Charlotte Magazine BOB Awards

It's awards season, and not just in Hollywood. Take a moment to visit the Charlotte Magazine Best of the Best (BOB) ballot page and vote for your favorite Charlotte restaurants, salons, entertainers, etc. Click here for the ballot. Voting ends March 1. The results will be published in the May 2010 issue of Charlotte Magazine.

Click here to see the results in 2009.

To Do: Reward your favorite local providers with a vote that boosts their public image.

Black History Month in Charlotte

This Saturday at 2 p.m. in the auditorium at the main library, filmmaker Steve Crump presents his film "9-4-57." Here is how the PLCMC sums up the event:

"In September 1957, a 15-year-old African-American girl named Dorothy Counts was admitted to the all-white Harry Harding High School, in Charlotte, N.C. After a week of harassment that threatened her safety, her parents withdrew her from the school. This film documents the historic, incendiary events of that week and its aftermath. Meet the award-winning WTVI/WBTV filmmaker Steve Crump with an introduction by Levine Museum staff historian, Dr. Tom Hanchett."

Click here for information about the event.

I am increasingly interested in the history of race relations in Charlotte. Coming from a small, overwhelmingly white suburb in Connecticut, I have no experience with these issues. In fact, I have lived here for over ten years and I think it is still possible to know little-to-nothing about Charlotte's history unless you actively seek it out. I have become a big fan of Tom Hanchett at the Levine Museum of the New South, who works tirelessly to bring attention to the hidden pockets of Charlotte in a nonconfrontational, nonjudgmental way. I strongly encourage you to attend one of his lectures--on anything! He'll be leading walking tours in May--keep checking the Levine Museum website for details.

Dr. Hanchett also wrote a great book, called "Sorting Out the New South City: Race, Class, and Urban Development in Charlotte, 1875-1975" that is well worth a read. You can find it in the Levine Museum gift shop. And don't miss the tour he leads with the Mecklenburg Citizens for Public Education (MeckEd), "History, Geography and CMS." If you, too, are from "away" and don't know the history, this is well worth your time.

Finally, I encourage you to check out QCityMetro.com, which is an online news source dedicated to "news, opinion and other information relevant to Charlotte's thriving African-American community." Even if you aren't African-American, there are some interesting articles and viewpoints that you won't see elsewhere.

To do: Visit the Levine Museum of the New South (and check out the new exhibit, "Changing Places: from Black and White to Technicolor"). Learn about Charlotte's history. Visit a new-to-you neighborhood.

A Steak in Our Community Philanthropy Week

Morton's Steakhouse in Uptown Charlotte is having its annual "A Steak in Our Community Philanthropy Week" from Monday, February 22, through Saturday, February 27. For $75 per person, you can enjoy a prix fixe 3-course meal. $25 of your contribution will be donated to the charity being honored and 10% of the evening's wine sales will also be donated. Here is the schedule of beneficiaries:

• Monday, February 22, Hope House Foundation
• Tuesday, February 23, Young Affiliates of the Mint Museum
• Wednesday, February 24, Time Out Youth
• Thursday, February 25, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library
• Friday, February 26, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation
• Saturday, February 27, Ace & TJ's Grin Kids

For details, the menu, or to make a reservation, click here. All the details are on the "special events" page.

To do: Enjoy a great meal at Morton's and help the community at the same time.

Plant Sale

Place your orders now with the Mecklenburg County 4-H (who knew Mecklenburg County HAD 4-H?) for a whole variety of berry plants, fruit trees, flowering trees, flowering shrubs and shade trees. Order by February 24, pick up from the Cooperative Extension/4-H office on March 4 and 5. The office is located at 1418 Armory Drive (in Elizabeth at Independence Park).

Your purchase will support youth and teens attending summer camp and leadership programs.

Click here for the details on the plant sale.

Click here for information on the Mecklenburg County 4-H program--again, who knew?

To Do: Take inventory in your yard. Now that the drought appears to be over, what do you need to plant this year?

Donate your crutches, canes and walkers to Haiti

Mecklenburg Area Catholic Schools are sponsoring a drive for crutches, canes and walkers. These will be brought to Haiti earthquake victims. You can drop off your donations at Holy Catholic Middle School, or contact Amy Carroll at amyhcarroll@gmail.com for more information.

I was thrilled to see this drive--we actually have a child's wheelchair to donate!

To do: Expect the best and give away your used crutches, canes and walkers. Deadline is February 18!

Boys Book Club and new museums

If you know a boy ages 9-12, grab them and head on over to Imaginon on Saturday, February 6, at 3 p.m. The Boys Book & Movie Club will watch "The Absent-Minded Professor," then pick up copies of N.E.R.D.S., by Michael Buckley. Come back on Saturday, February 27, for a book club discussion.

Check out the calendar at the Imaginon website to learn more about this program and other programs. Also--become a fan of Imaginon on Facebook to stay up-to-date on the offerings at this great cultural resource.

Speaking of great cultural resources, have you visited the new Bechtler Museum of Modern Art yet? Or the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts & Culture? They are on my to-do list. Both museums are located in the new Wells Fargo Cultural Center on South Tryon, and they are gorgeous buildings. I can't wait to get a closer look at their collections and programs! Right now, I'm in love with The Firebird sculpture out in front of the Bechtler.

And remember: The NASCAR Hall of Fame opens in May...

To Do: Get thee to a museum.