grill at 10056 E. Independence Blvd. in Mathews; OooWee BBQ at 207 Johnston Dr. in Pineville; Jimmy John’s #1861 at 8912 PinevilleMatthews Rd. in Charlotte; and Undercurrent Coffee at 2012 Commonwealth in Charlotte. Among Charlotte-area food trucks, Bleu Barn Bistro holds the highest sanitation rating, with a perfect score of 100 received on Feb. 20. The lowest was received by Lonchera La Tapatia, which received 83 on Feb. 28 and 80.5 on Nov. 28, 2018. Ian McDowell is the author of two published novels, numerous anthologized short stories, and a whole lot of nonfiction and journalism, some of which he’s proud of and none of which he’s ashamed of. april 2019
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TUNES HEAR IT!
Expanding the frame with The Sea The Sea
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here is an art to seeing the good in things. Silver linings and bright sides: you almost need to train your mind to spot them John Adamian sometimes. The @johnadamian band The Sea The Sea, a duo that operates Contributor out of upstate New York, is engaged in a project of artistic optimism. The pair, Mira Stanley and Chuck Costa, make spacious and bright music filled with luminous vocal harmonies and chiming guitars. The lyrics often tug at questions about balancing conCREATIVE LOAFING APRIL 2019
trasting perspectives, realizing the subtle connection in opposites, and probing darkness to find some light there. The Sea The Sea play Charlotte’s The Evening Muse on April 11. I spoke with Stanley and Costa recently by phone while they were in Rhode Island after having spent some time in Connecticut doing a short residency at a school there, working with students on songwriting, an enterprise that touches on narrative, storytelling, character, melody empathy, form and more. Their music is informed by folk music, acoustic string music -- you get the sense they’re steeped in it, in Costa’s occasional hints of Mother Maybelle-style picking and strumming and in their tight vocal harmonies. Call it indie folk, if you like but The Sea The Sea has a
soulful and airy minimalism to their music. The sound is lush but meticulously uncluttered, particularly on their 2018 record From The Light. The album opens with “Everybody,” a song that’s built out of a sort of list of statements that swoop around and fold all of us together, sketching out a near-universal perspective on people, their shortcomings, struggles, potential and uncertainties. “Everybody’s on the inside; everybody’s in their head, everybody hears what everybody says. Everybody laughs, and everybody forgets. Everybody’s answer is everybody’s guess,” the two sing. Costa’s guitar carves out careful arpeggiations that shape the space of the music. Stanley sings with an ethereal soulfulness, and Costa syncs his vocals up with hers
in a kind of magnetized snugness. Behind it all, some atmospheric guitar loops flicker and twinkle. There’s a “we’re-all-in-thistogether” aspect to The Sea The Sea’s songs. “The songs that we’re drawn to write explore those spaces between dualities, the gray areas, where most people live their lives,” Stanley said. Another song, “Gemini,” also off the most recent record, covers some related terrain. It’s about learning to live with the contradictions within ourselves and not letting the seeming inconsistencies trip us up. The Sea The Sea is a duo, but they’ve been toggling between exploring a four-piece configuration, with a third voice and drums, and going back to their stripped-
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mism in the world right now, you’re not alone, and The Sea The Sea’s songs gesture toward that bright side without going for any saccharine pollyanna business. “I’m trying to understand who we are as Americans. We’re so different and so the same,” Costa said. “A lot of those questions bubble up in what we write.” The music of The Sea The Sea embodies that idea of bringing people together, on a purely sonic level, with its closely meshed vocal harmonies and hymn-like clarity. “We’re all looking for more harmony in our lives, on so many different levels,” Costa said. Hearing two voices joined together and responding to the way they vibrate together, is a little like “experiencing a metaphor,” he said. The songs themselves offer a chance to expand one’s sympathies, to feel our way into other people’s experience. “Our mission statement as artists is to remind people that they’re not alone -- in their struggles and their joys,” Stanley said. “A song is a really great place to explore ideas of empathy or put yourself in someone else’s shoes. And we believe that songs can be that for people.” JOHN ADAMIAN lives in WinstonSalem, and his writing has appeared in Wired, The Believer, Relix, Arthur, Modern Farmer, the Hartford Courant and numerous other publications.
WANNA go? See The Sea The Sea at The Evening Muse, 3227 N. Davidson St., Charlotte, on Thursday, April 11, at 8 p.m. $10. eveningmuse.com
MAY 17 5:30pm - 11pm
MAY 18 1pm - 11pm
ON THE WATER AT GALLANTS CHANNEL IN BEAUFORT, NC Hiss Golden Messenger, No BS! Brass, Aaron Lee Tasjan, Stop Light Observations, Lilly Hiatt, Kamara Thomas Plus Many Others!
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2019
down two-person approach. Their Charlotte performance will be as a duo. The music works without a lot of extras because the vocals vibrate so nicely together, filling up any spaces that open up. “We started this with an awareness that something special is coming from our two voices together,” Acosta said. “Even though [when given the opportunity to add more instruments) we were feeling a drive toward a bigger sound, the trick is to not step on what’s working and not break what’s not broken.” The two met when Costa was participating in a songwriting competition in West Virginia, where Stanley was living at the time. Their debut album, Love We Are We Love, came out in 2014. There were, perhaps, more overt signs of Americana and folk on that album. The new material sometimes has the ambitious gospel-tinged sound of Joshua Tree-era U2, with songs that build to soaring peaks. “My background musically is deeply rooted in the folk tradition -- Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Dylan,” Costa said. “We don’t consider our music folk, but it’s certainly a part of what we’re doing.” Many of these songs are about truth and reconciliation, with ourselves and with those that we might view as adversaries. They’re about shared culpability and shared grace. The songs are often built around an interpersonal understanding of Newton’s third law of physics: that every action has an equal and opposite reaction. It’s all part of the deal. The Sea The Sea is about expanding the frame to include multitudes as part of the whole, crafting a worldview that contains opposites in a sort of homeostasis, a surface tension that allows things to work. Listen to the lovely “Good For Something,” which has these lines: “The only choice you thought you had was all or nothing, but things can never be so bad that they’re not good for something.” It’s a thoughtful nudge to not give in to the easy inclination to see things in simple black and white. Embrace the gradations of gray, they seem to be saying. If you’re looking for a little opti-
FOOD TRUCKS — VENDORS — KID'S AREA — RAIN OR SHINE VIP TICKETS AVAILABLE
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LOCAL & LIVE APOSTROPHE LOUNGE
1440 S Tryon St, Charlotte | 704.371.7079 www.apostrophelounge.com
BLUE BLAZE BREWING
528 S Turner Ave, Charlotte | 980.859.2586 www.blueblazebrewing.com Thursdays: Acoustic Patio Jams
BLUMENTHAL PERFORMING ARTS
130 N Tryon St, Charlotte | 888.363.2418 www.blumenthalarts.org Apr 4: Graham Nash Apr 5: Star Wars Apr 7: Rhett Miller Acoustic Apr 7: Boney James Apr 9: Haley Reinhart Apr 12: The Subdudes Apr 14: Shawn Colvin Apr 19: Hiroshima 40th Anniversary Tour Apr 20: Tosco Music Party May 1: Camille Thurman & The Darrell Green Trio May 2: Havana Nights May 2: The Jayhawks May 3: Ladies Sing The Blues w/ The Donna Hopkins Band, Deva Mahal, & Maria Muldaur May 4: Ocie Davis & Friends May 4: Patina Miller May 5: Sweet Honey In The Rock May 5: Davina & The Vagabonds May 6: The New Respects May 7 & 9-12: Eugene Onegin May 7: Raul Midón
BOATYARD EATS
18418 Statesville Rd, Cornelius | 704.997.8201 www.boatyardeats.com Apr 4: Uptown Dueling Pianos Apr 5: We Got The Beat Apr 6: Irrashional Apr 12: Blandini Apr 13: Bullfrog Moon w/ Big Foot Down Apr 18: Whiskey Man Apr 20: Blue Monday Apr 26: Darrell Harwood Apr 27: U-Phonik May 2: Uptown Dueling Pianos May 3: Irrashional May 4: Heartbreaker
BOJANGLES COLISEUM 2700 E Independence Blvd | 704.372.3600 www.bojanglescoliseum.com Apr 5: TobyMac
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Submissions should be sent to designer@yesweekly.com by 15th of every month, prior to the publication date. LOCAL MUSIC EVENTS | Compiled by Alex Farmer May 5: Secret Monkey Weekend, Lemon Sparks, Peter Mulvey, & John Smith May 6: Open Mic May 10: Kenny George Band, The Brothers Gillespie, & City of the Sun
CABARRUS BREWING COMPANY, CONCORD
329 McGill Ave NC, Concord | 704.490.4487 www.cabarrusbrewing.com Wednesdays: Trivia Night
CAJUN QUEEN
1800 E 7th St, Charlotte | 704.377.9017 www.cajunqueen.net Ongoing: Live Jazz 7 Nights A Week
CMCU AMPHITHEATRE
former Uptown Amphitheatre 820 Hamilton St | 704.549.5555 www.livenation.com Apr 11: Leon Bridges May 2: Clint Black & Trace Adkins May 4: Bryan Adams May 9: Iration May 15: Greta Van Fleet
COMET GRILL
2224 Park Rd, Charlotte | 704.371.4300 www.cometgrillcharlotte.com
COYOTE JOE’S
4621 Wilkinson Blvd, Charlotte | 704.399.4946 www.coyote-joes.com Apr 5: The Beaumont Boys ft. Tracy Byrd & Mark Chesnutt Apr 10: Southern Girls Night Out ft. Randy Houser, Waterloo Revival, Haley & Michaels, & Rayne Johnson Apr 26: Granger Smith ft. Earl Dibbles Jr
CROWN STATION COFFEEHOUSE & PUB
3629 N Davidson St, Charlotte | 704.910.2249 www.crownstationpub.com Mondays: Jazz Mondays Tuesdays: Soulful Tuesdays Wednesdays: Nonconsensual Comedy Open Mic Thursdays: Open Mic Night
EVENING MUSE
3227 N Davidson St, Charlotte | 704.376.3737 www.eveningmuse.com Apr 1: Open Mic ft. Andy Bilinski Apr 3: Tosco Music Open Mic Apr 4: Andrew Duhon & Lydia Luce Apr 5: Hip-Hop Violinist Rhett Price, Juice & Deion Reverie
HATTIE’S TAP & TAVERN
Whiskey Man @ Boatyard Eats Apr 6: Tracy Bonham, Black Morgan, Open Mike Eagle, & Video Dave Apr 7: Randy Franklin CD Release Apr 8: Open Mic ft. Colin Cutler Apr 9: John Craigie & Sam Tayloe Apr 10: Michael Flynn & Kris Gruen Apr 11: Adam Hood & The Sea The Sea Apr 12: Charlie Mars, Tweed, & Darren & the Buttered Toast Apr 13: Ruen Brothers & The National Reserve, Opposite Box, & Daryl Hance Powermuse Apr 15: Open Mic ft. Liam Alone Apr 16: Jesse Lamar Williams & The Menastree Jazz Jam Apr 17: The Accidentals Apr 18: Stevie Tombstone & Drunken Prayer Apr 19: The Bones of J.R. Jones, Charlie Parr & SeepeopleS Apr 20: Shealee CD Release Apr 22: Open Mic w/ David Taylor & the Tallboys Apr 23: Si Kahn 75th Birthday Celebration ft. The Looping Brothers & Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer Apr 24: Quentin Talley & the Soul Providers & Natural Born Leaders Apr 26: Daniel Donato, Blue Cactus, & The 502s Apr 27: Beta Radio & Purple Masquerade Apr 28: Monks of Doom w/ Victor Krummenacher & His Flying Circus Apr 29: Open Mic w/ These Fine Moments Apr 30: Open Mic w/ Dusty Cagle May 1: Tosco Music Open Mic May 3: Jet Black Alley Cat & Hardcastle May 4: Tyler Ramsey
2918 The Plaza, Charlotte | 980.938.6228 www.hattiescharlotte.com Tuesdays: Bingo w/ Nick Rowlett Thursdays: Karaoke
HEIST BREWERY
2909 N Davidson St, Suite 200, Charlotte | 704.375.8260 www.heistbrewery.com Wednesdays: Team Trivia Thursdays: Music Bingo
JACKBEAGLE’S
3213 N Davidson St, Charlotte | 704.334.5140 www.jackbeagles.com Wednesdays: Open Mic Night Apr 4: Late Night Special Apr 5: Bentwater Apr 6: Mcfarland Apr 11: Vinyl Alley Apr 13: Todd Johnson & The Revolvers Apr 18: Downtown Abby & The Echoes Apr 19: Shana Blake Apr 20: Those Meddling Kids Apr 25: Jettison 5 Apr 27: Deebs & Dabs May 2: Late Night Special May 3: Soul Creek May 4: Side Effect May 9: Vinyl Alley May 10: Bentwater
LEGION BREWING
1906 Commonwealth Ave, Charlotte | 844.467.5683 www.legionbrewing.com Mondays: Open Mic w/ Lisa De Novo
NEIGHBORHOOD THEATRE
511 E 36th St, Charlotte | 704.942.7997 www.neighborhoodtheatre.com Apr 4: Aaron Lee Tasjan + Bonnie Bishop & Rorey Carroll Apr 5: Bakalao Stars & Mofungo Apr 6: Dee White Apr 9: Guster & Saintseneca Apr 10: Gibbz Apr 11: Robert Earl Keen & Darrin Bradbury Apr 12: Tab Benoit
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Apr 13: Carbon Leaf Apr 17: Charlie Hunter Trio & Lucy Woodward Apr 19: Tomorrows Bad Seeds Apr 20: The Brevet + The Unlikey Candidates Apr 27: Graham Parker w/ Adam Ezra Apr 28: Johnny Marr Apr 30: Sundressed + Hearts Like Lions May 1: King Kaleidoscope w/ Wordsplayed May 2: Steve Gunn & Gun Outfit May 3: Little Stranger May 4: Run River North May 8: Son Volt & Ian Noe May 9: Lee Child & Naked Blue May 10: Nashville Pussy + Guitar Wolf w/ The Turbo A.C.’s
Ovens auditorium
2700 E Independence Blvd | 704.372.3600 www.ovensauditorium.com Apr 4: Marisela Apr 12: Death Cab for Cutie Apr 25: Brit Floyd Apr 26: Javed Ali Apr 28: Whitesnake May 8: Home Free: Timeless World May 9: Idai.Arie May 12: Keith Sweat & Friends
Petra’s
1919 Commonwealth Ave, Charlotte | 704.332.6608 www.petrasbar.com Apr 1: Piano Bar Karaoke w/ Ryan Stamey Apr 3: Karaoke Night Apr 3: Bugalú - Old School Latin Boogie Apr 4: Thayer Serrano Apr 5: Party Battleship, Mike Strauss Band & Lily Rose Apr 6: Off The Wall Apr 7: Hazy Sunday Apr 7: Amity Pointe, Shake The Baby... & Sunday Boxing Apr 8: Ghost Trees Apr 9: Drag Trivia w/ Onya Apr 10: Karaoke Night Apr 11: Potions & Pixels Apr 12: 10 Year Anniversary of COTC w/ The Electronic Park, Sunset Cassette & The Roman Spring Apr 14: Killing Marshmallow Dreams Mar 14: Conor Donhue, Lindsay Holler, & Ryan Mckusick Apr 16: Foreplay Goes South Apr 17: Karaoke Night Apr 17: Shindig Apr 18: The Office Trivia Night Apr 19: Matthew Paul Butler, Brandon Berg, & Forest Bailey
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Apr 21: Hazy Sunday Apr 24: Karaoke Night Apr 25: Stories - Chris Rodrigues & Abby The Spoon Lady Apr 26: Mirror Moves Apr 27: Su CASA Apr 28: An Archaic Agenda, DB Rouse, & Smelly Felly May 1: Karaoke Night May 1: Bugalú - Old School Latin Boogie May 2: Mariah van Kleef & John Westmoreland May 4: Off The Wall May 5: Hazy Sunday May 6: Piano Bar Karaoke w/ Ryan Stamey May 8: Karaoke Night May 9: Potions & Pixels May 10: Red Dress Amy, Labia Minor, & The Local Odyssey
pnc music pavilion
707 Pavilion Blvd | 704.549.1292 www.livenation.com Apr 14: Zac Brown
Salud Cerveceria
3306-C N Davidson St, Charlotte | 980.495.6612 www.saludcerveceria.com
Skylark Social Club
2131 Central Ave, Charlotte | 980.236.8342 www.skylarksocialclub.com Apr 6: Flamingo Revue w/ Silver Kitsune, Veritas Veridian & many more Apr 10: Bob Fleming & CIC, Ennie Arden, w/ Sammy Kay & Mike Vidal Apr 11: Forsaken Profits, The Hooliganz, & Smelly Felly Apr 12: Nominee, Home For The Day, MKNLY, & Come Clean Apr 17: The Worst Of Us & S’Efforcer Apr 19: Morganton, Hall Bopp Astronauts, Alert The Media & Short Division Apr 26: Sons of Paradis & Evan Button May 3: The Presciptions, Rowdy Leaf, Lonely Jones & Bergenline May 4: Eazy Mac
Smokey Joe’s Cafe
510 Briar Creek Rd, Charlotte | 704.338.9380 www.smokeyjoescharlotte.com Mondays: Cito Jamorah & Friends Thursdays: Shana Blake & Friends Apr 5: Bloodworth Project Apr 29: Jamorah
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Snug Harbor
1228 Gordon St, Charlotte | 704.333.9799 www.snugrock.com Sundays: Bone Snugs-N-Harmony Mondays: Knocturnal Tuesdays: GLBL Thursdays: Le Bang Apr 2: Ami Dang w/ Monoculture Apr 3: Pleather, Tommy & The Commies, Les Lullies & DJ Pete Slovenly Apr 5: Blow Your Head Apr 5: Rnie w/ Patois Counselors, Dollhands & Wild Trees Apr 6: Latin Night w/ UltimaNota Apr 9: “No Future:” Acne + DJ Robert Apr 10: Pleather w/ Pink Mexico Apr 12: Player Made Apr 16: The Raineers w/ Crenshaw Pentecostal, & Mitchel Evans & The Saboteurs Apr 17: Pleather w/ The Golden Pelicans Apr 20: Cuzco w/ Pullover, Catholics & Things Amazing Apr 23: Folkfaces w/ Wes & The Railroaders Apr 24: Pleather Apr 30: Camp Cope w/ Thin Lips, & Oceanator May 1: The Business People May 3: Black Belt Eagle Scout May 3: Blwo Your Head May 7: Combo Chimbita w/ Chócala May 8: The Business People w/ Mammabear
SPECTRUM CENTER
333 E Trade St | 704.688.9000 www.spectrumcentercharlotte.com Apr 6: The Millennium Tour ft. Mario, Pretty Ricky, Lloyd, Ying Yang Twins, Chingy & Bobby V
‘Stache House Bar & Lounge
1520 South Blvd, Suite 120, Charlotte | 704.335.0530 www.stachehouseclt.com
Studio 13
19725 Oak St, Suite 13, Cornelius | 704.765.1794 www.facebook.com/studio13nc Third Fridays: Hip Hop at the Mill
Summitt Coffee Co.
128 S Main St, Davidson | 704.895.9090 www.summitcoffee.com Wednesdays: Open Mic Apr 4: Louisa Stancloff Apr 6: Grievous Angels Apr 9: Young Elites creative loafing april 2019
The Kilted Buffalo
8625 Townley Rd, Huntersville | 704.892.7571 www.tkbbirkdale.com Apr 5: Lip Sync Battle Apr 12: DJ Six Apr 19: Jacob Triplet Apr 25: Music Trivia Apr 26: Kevin Brawley May 3: Scott Johnson May 10: The Norman’s
The Milestone Bergenline @ The Milestone Apr 12: Mike Strauss Trio Apr 19: Rusty Knox Apr 26: Sunday Union Apr 27: Rick Sprietzer May 3: Shay Lovett May 4: Grievous Angels May 10: Mike Strauss Trio
Sydney’s Martini & Wine Bar
401 N Tryon St, Suite 104, Charlotte | 704.503.9060 www.sydneysmartiniandwinebar.com
Sylvia Theatre
27 N Congress St, York, SC | 803.684.5590 www.sylviatheatre.com Apr 6: Interstellar Overdrive - A Saucerful of Pink Floyd Apr 9: Mark & Maggie O’Connor Apr 19: Revelry Soul w/ Uncle Buck
Temple Mojo Growler Shop
195 N Trade St, Matthews | 704.246.8196 www.templemojo.com
The Fillmore
1000 NC Music Factory Blvd | 704.916.8970 www.livenation.com Apr 3: Gary Clark, Jr Apr 5: Adventure Club Apr 10: Kodak Black w/ Roddy Ricch, Calboy, Sniper Gang, & 22Gz Apr 12: Dark Star Orchestra Apr 13: Jamey Johnson Apr 16: The Purple Madness - Tribute to Prince Apr 19: Lil Baby Apr 20: Trial By Fire Apr 26: Stardust to Ashes Apr 27: Lord Huron Apr 29: Falling In Reverse May 1: Gunna May 8: Garbage May 10: Shakey Graves w/ Illiterate Light
3400 Tuckaseegee Rd, Charlotte | 704.398.4072 www.themilestone.club Apr 2: Moodie Black w/ 30 Year Sick, B-Villainous & more Apr 3: Acne Tap Release Show w/ Unruly Boys, Tko Faith Healer, & Gasp Apr 4: Peelander-Z w/ Ol’ Sport, Sunday Boxing & more Apr 5: Skewed w/ Barking Spider Unit, Mouth Breathers, & Joules Apr 6: Abhorrent Deformity w/ Septicemic, Swarm, Antenora, Impale The Betrayer, & Extinction Level Event Apr 9: Portals w/ Soulkeeper, Everyone Must Die, & Fools Generation Apr 10: Black Mass w/ Nemesis, & Old Scratch Apr 12: The Living Deads w/ Anchor Detail, Black Powder, & Moderneverything. Apr 13: Death of August w/ Neverfall, The Body Bags Apr 14: Leith K. Ali w/ No Rope, Bince, & I And The Lad Apr 15: The Big Lonesome w/ Ila Minori, Lions In Space, & An Archaic Agenda Apr 17: Daddy’s Beemer w/ Tom Angst & The Remarks Apr 19: The Fill Ins w/ Warboys, Bless The Dead, & The Walbournes Apr 20: Electrohex w/ DJ Price Apr 21: Bergenline w/ Pool League, Groove Skeleton & more Apr 22: October w/ Reflex Machine, The Russells, & Dumpster Service Apr 23: Misery Loves Company w/ Softspoken, Skylight Heights, Angry Earth & more Apr 27: Downhaul Vinyl Release Show w/ Jail Socks, Ol’ Sport, & Group Chat Apr 28: Empty & Wiltwither w/ Sideline, Come Clean, & Swamp78
Apr 29: Modern Moxie & Son Step w/ Deion Reverie & Axnt May 2: Blanket Fort w/ Sam Nazz of Cheem, Problem Addict (Ex-Mineralgirls) & more May 8: Planet Loser w/ Ol’ Sport & more
The Peculiar Rabbit 1212 Pecan Ave, Charlotte | 704.333.9197 www.therabbitspot.com Tueday: Music Bingo Thursdays: Karaoke
The Press Box Bar & Grill
9609 N Tryon St, Charlotte | 704.717.2727 www.thepressboxnc.com
The Shed Amphitheater 600 E Sugar Creek Rd, Charlotte www.facebook.com/theshedcharlotte
The Thirsty Beaver Saloon 1225 Central Ave, Charlotte | 704.332.3612 www.facebook.com/The-Thirsty-BeaverSaloon-155129104571598
The Underground
820 Hamilton St, Charlotte | 704.916.8970 www.fillmorenc.com Apr 3: Red Sun Rising Apr 5: Angry Chair & Jeremy’s Ten Apr 6: Polyphia Apr 11: Kid Trunks x Craig Xen Apr 12: Children of Bodom Apr 13: Turkuaz Apr 17: Hatebreed Apr 18: The Parlor Mob Apr 19: Cassadee Pope Apr 21: JACK & JACK Apr 26: Lil Mosey May 3: Missio May 6: Smino May 7: Marianas Trench May 8: Chief Keef May 9: lovelytheband May 10: Johnny Orlando May 13: The Struts May 14: A R I Z O N A
Tin Roof
210 E Trade St, Suite 286, Charlotte | 704.910.1330 www.tinroofcharlotte.com Wednedays: Karaoke Thursdays: Music Trivia Apr 2: Jason Leake Apr 4: Glow Co Apr 4: DJ Jeyone Apr 5: DJ Apollo Apr 5: Seventy Six & Sunny Apr 6: DJ Elementz Apr 6: Glow Co
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Apr 7: DJ Holla Apr 9: Greg Adams Apr 11: Haley Mae Campbell Apr 11: DJ Karz Apr 12: DJ Holla Apr 12: Cardfall Apr 13: Blue Monday Apr 14: DJ Holla Apr 16: DJ Payne Apr 18: The Powell Brothers Apr 18: DJ Matt B Apr 19: The Armory Apr 20: DJ Holla Apr 20: Flip Cup All Stars Apr 23: Josh Tenery Apr 25: The Office Trivia Apr 25: The Regulars Apr 25: DJ Apollo Apr 26: The Jump Cut Apr 27: Drew Parker Apr 27: Cardfall
Three Spirits Brewery 5046 Old Pineville Rd, Charlotte | 980.207.4881 www.threespiritsbrewery.com Thursdays: Cardio Funk Fridays: Music Bingo
Whisky river
210 E Trade St, A-208, Charlotte | 704.749.1097 www.dalejrswhiskyriver.com
Wild Wing Cafe (EpiCentre)
210 E Trade St, Charlotte | 704.716.9464 www.wildwingcafe.com/locations/charlotteuptown-nc
Vibrations
5237 Albemarle Rd, Charlotte | 704.537.3323 www.vibrationsclub.com Saturdays: Rae Styles w/ Old School 105.3
Visulite Theatre
1615 Elizabeth Ave, Charlotte | 704.358.9200 www.visulite.com Apr 5: Jason Scavone w/ The Mongos Apr 6: Consider The Source w/ Medicated Sunfish Apr 12: Manic Focus w/ Russ Liquid Apr 13: Driver 8 - REM Tribute w/ The Lobsters of Rock - B52’s Tribute Apr 19: The Band of Heathens w/ The Artisanals Apr 20: Ghost Light Apr 26: Over The Rhine May 2: Wilderado w/ Duncan Fellows May 3: Jahlistic w/ Zach Fowler May 4: Lucy Dacus w/ Mothers
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NEWS OF THE WEIRD LAST CALL
PEOPLE DIFFERENT FROM US
Researchers at St. Mary’s Hospital in London had been stumped how 10 British men had contracted a rare virus called human T-cell leukemia virus type 1. The men weren’t intravenous drug users and hadn’t had transfusions; none of them displayed any symptoms, but doctors had identified the virus through bloodwork. Dr. Divya Dhasmana, co-author of a study published March 13 by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, was eventually tipped off to the source of the infections when she saw scars on one of the men’s back: The men participate in blood-shedding religious rituals, such as cutting or whipping themselves. The rituals the men reported include striking the forehead with a knife, then passing the knife to other men; or striking the back with a chain of blades. Dr. Dhasmana told the Associated Press that one infected man told her the blades were soaked in a bucket of antiseptic solution between uses, but that didn’t prevent the virus’ spread. “Our message is not ‘Don’t do it,’” said Dr. Dhasmana. “Our message is, ‘If you do it, don’t share equipment.’”
BREAK TIME!
THE LITIGIOUS SOCIETY
Joanne Cullen, 64, of North Bellmore, Long Island, wants to make administrators of St. Charles Resurrection Cemetery in Farmingdale pay for the horror she experienced in December 2016 as she visited her parents’ graves. On that day, Cullen was reaching down to straighten a bow on a wreath when the ground opened up beneath her and a sinkhole “caused her to fall forward and smash her head on the tombstone,” cracking a tooth, her attorney, Joseph Perrini, told the New York Post. As Cullen sank, she grabbed the sides of the tombstone and yelled for help, but no one heard her. Cullen filed suit in March in Queens Supreme Court, asking for $5 million to overcome the nightmares and headaches she experiences, along with the fear of walking in open fields. “I CREATIVE LOAFING APRIL 2019
will never go back there again,” Cullen said. “Getting sucked into your parents’ grave ... it’s terrifying and traumatizing,” Perrini added.
that trouble started after Akins asked Point Du Jour if he could work late that evening, according to police. When he refused, the two began arguing, and witnesses reported that as Point Du Jour got CRIMINAL INGENUITY very close to Akins, she Outside the North Fork Chuck pepper-sprayed him. Correctional Unit in Sayre, Point Du Jour ran out of Oklahoma, Kerri Jo HickShepherd the building with Akins man was arrested on in hot pursuit, wielding March 10 for delivering a long kitchen knife. Police said contraband to prison inmates, reAkins did not stab Du Jour but did ported the Associated Press. Hickscratch his car with the knife. man’s clever delivery method was a T-shirt gun, used by sports team mascots to shoot promotional BRIGHT IDEA shirts at fans. Hickman, however, Topeka, Kansas, police took the launched methamphetamines, joy out of “joyride” on March 16 cellphones, ear buds, phone for Nicholas Hodgden, 40, who chargers, digital scales, marijuana climbed into a forklift outside a and tobacco to some lucky con Dillons grocery store that eveon the other side, but police ning and set off down the road. discovered the gun and another The forklift, valued at $1,500, had package in her car, and she was been left outside the store with booked on charges of introducing the keys in the ignition, The Tocontraband into a penal institupeka Capitol-Journal reported. tion, conspiracy and drug traffickA spokesperson for the police ing in Beckham County. department said bystanders saw what happened and called police, who apprehended HodgOH, THE DRAMA den as he drove along, holding Dog walker Michele Bilsland has an open can of beer. He also had become accustomed to stranga six-pack in the back. Hodgden ers’ alarm when her charge, was booked into the Shawnee Begbie, throws himself to the County Jail on one count of feloground as they start out on their ny theft and misdemeanor counts constitutional. Begbie, who lives of driving under the influence and with Roz Niblock and Matt Kennetransporting an open alcoholic dy in Muthill, Perthshire, Scotland, beverage container. stages his protest when Bilsland leads him on what he knows is the shorter route around the block, GOVERNMENT IN ACTION rather than his usual hour-long Ah, the winds of politics blow jaunt through fields. On March fickly. Mayor Jasiel F. Correia II, 27, 15, two workmen stopped to see watched his fortunes both fall and if Bilsland needed help: “I told rise, all on one ballot, when resithem he was fine and just having dents of Fall River, Massachusetts, a tantrum and sulking,” she told voted to recall him. Correia was Metro News. Begbie, a 4-year-old charged last year with 13 counts Old English bulldog, continued of wire fraud and filing false tax his charade for at least a minute returns, which he has denied, and before getting up and getting on on March 12, 7,829 citizens voted with his walk. “Begbie just has a to kick him out of office, The New very strong personality,” Bilsland York Times reported. But of the five noted. people vying for the mayor’s job on the same ballot, Correia won a plurality — about 35 percent of FLORIDA. the vote. Looks like he can unArby’s manager Le’Terria Akins, pack his banker’s boxes and hang 21, was arrested in Royal Palm his pictures back up — at least Beach, Florida, for aggravated until September, when a mayoral assault, battery and criminal primary will give other candidates mischief on March 16 after an alanother chance. tercation with Ernst Point Du Jour, an employee. FOX 35 reported
INSULT TO INJURY
The last thing Ohio defense attorney Aaron Brockler remembers after hearing the judge pronounce a 47-year sentence for his client, David Chislton, 42, was a “swoosh” sound. That was the sound of Chislton’s fist speeding through the air toward Brockler’s face. On Feb. 19, Chislton had pleaded guilty in Cuyahoga County to domestic abuse, aggravated arson, felonious assault and cruelty to a companion animal, and Common Pleas Court Judge Nancy Margaret Russo handed down his sentence as he stood handcuffed next to his lawyer. But before Brockler could tell him that he would try to get the sentence reduced, Chislton had knocked him to the floor. “All I remember is waking up on the floor underneath the table,” Brockler told WKYC TV. Brockler suffered a concussion and a broken nose. Chislton faces additional charges.
I’VE HAD IT UP TO HERE!
It seems Cynthia Grund, 58, is not one to back down from a challenge. Particularly after her 37-year-old son had been drinking all day at her home in Salem Township, Minnesota. So when he lay down on the driveway and asked, “Why don’t you just run me over?” she was happy to oblige, reported KIMT TV. “He didn’t believe I would. He has been drinking all day. We gave him a chance,” Grund told deputies who responded to her husband’s 911 call on March 18. Grund said she had arranged for her son to stay with a friend and was prepared to give him a ride when he stretched out on the ground. He suffered significant injuries to his head and pelvis, and Grund is accused of second-degree assault and may face an attempted murder charge. Neighbor Samuel Haefner was shocked by the incident: “They were always friendly ... I would never describe them as off or malicious in any sort of way.”
© 2019 CHUCK SHEPHERD. Universal Press Syndicate. Send your weird news items with subject line WEIRD NEWS to WeirdNewsTips@amuniversal. com.
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king crossword
sudoku
half wit
ACROSS 1 5 13 20 21 22 23 25 26 27 29 30 35 38 44 45 46 47 49 51 53 59 60 63 64 65 67 68 70 73 76 77 79 80 82 83
Busy bugs As a matter of routine Take for granted Snoozefest Mogadishu native Replaced the inner layer of Lego bit, e.g. Witty adage -- -Saxon Coral reef -- acids Single-named male model Totally tidy Lamb serving Russian autocrat Lentil, e.g. Free speech org. Tiny neighbor of France -- as it is Son of Poseidon Totally evil -- Bubba (bubble gum brand) Stadium cheers “-- gratia artis” (MGM motto) Comic actor Seth Melodic, musically -- -Caps (candy) Won gold or silver Jacuzzi sites New England soup Crimson or ruby Gas station fill-up amount Water, to Yvette Little chore Mink relative -- gestae (deeds)
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84 85 89 93 94 95 99 100 104 106 108 111 112 113 116 121 124 129 130 131 132 133 134
With 120-Down, like Siamese cats or Frank Sinatra Nasty whales Like a scary ride in a vehicle Moe, for one Tesla CEO Musk African plain Cajun cooking pod Delighted Lustful god Not-quite-identifiable cafeteria food Quality of 2% milk, say Agitate Athenian marketplace Air traveler Singer Cleo Dodge SUV Apt occasion for this puzzle’s theme Touched up, as text Home of St. Louis Give up, as territory Give a new look to Essential Word that can follow the ends of 23-, 35-, 38-, 53-, 73-, 89-,106and 108-Across
DOWN 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
“Waterloo” pop group Gerund, e.g. Calc prereq Hawk It follows chi Actor Glass “No way!,” in a text Marvy
9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 24 28 31 32 33 34 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 48 50 52 54 55 56 57 58 60 61 62 66 67 68 69
Cantina pot Major melee Georgia city Kind of sock Lead-in to fix D.C. VIP Inventor Howe They follow rhos Like green bananas Bully “D.O.A.” star O’Brien Tip, as a hat Range ropes “-- for All Seasons” Frank holder “-- be a real shame if ...” Siouan speaker Drawn tight Brow shape Trellis strip Light beige Insincerely eloquent Desk tray for to-besent documents Space balls Pro-gun gp. “A Bell for --” (1944 novel) Ranch group Rowing tool Garden tool Where a company’s leaders meet Eye lustfully Essential Winds down Bialy, e.g. Actor Butterfield Class whose students might cook Post-op site Mu -- beef Paltry Mesozoic --
70 71 72 74 75 78 81 83 84 86 87 88 90 91 92 93 96 97 98 100 101 102 103 105 107 109 110 114 115 117 118 119 120 122 123 125 126 127 128
Put in a hold Maze route “Nay” sayer Wine holders Joanne of “Red River” On the house Part of n/a Flee hastily Quail flock Pepsi rival Taj Mahal’s city Pew or sofa Artist Paul Direction opposite sud Flee hastily Cutty -(clipper ship) Equine beast of burden High degree School org. Test-marking teacher, e.g. Lentil, e.g. Holds dear NBAer Kevin Hoagie ingredient Holler Sweet treats Easy two-pointer Word before while Go upward Writer Sholem Notion, to Pierre Zip See 84-Across Styling goo Shelley work Ship’s record Canine coat “... Mac -- PC?” Iraq exp
CREATIVE LOAFING CHARLOTTE
/creativeloafingcharlotte @creativeloafingcharlotte @cl_charlotte | april 2019
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HALF HOUR FREE
horoscopes ARIES (March 21 to April 19) Professional relationships grow stronger. But you might still need to ease some problems with someone in your personal life. One way could be to try to be less rigid in your views. TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) You might be too close to that perplexing personal situation to even attempt to make a rational decision about it right now. Stepping back could help you gain a wider perspective. GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) Being asked to choose between the positions of two friends is an unfair imposition on you. It’s best to reject the “demands” and insist they try harder to work things out on their own. CANCER (June 21 to July 22) A change of mind about a workplace decision might be called for once you hear more arguments, pro and con. A personal event suddenly takes an unexpected (but pleasant!) turn. LEO (July 23 to August 22) Romance once again looms large for single Leos and Leonas, with Cupid favoring Taurus and Libra to inspire those warm and fuzzy Leonine feelings. Expect another workplace change. VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) A surprise gift — and, happily, with no strings attached — could come just when you need it to avoid a delay in getting your project done. Expect education to dominate the week. LIBRA (September 23 to October
22) Someone close to you might ask for your support as she or he faces a demanding personal challenge. Offer it, by all means. But be careful you don’t neglect your own needs at this time. SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) An unexpected development could put your relationship with a partner or spouse to an emotionally demanding test. But your determination to get to the truth should save the day. SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) A recent agreement appears to be coming apart over the surfacing of unexpected complications. You might need to have expert advice on how to resolve the situation. CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) Your keen business sense helps you get to the truth about a suspicious business deal. Expect to have many colleagues rally to support your efforts in this important matter. AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) Someone who once moved in and out of your life through the years might now want to come back in on a more permanent basis. Give yourself a lot of time to weigh your decision. PISCES (February 19 to March 20) Showing frustration over a delayed workplace decision might get someone’s attention, but not necessarily make him or her move any sooner. Best advice would be to be patient and wait it out. © 2019 by King Features Syndicate, Inc.
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sudoku
sudoku on page 21
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the advice goddess love · sex · dating · marriage · questions
Eye Anxiety
I’ve been with my boyfriend for four years. I thought I was super happy, but I recently got a crush on a co-worker. Now I’m worried that Amy Alkon maybe I’m not Advice totally satisfied Goddess in my relationship. If I were truly in love with my boyfriend, why would I be crushing on somebody else? Does this make me more vulnerable to cheating? Should we go into therapy? — So Confused You’re in a relationship, not a coma. That said, your worries are understandable. There’s been a belief, even among some researchers, that crushing (on somebody other than one’s partner) is the gateway to cheating — as well as lower commitment and lower relationship satisfaction. Obviously, crushy thoughts about, say, a co-worker can lead to a hookup (or more) in a way that matter-of-fact thoughts — “Why does he have four chargers?” — do not. However, it turns out that researchers failed to make a distinction — between having a crush (an attraction to a person other than one’s partner) and having a high degree of what’s called “attention to alternatives” (basically, eyeballs ever on the prowl for “attractive alternatives” to one’s current partner). In research by doctoral student Charlene F. Belu and psychologist Lucia F. O’Sullivan, 80 percent of the participants reported having a crush on somebody other than their partner while in a committed relationship. Only a small subset (17 percent) of those participants “reported they would leave their romantic partners for their crush if the opportunity arose,” suggesting that for many, their crushes “are not considered true viable alternative partners.” The researchers found people’s crushes to be “of relatively long duration, although not as long as the length of” a person’s “current
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romantic relationship.” This “duration ... suggests that one’s crush endures in parallel to one’s primary relationship.” They even speculate that having a crush may even help sustain a relationship, by (mentally) “providing some variety to help cope with monotony” that’s a natural part of long-term relationships but “without the risks inherent to infidelity.” So, getting back to you, as long as your relationship’s satisfying and the only sex vacations you take with your crush are in your mind, you’re probably okay. In short, “I only have eyes for you” sounds lovely but is probably only realistic if you wear special headgear whenever you leave the house — such as one of those stylish black bags favored by kidnappers and executioners.
Who’ll Stop The Reign?
Out of nowhere, a male friend started criticizing me, telling me that I need to change careers to make more money. He does have a successful business (started with seed money from his extremely wealthy family). But I didn’t ask for his advice, and besides, I love my job, and I’m working on what I need to do to move forward. So I ended up snapping at him. He got mad and insisted that he just wants the best for me. — Steamed
communication is strategic — just like that of our earth-dwelling colleagues, from apes to insects. Honeybees, for example, do a little dance to tell their fellow bees where the nectar is; they don’t just go all twerky for no reason. Back here in Humanland, evolutionary scientists Vladas Griskevicius and Douglas Kenrick find that seven “deep-seated evolutionary motives” — emerging from survival and mating challenges our ancestors faced — “continue to influence much modern behavior.” These evolved motivations still driving us today are 1) evading physical harm, 2) avoiding disease, 3) making friends, 4) acquiring a mate, 5) keeping that mate, 6) caring for family, and — ding-dingding! — 7) attaining status. Yes, status. There’s a good chance that a dispenser of unsolicited advice has the best of intentions — like “I just want to help you...uh...help you (and others who hear about my help) think more highly of me!” (He then becomes
the expert, the career seer, the swami of success.) But whatever this guy’s motive, you have no obligation to donate your attention to his cause. The best time to set boundaries is before they’re needed. Or needed again. Gently inform your friend that you truly appreciate his desire to help but the only advice that works for you is the solicited kind. Should he wish to, uh, solicit your solicitation, he can ask: “Would you be open to hearing...?” If you accept, it might help you keep an open mind if you focus on what you two have in common — for example, a relative who proclaimed, “When I die, all of this will be yours!” Unfortunately, your grandma was making a sweeping gesture toward her salt and pepper shaker collection. Got a problem? Write Amy Alkon, 171 Pier Ave, #280, Santa Monica, CA 90405, or e-mail AdviceAmy@aol.com (www. advicegoddess.com) © 2018 Amy Alkon. Distributed by Creators.Com.
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Criticizing someone does not make them want to change; it makes them want to google for listicles like “10 Foolproof Tricks For Getting Away with Murder.” To understand your friend’s spontaneous outburst of unsolicited advice, consider that human
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