Charlotte Off Topic

[southslider]

^You can see new bicycle lanes (Hawthorne across Independence, Oaklawn across I-77) in the April 2010 aerials that are still missing from the bicycling map feature.

[Forrest]

I like the new Wingdings at the S. Tryon overpass. Whether one likes the particular design or not they add something different and eyecatching that livens up the urban scene. With this new arrival and Disco Chicken that section of Tryon is not just a bland corporate stuffy lifeless stretch anymore.

[grodney]

I noticed (today) that Google Maps has updated their maps for the area. I'm not sure the extent of the update, but the images are very recent. I looked around and it appears that they were taken during Spring Auto Fair at the Charlotte Motor Speedway which was around April 9th.

A bunch of rooftops at the airport are purple. I hadn't noticed this before, not that I'd really looked. Is this new? What is it?

[tozmervo]

Can anyone recommend a good barber in southend or uptown? I was considering City Barbers in the Ivey's building. Not looking for anything fancy. Just a simple, good cut... cheap would be nice. I've come to accept that I can't get a decent haircut for $15 anymore (at least, not in Charlotte).

And with god as my witness, if they try to put gel in my hair without asking, I will put them through a plate glass window.

[HopHead]

Can anyone recommend a good barber in southend or uptown? I was considering City Barbers in the Ivey's building. Not looking for anything fancy. Just a simple, good cut... cheap would be nice. I've come to accept that I can't get a decent haircut for $15 anymore (at least, not in Charlotte).

And with god as my witness, if they try to put gel in my hair without asking, I will put them through a plate glass window.

It's been years since I've had a haircut under $15. I don't think they exist anywhere anymore. If they do, it's probably not that good. I go to Roosters in Southpark (which I know isn't where you're looking). They give a decent haircut, but it's like $30. I know one of the women that works there so, I guess that's why I go there more than anything.

[DMann]

Gene Buchan, Gene's Master Cuts. Great guy, one man shop in the Hilton downtown, 704-372-0846. Try him, you will like him. Cuts are $25.00 I believe. Worth more.

[kermit]

Can anyone recommend a good barber in southend or uptown? I was considering City Barbers in the Ivey's building. Not looking for anything fancy. Just a simple, good cut... cheap would be nice. I've come to accept that I can't get a decent haircut for $15 anymore (at least, not in Charlotte).

And with god as my witness, if they try to put gel in my hair without asking, I will put them through a plate glass window.

Reese Starnes at Sedgefield Barbershop (a few doors down from Home Economist or whatever its now called). He may be the oldest barber alive but he gives a decent gel-free haircut for $18.

Be prepared for an old school setting.

[Urbanity]

Can anyone recommend a good barber in southend or uptown? I was considering City Barbers in the Ivey's building. Not looking for anything fancy. Just a simple, good cut... cheap would be nice. I've come to accept that I can't get a decent haircut for $15 anymore (at least, not in Charlotte).

And with god as my witness, if they try to put gel in my hair without asking, I will put them through a plate glass window.

For $20 you can get a haircut and a beer in Uptown. http://www.cutbarbershop.com/

I went on a Saturday a few weeks ago and just got a buzz trim and they only charged me $15.

[Forrest]

Can anyone recommend a good barber in southend or uptown? I was considering City Barbers in the Ivey's building. Not looking for anything fancy. Just a simple, good cut... cheap would be nice. I've come to accept that I can't get a decent haircut for $15 anymore (at least, not in Charlotte).

And with god as my witness, if they try to put gel in my hair without asking, I will put them through a plate glass window.

Whatever Toz, you know you rock the duckbutt ( with highlights) I go to Supercuts on Park&Seneca. I just get a buzz cut for $16.

I used go to Modern Haircuttters in Park Road Shopping Center but last year barbershop chat switched to complaining about teh gay, so I told them all off and walked out. And that was my last visit.

[Neo]

Check out this 'hectic Charlotte' video:

[grodney]

Isn't uptown some kind of "no fly" zone? At least below a certain altitude?

I was in front of Hearst at 12:04pm today and a plane flew directly overhead. I think it had two props, though it looked pretty big. It was low. Hard to say how high over the buildings from where I was, but it wasn't very high.

It was nearly as unsettling as all the pretty people in that end of town giving me the snob-eye for sitting there in my jeans eating Bojangles.

[nonillogical]

It was nearly as unsettling as all the pretty people in that end of town giving me the snob-eye for sitting there in my jeans eating Bojangles.

one of my favorite things is heading into the Overstreet Mall during lunch rush or a fancy uptown restaurant wearing my usual jeans and a band t-shirt. i stick out but i haven't gotten much actual disdain for it.

[New Name]

I second and third this sentiment. Sometimes I feel under-dressed in restaurants and establishments in Uptown - but spend some time people watching, especially on weekend days and you'll notice an awful lot of "normal people" wandering around in normal clothes (most of them wishing there was something to do other than eat or go to museums).

[Forrest]

I agree, Uptown is dominated by the business crowd which makes supporting the small outposts of alt (Noda,PM,Camden) all the more important. It can feel quite alienating being in jeans and a shirt and surrounded by the weekday lunch crowd on Tryon. On a related note there are some awesome buttons For Sale at CM Southend. To wit : " F the Epcentre" , "Queen City" = with a picture of Shelita Hamm) and a few more funny ones.

[tozmervo]

I LOVE the new pins at Common Market! One of my favorites is "North Carolina LIKES BEING ON TOP (of South Carolina)"

[CLTNative]

I just had an interesting thought. Charlotte has just installed modular news racks on Tryon St to help eliminate the aesthetic nightmare of multi-colored, badly maintained publication boxes at many of the street corners, a process that has taken the better part of 7 years. My dilemma stems from how computer minded i am. I, personally, read very few printed publications and rely highly on RSS feeds that are delivered to my phone. Will those news racks be empty in 5 years?

Proposed solution:

Modify the news racks and raise them a few feet + an overhead canopy. Add touchscreen monitors in each bay devoted to certain publications to house 'apps' that display web content and the ability to send articles to your personal device. This could also prove to be an effective outlet for the local news folks.

Totally just a thought, but wouldn't it be cool if you were a visitor?

[Urbanity]

Your proposed solution is very related to something I've been toying with (fantasy wise - not implementation) for a while. Wouldn't iut be great if the Charlotte Visitor's bureau had mobile stations where you could download relevant local history and/or directory listings from an existing installed way finder sign?

[15895]

Proposed solution:

Modify the news racks and raise them a few feet + an overhead canopy. Add touchscreen monitors in each bay devoted to certain publications to house 'apps' that display web content and the ability to send articles to your personal device. This could also prove to be an effective outlet for the local news folks.

Totally just a thought, but wouldn't it be cool if you were a visitor?

Much too tech savvy for me. Sounds cool though.

[Forrest]

These lists are a dime a dozen .....but we came in second just behind Austin on Kiplingers " 10 great cities for young adults to live in". It's all because of Disco Chicken. I know it.

[Urbanity]

I'm thinking off-topic is right for this - It's something that is driving me a little batty:

What the hell is going on with the fountain/plaza in front of the Hilton at College and Third? It has seemingly been under construction for about (over?) two years now. At one point it was finished and the water was turned on and then the next week it was all ripped up again. I assume the first time they renovated it there was a leaking issue? To put it in perspective this project has been going on longer (off and on) than the construction of the Vue.

Edited August 5, 2010 by Urbanity

[grodney]

I'm sorry I don't have an answer for the fountain, but along those lines, what's the deal with the new scanners at the airport? How is it *possible* for it to take weeks to re-do a single security checkpoint?

I mean, it doesn't really pass the snicker test, does it?

Lots of people on this site are familiar with construction and installation and all that jazz. Even if this is the most complicated thing in the world, isn't a week more than enough time? It's a tiny confined area. It's not like they're replacing every overpass on I-77 or something.

Habitat builds houses in a day. Every show on TLC remodels entire homes in a day. This is a critical area for the airport, and they have 24 hours every day to work on it. I just don't get it.

[tozmervo]

I'm thinking off-topic is right for this - It's something that is driving me a little batty:

What the hell is going on with the fountain/plaza in front of the Hilton at College and Third? It has seemingly been under construction for about (over?) two years now. At one point it was finished and the water was turned on and then the next week it was all ripped up again. I assume the first time they renovated it there was a leaking issue? To put it in perspective this project has been going on longer (off and on) than the construction of the Vue.

A couple of us have hypothesized that they were repairing the water proofing between the plaza and parking deck, screwed it up again, and are working on repairing it again.

[Forrest]

I picked up "Suburbs" the new disc from The Arcade Fire yesterday . I loved Funeral and Neon Bible and their latest was mega-hyped. A little letdown after listening to the whole thing, I guess that's what happens when mainstream fame hits. Stlll a great CD IMHO but don't love every song like prior releases. Anyway, "Sprawl" is a nice screed against soulless suburbia, anthemic to UP perhaps

Edited August 13, 2010 by Forrest

[HopHead]

I was just on the Livenation.com site today buying some tickets for an upcoming show at the Fillmore. I noticed that LN finally wised up on when they tell you what fees you're being charged. Now it tells you in the drop down when selecting what kind of tickets you want, as opposed to when you getting ready to give them your CC number and checkout. That was a big pet peeve of mine and I'm sure I'm not alone. I hated thinking I was buying $32 tickets only to find out they were $46.50 in the end. I still believe tickets for most concerts anywhere are overpriced, but at least I now know up front what its costing me.

[grodney]

My wife and I don't go out to eat much, but we are this weekend for her birthday. If we go to Fiamma or Custom Shop or Georges Brasserie, do I need to wear a jacket and/or tie?

Also, thoughts on those restaurants, or other recommendations? No need to be fancy (actually, preferably not too), just good food. I trust the people on this forum more than my friends!