Moving up in the world

Professional writing is one of those things where being in the right place at the right time is very important. Considering that you're facing a lovely catch 22 of no one wanting to publish your work until you can show them examples of your published works, it can be hard to get your foot in the door.

Luckily for me, I tend to be pretty lucky and have something of an uncanny ability to make the right connections. As such, I give you this, the rough draft of an article that will, after some revising, be seen in Charlotte's Uptown magazine.


New kid on the block

“So, what is there to do around here?” A harmless enough question, and one that was posed to all manner of people when I first moved to Charlotte. Roommates, classmates, and anyone else who seemed like they might have half a clue about something to occupy my time other than sitting in my room praying that my friends from back home would get online. Unfortunately for me, as often as not this question was answered with shrugs and blank stares. Of course, it doesn’t help that a lot of the square footage of the uptown area is devoted to bars. If the predominantly underage population of the Johnson & Wales student body did have an intimate knowledge of these establishments I think I might be just a touch concerned.
And so it came to pass that much of my time was indeed spent aimlessly checking facebook, E-mail, and otherwise praying that my friends from back home would get online. Before too long, though, it became apparent that I would have to join in on one of the oldest and greatest traditions of higher education; the search for a part-time job. Luckily, the question “Know any place that’s hiring?” tended to get better results than my previous inquiry. Among my meanderings to various coffee shops, restaurants of all sorts, and about anything else that I could find I was directed to the EpiCentre. At that point it was little more than one giant construction site. However, it did show some promise. Signs announcing what would soon be filling the vacant spots were everywhere. Cold Stone Creamery. Jason’s Deli. I felt like Jack Skellington when he found himself on that fateful trip to Christmas Town. What’s this? A bowling alley? And over there, a movie theater going in? Could this be the solution to my problems? Not only were the “Now Hiring” signs hanging around every corner, but the EpiCentre was looking to be the place to go for an early morning cup of coffee, a late night drink, and everything in between.
Fast forward to present day. Expectations have come to fruition. Turns out that you can indeed get that morning perk or partake of your favorite adult beverage; in fact, you can do it all under one roof. PJ’s Coffee and Lounge offers uptown about what you’d expect from a coffee shop during the day – a menu full of coffee selections, a few sandwiches and salads for lunch, and of course a window full of baked goodies to peruse. For those like me who aren’t big on coffee (heresy at its worst, I know), they make a pretty good spiced chai. But what’s a coffee shop without ambiance? Luckily for everyone involved this question need not come up at PJ’s. The (admittedly limited) space offers up a number of areas perfectly suited to a group of friends or to someone who just wants to sit and relax for a while. Soft lighting and music make it all the easier.
Of course there’s more than just coffee. When the sun goes down, bottles replace the beans, and the cocktails come out to play. Whether you’re into a nice wine, a signature martini, or care to try one of their specialty coffee drinks, PJ’s can hook you up for your after work happy hour (or two). If you’re feeling particularly sophisticated you can join in for one of their Wednesday night wine tastings.
Going out for dinner and a movie might be a little cliché, but Mez gives new life to this old standby. While lunch can be found here during the day, Mez offers a nighttime experience that’s not to be missed. The menu has been described to me as “world cuisine”, and offers an array of large and small plates along with a variety of sides that, combined, mean a lot of great food perfect for sharing. An open kitchen even allows you to watch your food being created.
So what about the movie part of this package? Tucked inside are five theaters, each showing their own movie. Better yet, along with your ticket from the downstairs box office comes a reserved seat, so you don’t have to worry about rushing through your meal to avoid a bad spot in the theater. Besides, the theaters are food friendly, and you can order items from the bar to take in with you. Skewers, steaks, drinks – and yes, even popcorn and other classic concessions – are available.
For the late night crowd, the music turns up and the lounge hits full swing. Hours after dinner service has ended the lounge stays open and the drinks flow freely (is anyone else seeing a trend here?). The mood is upbeat and highly energetic, and anyone trying to navigate the premises might have to avoid an impromptu dance party or two.
The last stop on this EpiCentre adventure is at Howl at the Moon. At first glance (and never having heard of this particular enterprise) I lumped it together with the rest of the bars that populate uptown Charlotte. Digging a little deeper showed me the error of my ways. Far more than just a place to grab a drink, Howl offers denizens of Charlotte a unique form of entertainment – dueling pianos. Talented musicians entertain the masses with popular songs and sing-a-longs that get nearly everyone out of their seat and into the action. If the traditional bar scene has started to get old, Howl at the Moon might be the answer to your troubles.
So it turns out that there’s a good bit to do around here after all. Looks like I’ll be closing facebook, shutting down my laptop, and getting out for a change.