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LIFE
SHEENA IT’S A W-TOWN LIFE We have the honor to have Sheena on the cover of the very first issue of the W-TOWN Magazine. We had a fantastic photoshoot with her around town, and simply had to know more about her and her life in Wilmington. How does your W-TOWN experience compares to hers? VISIT OUR FACEBOOK PAGE TO SEE MORE PICTURES
■ How long have you lived in the Wilmington area? - Wilmington has been “home” now for just shy of two years after moving from Raleigh in April of 2014. Although I do frequently return to Raleigh, I can honestly say that going coastal has been a decision I don’t regret! ■ What are some fun things you like to do in Wilmington? - When the weather permits and I find the time, my favorite thing to do is lounge on the beach with my dogs, put on some music and enjoy a few beverages. However I also enjoy going to the concerts in downtown Wilmington; these have quickly become a Friday night routine for me as I enjoy the live music from local, as well as touring bands. ■ What’s the nightlife like and some good places that you like to go in Wilmington? - Wilmington has a colorful selection of bars scattered up and down Front St. and the neighboring side streets. Pravda is my go-to spot when I’m in the mood for an upbeat atmosphere where I can just let my hair down and have a good time. After exams, or stressful days at school, my friends and I enjoy having a few drinks at The Husk to unwind. ■ What are some of your favorite Restaurants in Wilmington? - Hands down, my favorite place to eat in Wilmington is Bluewater. They usually have live music out on the patio every Sunday over looking the water, making this my summer go-to spot for cocktails and seafood. Their crab-dip and coconut shrimp are must-try, because you can’t just order one! Indochine is another favorite of mine and is truly one-of-akind. It doesn’t look like much from the outside, but looks are deceiving. This Thai and Vietnamese restaurant is full of art and while the atmosphere is unforgettable, it’s nothing in comparison to their mouth-watering entrées.
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Wilmington in three words “Unique, historical “Stay-cation”. ■ We know you like to work out, so what’s your favorite workout spot? - I have been a member of O2 Fitness since moving to the area in 2014. Free weights are a staple in my workouts and this gym offers everything I need to reach my fitness goals. ■ Knowing you love the beach, does Wilmington beaches get your approval? - The blue water, soft sand and quick access to various amenities makes Wrightsville beach my favorite of all the beaches in the Wilmington area. Any and all of the surrounding beaches are beautiful and kept clean, I would certainly recommend stopping by to enjoy the coastline. ■ Do you visit the Downtown Riverwalk much? - The Riverwalk is one of my favorite places to be during the summer after a day spent on the beach. Friday’s are typically when I spend a lot of time on the river front, but I also enjoy taking my dogs out there on Sunday’s if the weather is nice. The George is one of my favorite places to eat and watch the sunset before heading over to watch the live bands play downtown. ■ Did you enjoy attending UNCW? - Although I’m a Pirate at heart, I do enjoy being a Seahawk. The campus is absolutely beautiful and being in close proximity to the beach makes up for UNCW not having a football team... ■ How many times have you had ice cream at Kilwin’s Ice Cream and what’s your favorite? - It would be easier for me to tell you how many times I haven’t had their ice cream. Every trip downtown Wilmington either begins or ends with a trip to Kilwins. They have so many great flavors, which I have yet to try because my favorite is chocolate chip cookie dough and I just can’t pass that up.
FEBRUARY2016
1 On The Cover
THEW-TOWNMAGAZINE
HARDWORKINGSTAFF Editor-In-Chief
Kevin Howard - gvegasmagazine@hotmail.com
Graphic & Media Design Eduardo Vargas - www.volkanorocks.com evargas@volkanorocks.com Photography Trey Singletary - treyfromecu@aol.com Randy Moore - rpmoore1@wmconnect.com Mark Manna - mrmannaphotography@yahoo.com Christina Rendano - rendano@whereuparty.com Jeannie Wade - jeanniewadex@gmail.com Laci Parker - laciparker89@gmail.com
Contributors/Writers Arran Wright - oncuepr0m0ti0ns@yahoo.com Brian Goings - poet_antidote@yahoo.com Nathan Black - nblack252@gmail.com Randy Moore - rpmoore1@wmconnect.com Travis Jones - jonestra12@students.ecu.edu Christina Rendano - rendano@whereuparty.com Jeannie Wade - jeanniewadex@gmail.com Laci Parker - laciparker89@gmail.com
W-TOWN Magazine Office: (252) 227-4313 Sales: (252) 258-7900
www.whereuparty.com
3 Valentine’s Day and Being Single
1
ON THE COVER
5 NWE with BRILLZ 7 VH1 Music Review 9 Party Pictures 10 Party Pictures
BEING SINGLE ON V-DAY
5
11 The Night WAX MOTIF Lit Up PRAVDA 13 The Pour House 15 Jeannie’s Pet Salon
NYE WITH BRILLZ
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17 Party Pics 18 VENUES WAX MOTIF
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WTM
LIFE
Valentine’s Day and Being Single Don’t let having or not having a relationship define you BY RANDY MOORE
Perhaps your love life hasn’t exactly worked out the way you planned. Maybe you went through a rough marriage, had a number of challenging relationships with precisely the wrong partners, or situations in your love life make you think there isn’t a match for you. With Valentine’s Day coming up, it makes things feel even worse. Not only do you have your own feelings to contend with, but then you peruse Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter, and all you see are endless photos and posts of, “He got me roses! I love you, Baby!” or “She got tickets! Yes!” All this does is cause you to reflect on a simple fact: You’re not in a relationship right now and love sucks. I understand. Really, I get it. But, please consider this: A relationship does not define you. It can complement you, but it doesn’t define you. Maybe today it feels like all relationships are crap. I hear you. Being around others who are in the midst of enjoying someone else conjures that. So, if you feel that way—do it. Feel the anger and bitterness that stems from a past relationship gone wrong.
But while you’re doing it, please recognize a few of things:
1.- Valentine’s Day is just a day on the calendar. While it’s rooted in history and legend, it’s still just a day. 2.- Give yourself a time limit for your feelings. It’s okay to feel pissed off, but don’t harbor those feelings for long periods of WTM | 3
time. A closed heart not only breeds anger and resentment, it can never receive love. 3.- Recognize that not all relationships are the same. Although it may feel like all men/women are the same, they aren’t. There are great men and women out there. Just because you don’t have a date today doesn’t mean that you will be loveless forever. Try to keep things in perspective. Above all, please know this: broken hearts heal, but they don’t heal through anger; they heal through recognition. They don’t heal through regret; they heal through reflection. They don’t heal through feelings of failure; they heal through acceptance. And, moving on is not about blame; it’s about surrender. Don’t spend your time regretting your past relationships, even if they were bad or challenging. Everything you’ve experienced is a prologue to this moment, and here you are ... still standing. Every situation in our lives makes us bitter or better, and you can choose which at any time. Whatever has happened, you can’t change it, you can’t undo it, and you can’t forget it. Instead, embrace it and move on. Bottom line: You win some, you learn some. Great love is out there, but it might not appear until you let go of your past. Anything else is allowing your past to control you, and there is no use in looking back unless you plan on going that way. Valentine’s Day or not, it will be a beautiful day if you so choose.
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WTM
MUSIC
NYE with
BRILLZ
and Cult Entertainment BY CHRISTINA RENDANO The moment I found out BRILLZ was ringing in the New Year at Ritz Raleigh I was all in. I asked my friend, Justin Meyer, if he had ever seen BRILLZ and he replied, “uhhh yeah, he’s AWESOME and puts on a great show!!” He then says, “WHY did you ask? Haven’t you ever seen him before??” My answer was simple, “NOPE, but I will on New Year’s Eve!!!” Justin painted a very colorful picture of BRILLZ; “He has this swagger other DJs just don’t, he brings that gangster rap style to the electronic world with his trap music. He’s a crunchy, funky, hip-hop worshiping crunk-god from outer space. He’s got more trap wobble per pound than any other contender in his weight class. He’s the stuff that suburban white kid’s ghetto nightmares are spun from. BRILLZ is the master of nasty. I just know that he’s awesome and puts on a great show. MVP material, for real!” At first, I was going to focus this article on Brillz and the mindblowing shows he performs, but there was so much more to that night than just the DJs: Cult Entertainment and Life Is Art Studios. Cult Entertainment is an electronic music event production, promotion, and execution company based in Durham, NC. They produced Nightmoves and have since partnered with Disco Donnie Presents to bring BRILLZ and many other big names to Raleigh, Charlotte, and many more of the surrounding areas in North Carolina. Joe Bell, CEO at Cult Entertainment, is one of the nicest guys I have met in the music promotion industry. He is
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soft-spoken, pleasant to be around, easy to work with, and above all else, he constantly makes sure everyone is enjoying himself or herself. Being part of one of the biggest New Year’s Eve parties to hit Raleigh, NC, one would think Joe would be a bundle of nerves; that wasn’t the case. He was calmly walking around, chatting amongst friends, and making sure everyone was having a good time. After recently reading an interview, featuring Joe Bell and Cult Entertainment, I recalled something that stood out to me. Joe had said, “usually if you don’t see me hanging out, there is probably a lot of stuff going wrong. If you do see me, then everything is going awesome.” So two thumbs up for the whole event that night! DVUS and ancient/lakes hit the stage together and nearly blew the roof off of the Ritz. A highlight of their set was when Adisa McKenzie, both an artist and a vocalist, joined them on stage and played Hype Man. The crowd went crazy. I remember taking photos off of the second floor balcony and looking down into the sea of people thinking, “WOW, the crowd and the lighting are amazing.” Life Is Art Studios out of Raleigh, NC has one of the best lighting and technical production companies around. Their New Year’s Eve production was beyond amazing. Finally, BRILLZ came on and was ready to bring 2016 in with a bang. There wasn’t a single unhappy person in the entire venue. Everyone was singing and dancing, but most importantly it was an undeniably remarkable experience.
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MUSIC
VH1 MUSIC REVIEW BY ARRAN WRIGHT At LaPlace Elementary School in Louisiana, walking through the halls meant hearing the sounds of children laughing, lessons being taught, and the hustle and bustle of the students in between classes. Yet, never was there the bright sound of instruments gracing the halls that these students walked through everyday. That is, until LaPlace Elementary was recently rewarded a grant of $30,000 by VH1 Save the Music and Toyota. On the opening day of Voodoo Festival Music + Arts Experience Friday, October 30th, corporate leaders from both Toyota and VH1 Save the Music met with administrative staff of LaPlace Elementary School and the Louisiana School Board Association to unveil their gift, and give a few words on why music is so important to young students. On behalf of VH1, Chiho Feindler, Grantee and Compliance Manager of VH1, stated, “We really believe having music education is crucial in everyday school life… The complete education should have music education.” Kathy Mota, Toyota’s representative as Senior Strategist for Social Impact and Innovation and Corporate Philanthropy, spoke of their excitement to team up with VH1. On behalf of their partnership, Kathy stated “ I’m really lucky to work for a company that believes in giving back to people around the country and around the world to make their lives better.” Through a nationwide festival outreach program, Toyota and VH1 teamed up to bring musical instruments to one lucky school through a unique and exciting method of giving. Teaming up with festivals like Lollapalooza, Nocturnal Wonderland, Outside Lands, Life is Beautiful, and Voodoo Music + Arts Experience in New Orleans, they put a full size Whispering Willow tree on each of the festival grounds that allowed festival goers to express their love for music. They shared by taking a leaf and writing what music means to them on the leaf, hanging the leaf on the tree, and posting a photo of it on social media with the hashtag #ToyotaGiving. For every post tagged, Toyota donated $1 to VH1 Save the Music Program.
For the unveiling of the award, they allowed a few band students from each section to come on stage to show the crowd what each type of instrument can do. Music teacher Jeremy Rodrigue was all smiles, as he conducted each of the sections and their fresh instruments through a small piece of music. As music teacher of LaPlace Elementary, he had been teaching students the power of music long before they had instruments. By using tapping, tones, and rhythm he taught the students music theory without a single instrument. To add to the excitement, VH1 Music contacted world-renowned artist Santigold to surprise the students with a small private performance. Santigold was ecstatic to perform for the students ,and it showed when she invited a few of the students to dance on stage with her (picture 1). When the students stepped onto the stage, electricity in the room was apparent. All of the students danced in perfect coordination together, and even some faculty members began joining in on the once in a lifetime experience. Post performance, the students got the opportunity to ask Santigold questions on how music shaped who she is, and she didn’t fail to disappoint. Upon being asked by a student “Why did you start writing music?” she revealed that she had been writing music for as long as she could remember, but that two of her major influences to begin making music was the 1984 film, “ Breakin’ “ and the famous hip hop trio, Salt-N-Pepa. Closing the event, a check for $30,000 was presented to VH1 Save The Music and LaPlace Elementary School from Toyota, with clapping and shouting from the audience. (Picture 2) Alison Cupit, the Principal of LaPlace Elementary, closed the event and addressed the students with some words of wisdom. After thanking the teachers for all of their contributions in the classroom, she stated in unison with all of the students present, “It takes all of us to achieve greatness.”
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MUSIC
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SOUND
THE NIGHT WAX MOTIF LIT UP PRAVDA BY CHRISTINA RENDANO
On January 29th of 2016, Mad Decent g-house master,
a little taste of the underground house, electro house, or
WAX MOTIF came through Wilmington and lit 23 N
progressive house world, then you will know his sound is
Front Street on pure fire. The Port City will never be the
far superior to most DJs and producers out there today.
same again and I’ve come to find out that Pravda has a
No stranger to the festival circuit, Wax has played EDC
lot more to offer than what just meets the eye. They have
Las Vegas, New York & Mexico, HARD Summer & Day of
been voted Wilmington’s “Best Nightclub” three years
the Dead, Holy Ship, Future Music Festival, Splendour
in a row and nominated six years in a row. Besides being
in the Grass, and Rhythm & Vines to name a few. If you
the only club in town with a freshly tuned 45,000 watt
missedWaxy, at Pravda then I’d say you missed out on
SOUND SYSTEM and their new LASER system lighting up
one incredible night.
the night, the owners Dustin Cook and Edie Senter have been keeping it real. Their entire team, which includes
An amazing club with a booming sound system mixed
bar staff, bouncers, resident DJs, and of course them-
with Waxy’s very own beats. You didn’t just hear his
selves, make going out something to look forward to.
music, you could feel it deep in your chest. The music
Pravda has the reputation of providing great music and a
was literally soul stirring and to mix that with great vibes
beautiful, warm, inviting and safe atmosphere for party-
from the crowd was truly unbelievable. To have this top
goers. These are all big attributes that most nightclubs
DJ in such an intimate setting was something I do not
seem to be lacking.
think anyone that was lucky enough that night to witness such an event, will EVER forget. “The night Waxy came to
Wax Motif, from Sydney Australia, has been making his
town.” Aurora Presents, out of Charlotte, North Carolina,
way through the Electronic Music Scene (EDM) for a while
are teaming up with Wilmington native Justin Arlett and
now. His unique production style and mixing skills have
Pravda to start bringing the underground, old school
kept him in very high demand and are earning him likes
house music back with numerous big names; heavy hit-
from some of the top DJs and producers known, such
ting DJs loved and respected from all over the globe.
as Tommy Trash, GTA, Tiësto, Diplo, and Dillon Francis
Aurora Presents, Justin Arlett, and Pravda succeeded the
to name a few. Wax Motif has a very unique sound and
night Waxy threw down and made Pravda the place to
most underground house aficionados will tell you the
be.
same. If you have EVER been lucky enough to have had
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WTM
NIGHT LIFE
THE POUR
HOUSE BY LACI PARKER
The Pour House, located in the heart of Wilmington North Carolina’s Historic Downtown, is most certainly a distinctive and “magical” place. If you’re a local, visiting, or just moved here from out of town this is the place to be! As for being a local myself, this dive bar located underground is by far my most favored spot to be whether I am there to hang out and relax with old friends, or to make brand-spankin’ new ones. Regardless, I’ve never seen a frowning face or unhappy patron behind their door. From four o’clock PM to two o’clock AM everyday some of Wilmington’s favorite bartenders/majestic creatures are in place to serve you. Whatever you decide: fancy beer, liquor, or even food. Yea, I said it, food! The Pour House offers many activities their regulars enjoy, which would keep out-of-towners on their toes. From their weekly Hash-Run Tuesdays, their Sex Toy Bingo Thursdays, and last but not least, their football-induced chaos (the good kind) Sundays. You will never run out of things to do while enjoying your drink of choice. Although I am sure Sex Toy Bingo and Football Sunday’s are self-explanatory, hashing is something I personally did not know of until I became a regular at the Pour House. Hashing, is simply an international group of non-competitive running social clubs. The events organized by a club are known as a hash or hash runs, with participants calling themselves hashers WTM | 13
or hares and hounds. The warm-up rally is unquestionably a sight to witness. I sat down with one of our local hashers and one of my full-time friends, Wesley Craven, and asked him to tell me what his opinions were in regards to our beloved Pour House. I could not have given a better response myself: “In regards to the Pour House, I find it to be one of the more welcoming establishments specifically downtown, and especially for those who are moving recently from out of town and/or state. I really appreciate how they are able to maintain one of the more diverse clientele, which prevents them from being pigeonholed or carrying a certain stigma, as most bars currently do these days. The Pour House also feels more like my second home, as opposed to a bar. On any given night, you can go there and know that you’re not just going to see people you know, but you’re going to see FAMILY. They’re always welcoming new faces, and for someone who moved down from Chicago in the somewhat recent past, it definitely made my transition much easier when I became a fulltime resident of Wilmington.” I guess what I am trying to say is, if you’re in town and looking for a place to spend a little relaxation time, be sure to take a peek at the stomping grounds for Wilmington’s local savages! I can guarantee that you WILL NOT be disappointed!
“
you’re not just going to see people you know, but you’re going to see
FAMILY”
WTM
LIFE
jeannie’s pet salon 16 year ANNIVERSARY BY RAIN QUINN Jeannie’s Pet Salon opened November 1st, 1994. Master groomer, Jeannie Wade, owner/operator of Jeannie’s Pet Salon, has been grooming pets for 20 years. Jeannie majored in elementary education at UNCW as well as hair design at Troutman School of Cosmetology. Jeannie now feels, that was a foundation for her grooming business, especially now that she is caring for other peoples babies and also doing hair. She has found her niche! Jeannie will make sure the nails, ears, and anal glands are always done as this is part of the grooming process and included in the price. Jeannie is always reasonably priced and pets receive plenty of pampering at Jeannie’s Pet Salon. Jeannie’s services include, hand scissoring, organic flea treatments, conditioning treatments, nail cutting, ears cleaned, anal glands expressed. Jeannie accepts, all breeds, dogs and cats. Jeannie realized that being self employed and grooming dogs was her passion. She began working for her sister-in-law, Carolyn Schatz, when one day, Carolyn put some clippers in her hand and Jeannie found she had a natural talent for grooming. Jeannie has been grooming and clipping dogs and cats ever since, and loves it! She opened Jeannie’s pet salon 4 years later and has been in business for 16 years. That is 20 years total of grooming bliss! Jeannie loves her job and as sole proprietor, with no employees,
Jeannie is happy to be the only person doing the grooming. Over the years employees have come and gone. “Pet grooming is hard work and good help is hard to find. It’s just easier to do it yourself. At least then you know it’s done right!” Jeannie says. She wants to be sure that each pet has been thoroughly groomed with love, and checked over from tip to tail. The groomers job is not only making a pet beautiful such as cleaning and clipping, but reporting back to the owner, any changes in appearance or health issues she may find. Pets receive plenty of pampering and Jeannie is always fair and reasonably priced. Jeannie believes in the old school and thorough way of grooming. Nails are cut, ears are cleaned, anal glands are expressed, bathing, conditioning and clipping are part of the process and included in the price. Clients become family members, and Jeannie has come to be known to her clients, as aunt Jeannie. She takes care of every pet like they were her very own and also falls in love with each and every one too. Jeannie will continue to keep them clean, comfortable, healthy and happy until they pass over the rainbow bridge. Jeannie’s Pet Salon is centrally located in the heart of Wilmington at 124 Cardinal Drive. Call and make your appointment today 910-791-4161.
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■ The Calico Room Night Club
VENUES
107 S Front St
■ Juggling Gypsy Grill
Artsy cafe features flavored tobaccos, coffee drinks & small plates along with live performances. 1612 Castle St
List of entertainment venues, Restaurants, and nightclubs In Wilmington NC.
■ Sand Bar 417 S College Rd
■ PRAVDA Nightclub
Spacious, upscale lounge with DJs, dancing, light shows, two bars, bottle service & more 23 N Front St
■ Sputnik Nightclub
■ Costello’s Piano Bar ■ Shuckin Shack
Local bar with a relaxed athmosphere, and nightly drink specials 103 Market St, Wilmington, NC 28401
Family-friendly hub for steamed & raw shellfish, wings & beers served in a no-frills setting. 109 Market St ■ Manna Seasonal New American fare in posh, romantic environs, plus craft cocktails & extensive wine list. 123 Princess St
■ Yosake Downtown Sushi Lounge
■ The Blind Elephant
Glossy 4th-floor lounge with laser lights, glowing tables & a dance floor, plus bottle service. - Google 23 N Front St, Wilmington, NC 28401
■ Pour House
Fashionable Pan-Asian spot serving sushi & craft cocktails on the 2nd floor of a historic building. 33 S Front St
■ Slice of Life Pizzeria & Pub Downtown Local pizzeria & pub chain serving pies, wings, subs & tacos, plus craft beer, wine & tequilas. 125 Market St
■ Hell’s Kitchen
Neighborhood bar with pub grub favorites, microbrews, cocktails, daily specials & weekend bands. 118 Princess St
■ The Fortunate Glass Wine Bar
Intimate venue showcasing globally sourced wines, plus creative small plates & craft beers. 29 S Front St
21 N Front St
■ Front Street Brewery
Microbrewery offering house beers & upgraded pub grub, plus daily tours of the brewery. 9 N Front St
■ Ibiza Nightclub
1 S Front St
■ Sea Horse Lounge 1311 Dawson St
■ Arabian Nights Lounge Hookah Cafe
Cozy hookah cafe with diverse entertainment, including karaoke, DJs for dancing & pool tables. 3021 Market St
■ Pure Gold’s Crazy Horse Wilmington 5671 Market St Opens at 7:00 PM
■ Barbary Coast Bar 116 S Front St
■ The Liquid Room Night Club
■ The Harp
■ Goat & Compass Bar 710 N 4th St
106 Market St
Irish pub food & drink along with weekly trivia & karaoke nights in classic dark-wood tavern digs. 1423 S 3rd St
■ City Limits Saloon Night Club
■ Pure Gold Wilmington
23 Market St
■ Goodfellas Bar
31 S Front St
■ Copper Penny
■ End Zone Night Club
Energetic saloon with nightly food & drink specials plus lots of microbrews on tap & in bottles. 109 Chestnut St
1415 Dawson St # A
■ Five Star Tavern
■ The Reel Cafe
Cozy haunt offering craft beers, live music & a competitive Skee-Ball league in a chill atmosphere. 106 N 2nd St
■ Whiskey Bar Night Club
Modern dance club with DJs spinning house, hip-hop & Top 40, plus karaoke nights & drag shows. 118 Market St
Jumping spot with dancing on bars, rooftop patio, mechanical bull, pool tables & weekly specials. 28 S Front St
■ The Husk Bar
Enduring lounge with warm decor providing live piano performances, craft cocktails & boutique wines. 211 Princess St
dult Entertainment Club 143 S College Rd
■ Satellite Bar and Lounge
Carefully-restored tavern with exposed brick walls, funky decor, a cool vibe & weekend music. 120 Greenfield St
■ Carolina Lounge 5001 Market St
Pub grub, oysters & beer are served in a brick-lined space with rooftop bar & shows by local bands. 100 S Front St
Is your business not listed? Send us an e-mail to info@whereuparty.com with a short description and address, and we’ll make sure to include in our list!
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