Charlotte (December 2003)

Coming Soon

Hotel:
Hilton Garden Inn Link to my review

Restaurants:
French Quarter Link to my review
Mimosa Grill Link to my review
Ri Ra Irish Pub Link to my review
Marriott Link to my review

Charlotte: Hilton Garden Inn (December 2003)

My spouse and I stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn Charlotte Uptown for two nights in late December 2003 while attending a college football game. The hotel is centrally located in the heart of uptown Charlotte, within walking distance to major companies, entertainment venues, and restaurants including Time Warner Cable Arena, Epicenter, Bank of America Stadium, and the Financial District. The hotel is across the street from the NASCAR Hall of Fame and one block from the Charlotte Convention Center. The hotel offers a complimentary shuttle within a 3-mile radius of the property. Enjoy breakfast, lunch, and dinner in The Garden Grille & Bar or a drink at our full-service bar. Use the business center, host a meeting or event, work out in the fitness center, swim in the indoor pool, or relax in the whirlpool. Suites and executive rooms include a refrigerator, microwave, flat-screen TV, with a separate living area with a sofa bed or whirlpool tub.

Charlotte: Marriott (December 2003)

Locally inspired, technology-powered innovations with a human touch are taking over, only at the Charlotte Marriott City Center. See our transformation in action as we enhance every aspect of your stay — from reinventing fitness on the road to transforming the guest room into a space designed for you. Experience innovations in food and drink and drive innovation from our redesigned meeting spaces as we create a place that uniquely welcomes you to the next generation of travel. These exciting new experiences are only at the Charlotte Marriott City Center. And this is only the beginning. Check back with us often because there is so much more to come.

Charlotte: Ri Ra Irish Pub (December 2003)

My spouse and I ate lunch at Ri Ra Irish Pub in late December 2003. The Victorian bar in the middle of the Charlotte pub was built in the early 1800s for the officer's mess in the Phoenix Park Barracks in Dublin. The bar was removed in 1920 and it lay in storage in a Dublin garage for over 70 years. Ciaran Sheehan bought it in 1996 with a view to making it the centerpiece of his first Ri Ra Irish Pub, which opened in Charlotte on Ciaran's birthday, March 14th 1997. Ciaran went to great lengths to source, meticulously restore and relocate the pub from Ireland to its new home in Charlotte. Toward the front of Ri Ra, you will find the perfect example of a cozy shop bar which originated from somewhere within Northern Ireland, c 1740. Sections of this back bar include a restored Guinness mirror and a collection of Dublin Corporation Ledgers written from 1800-1840. These ledgers are available to all pub visitors to peruse over a quiet pint. The etched glass panels set into the Victorian back-bar are originals dating to the early 1800s. The exact origin of the statue of St. Patrick standing behind the bar is unknown but it is well over 100 years old. It was not uncommon for a rural town or village to have a statue or a monument at the entrance to give a blessing to all passers by. In addition to the original bar the pub is full of antiquities of interest. Ri Ra is on two levels with an upper level terrace overlooking Hearst Plaza in the middle of downtown Charlotte. The site where Ri Ra now stands was a department store that lay vacant for a number of years. The current structure dates from about 1910. However, during construction, Ciaran unearthed stable equipment and horseshoes suggesting that at some point in history the site was used as a stable.

Charlotte: Mimosa Grill (December 2003)

My spouse and I ate dinner at the Mimosa Grill in late December 2003. Consistently named one of Charlotte’s best restaurants since 1995, Mimosa Grill features global cuisine with a unique southern twist. Dedicated to artisans, farmers, and craftsmen whose passion for food creates the finest ingredients possible, Executive Chef Thomas Marlow creates Mimosa Grill’s dishes using only the freshest, natural ingredients that come straight from farm to the fork. The cuisine along with the restaurant’s stunning décor by renowned architect Bill Johnson, make Mimosa Grill one of Charlotte’s most distinctive dining experiences.

Charlotte: French Quarter (December 2003)

My spouse and I ate lunch at the French Quarter in late December 2003. Both Panos and Toula Photopoulos shared the same dream of moving to the United States. At a young age, both moved from different parts of Greece, with nothing more than some pocket change, and disembarked to what was known as the land of the free, filled with endless opportunities. Their paths crossed in Chicago Illinois, where they married, and subsequently Panos obtained a great deal of his restaurant experience. Panos began by washing dishes during the day and attending English classes during the evenings. Within a couple of years he progressed from a dishwasher, to a server assistant, to a server, to a bartender, and to a Maitre d. Years later, Panos and Toula had their three boys, George, Greg, and Frank, and after living in Chicago for 20 years, the Photopoulos'moved to Charlotte, NC to be near family. In 1986, Panos opened his first restaurant, The French Quarter, one of the area's oldest establishments, located in the Charlotte Uptown area. From their famous Lunch Specials to their unforgettable chicken wings and drink specials, French Quarter provides comfort food with a touch of Cajun. Enjoy a glass of wine or a crafted beer on their outdoor patio facing the Romare Bearden Park. Conveniently located a few blocks from the Carolina Panthers Stadium and two blocks from the new Charlotte Knights Stadium.

New York City: Hurley's Saloon (November 2003)

My spouse and I had drinks at Hurley's Saloon in November 2003. Forsaking a century-long presence in Rockefeller Center for the glitter of Times Square, this upscale saloon moved in 2000 to a renovated building west of Broadway. Designed in a theme-park pastiche of Prohibition–era New York that’s meant to evoke the ghosts of daring flappers and dashing robber barons, the dining room features luxe, scarlet-cushioned booths tucked against walls of bumblebee yellow. A deep ground-floor bar hosts business folks during happy hour; the dining areas in back and on the second floor seat motley groups of tourists and other Times Square gawkers. Hurley’s aims for a swanky, steak-and-seafood theme, but huge portions and extraneous sauce evoke Applebee’s over the Astors. Still, prompt service and guest-friendly pricing suit Hurley’s for this part of town; everyone leaves satisfied and on time for their Broadway curtain. Red-meat basics, like grilled rib-eye steak or tender, moist ribs, are good, safe bets, but don’t skip the starters: French onion soup may be the best dish on the menu, with a gratinéed cheese top and buttery, sweet broth. Perfectly charred blackened shrimp, paired with a side of sugary mango chutney, offer an appealing alternative to otherwise beefy fare. In its old Sixth Avenue home, this midtowner was once frequented by radio and television stars from yesteryear like Steve Allen and Johnny Carson. When Mayor John Lindsay and Henry Kissinger had a party there, they had such a good time they were asked to leave.

New York City: Crowne Plaza Times Square (November 2003)

My spouse and I stayed at the Crowne Plaza Times Square in mid-November 2003. Bright lights, Broadway theaters, unique shopping and effervescent energy – this is Times Square, the Crossroads of the World. Crowne Plaza Times Square Manhattan is located in the heart of this engaging scene, overlooking the bustling New York City sidewalks and busy pedestrian plazas along Broadway. A modern Broadway hotel at Times Square, Crowne Plaza stands as a welcome oasis in the center of America’s busiest city. The hotel features 795 spacious, well-appointed rooms and a host of services and amenities that go above and beyoned those offered at most hotels in Times Square. A single step away from Crowne Plaza’s front door places you in the middle of New York’s most vibrant area. Broadway’s most renowned theaters, the city’s best shopping, and signature cultural attractions dominate the cityscape, offering a playground of urban exploration. Our hotel in Times Square is in the ideal position for productive business travel. Located just blocks from the Javits Center and within steps of some of New York City’s most prominent financial firms and media companies, Crowne Plaza Times Square provides an array of event spaces for conferences, business meetings, social events and more. Lose yourself in the heart of New York City at Crowne Plaza Times Square Manhattan, the most conveniently located hotel in Midtown.

We ended up choosing the Crowne Plaza Times Square. While we did not get upgraded to the concierge floor (the hotel was sold out due to a convention at Javitz--the reason I was there), we lucked out with a corner room that had a view of Times Square and the TKTS kiosk. We had two walls of windows--eight in all, and the room was quite large (but I think this really had to do with being on a corner). Furniture leaned a little toward hip/modern with light/blonde-colored wood furnishings. The lobby/bar/restaurant area wasn't anything extraordinary. I would not hesitate to stay here again because of the hotel's proximity to the theatre district.

NYC: Rosa's Place (November 2003)

Steps away from the Theater District, Rosa's Place features an authentic Mexican cuisine, prepared with the freshest and finest ingredients. Locals and tourists have been enjoying this corner institution for decades where the service is friendly and attentive, and where generous portions are served daily. Spring to fall, enjoy Rosa's outdoor dining, where it's the perfect place to enjoy an after-work drink or a quick bite before a show.

Theatre: 42nd Street at the Ford Center for the Performing Arts/Hilton Theatre (November 2003)

42nd Street won the Tony Award for Best Musical and became a long-running hit. The show was produced in London in 1984 (winning the Olivier Award for Best Musical), and its 2001 Broadway revival won the Tony for Best Revival. Based on the novel by Bradford Ropes and the subsequent 1933 Hollywood film adaptation, the show focuses on the efforts of famed dictatorial Great White Way director Julian Marsh to mount a successful stage production of a musical extravaganza at the height of the Great Depression.

The show is a jukebox musical because in addition to songs from the 1933 film 42nd Street, it includes songs from many other films of that time. It also includes "There's a Sunny Side to Every Situation", from the movie Hard to Get and the song "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" from Moulin Rouge. The opening act includes forty pairs of tap-dancing feet, followed by a series of tap-infused extravaganzas.

Act I

Auditions for 1933's newest show, Pretty Lady, are nearly over when Peggy Sawyer, fresh off the bus from Allentown, Pennsylvania, arrives in New York City with valise in hand. Billy Lawlor, already cast as one of the juvenile leads, notices her and hopes to charm her into accepting a date with him. He informs her she has missed the audition but he can help her bypass that process, but choreographer Andy Lee has no time for Billy's latest conquest and tells her, "Amscray, toots." Embarrassed and flustered, she rushes off, only to run into director Julian Marsh.

One-time star Dorothy Brock, indignant at being asked to audition for a role, is reassured by Bert that he merely wants to make sure the songs are in her key. Despite his feeling she is a prima donna past her prime, he agrees to cast her in order to get financial backing from her wealthy beau, Abner Dillon. Outside the theatre, writer Maggie and chorus girls Anytime Annie, Phyllis, and Lorraine take pity on Peggy and invite her to join them for lunch and some advice. They encourage her to show them a dance routine that is witnessed by Julian, who decides there might be room for one more chorus girl after all.

Julian learns that Dorothy is seeing her old boyfriend, Pat Denning, behind Abner's back. Knowing this could destroy the show's future, he decides to put an end to the affair. A phone call to an unsavory acquaintance brings Pat a visit from a couple of thugs who convince him to break it off with her. The show's cast then departs to Arch Street Theatre in Philadelphia, for the out-of-town tryout.

On opening night, someone bumps Peggy, who trips and crashes into Dorothy, knocking her to the stage. Julian fires Peggy on the spot.

Act II

Dorothy's ankle is broken, and the show may close. The chorus kids, certain Peggy could fill the lead role, find Julian and tell him that she's a fresh young face who can sing and dance circles around Dorothy. He decides it is worth a shot and rushes off to the train station to catch her before she departs.

At Philadelphia's Broad Street Station, Julian apologizes to Peggy and asks her to stay and star in the show, but she responds that she has had enough of show business and wants to go home to Allentown. Dumbfounded, he tries to coax her with the words "Come on along and listen to the lullaby of Broadway..." After the cast joins him in the serenade, she decides to accept his offer.

Forced to learn the part in two days, Peggy is on the verge of a nervous breakdown when she has an unexpected visit from Dorothy, who has been watching the rehearsals and realizes that beneath her nervous exterior, Peggy is good, "maybe even better than I would have been." She even offers a little friendly advice on how to perform the last song, "About a Quarter to Nine."

The opening night curtain is about to rise when Julian, who is completely in love with Peggy at this point, stops by for a last minute lip-lock and pep talk in which he utters the now iconic line, "You're going out there a youngster, but you've got to come back a star!" The show is a huge success sure to catapult her into stardom. In addition, even though she is invited to and expected to attend the official opening night party, she decides to go to the chorus one instead. Julian is left alone onstage with only a single ghost light casting his huge shadow on the back wall. He quietly begins to sing, "Come and meet those dancing feet on the avenue I'm taking you to...42nd Street."