Life as I Know It

Charlotte Restaurant Week is back, which means you’ll be able to find special menus at Old Stone Steakhouse on Main Street in downtown Belmont and Nick’s Steak and Taphouse in downtown Gastonia.

The annual Restaurant Week runs Friday, Jan. 20, through Sunday, Jan. 29 and offers three course or more, fixed menu meals for $30 per person at 100 restaurants in the Greater Charlotte area. One of the appeals is that people can eat more cheaply at some upscale restaurants they might not normally be able to afford.

If you’re crossing the river to participate, there are some great deals to be had. My favorite menu offerings (along with what would be my selections) include those at Fran’s Filling Station in Dilworth (the bacon-wrapped tater tots, crab cakes and chocolate cake); 300 East, also in Dilworth (crab cake, sweet potato ravioli and pumpkin cheesecake); 15 North Roadside Kitchen on Montford Drive (deviled eggs, crispy grilled chicken and red velvet cupcakes); and Osso Restaurant & Lounge by the NC Music Factory (mushroom risotto, “Osso” Bucco and mascarpone and ricotta cheesecake).

But Old Stone and Nick’s are tempting folks to stay closer to home with their fixed menus. I’ve included a look at both below. For more information on Charlotte Restaurant Week, visit www.charlotterestaurantweek.com.

Old Stone Steakhouse

23 S. Main St., Belmont

www.oldstonesteakhouse.com

Wine

All entrées served with a bottle of wine per couple or a glass of wine per single. (Wine choice may be upgraded.)

Appetizer (choice of one)

Stuffed Mushrooms – stuffed with shrimp and crab and topped with our lemon beurre blanc sauce

Sundried Tomato & Goat Cheese – goat cheese topped with a sundried tomato & herb oil, served with toasted pita

Old Stone Wedge Salad – our house wedge salad with choice of dressing

Soup of the Day – Chef’s choice

Entrée (choice of one)

Served with choice of seasonal vegetables, baked potato, steakhouse fries, or mashed potatoes & gravy

Black & Bleu Sirloin 10 oz. – center-cut sirloin blackened with Cajun seasoning and topped with melted Danish bleu cheese and drizzled with a red wine reduction

New York Strip 10 oz. – hand cut daily and char-broiled, served with our signature herb butter

Tumbleweed Chicken – 8 oz. boneless chicken breast topped with our Cheerwine BBQ sauce, pepperjack cheese, fried sweet onions, and loaded with smoked bacon crumbles

Char Grilled Atlantic Salmon – 8oz. daily fresh cut salmon fillet topped with our lemon beurre blanc sauce

Double Thick Glazed Pork Chop – 10 oz. bone-in pork chop drizzled with a smoked bacon apple glaze and lemon beurre blanc

BBQ Chicken & Ribs – 5 oz. boneless chicken breast and a half-rack of ribs smothered with our signature Cheerwine BBQ sauce

Slow-Roasted 8 oz. Prime Rib (based on availability) – slow roasted all day to seal in all its juices and hand carved to order; served with au jus

Dessert (choice of one)

Three Layer Chocolate Cake

NY Cheesecake

Nick’s Steak and Taphouse

182 S. South St., Gastonia

www.nickssteakandtaphouse.com

First course (choice of one)

Blue Crab & Roasted Corn Chowder – Westminster oyster crackers

Crispy Fried Calamari – remoulade sauce

Chipotle BBQ Bacon-Wrapped Chicken ‘Lollipops’ – chipotle BBQ glazed, roasted corn & tomato salsa

“Fighting” Wild Caught Jumbo Prawns – sweet Thai chili sauce

Nick’s Iceberg Wedge – bacon, blue cheese crumbles, Romas, red onion, Craisins, blue cheese dressing

Chopped & Tossed Salad – chopped greens, dried cranberries, red onion, smoked bacon, avocado, Roma tomatoes, toasted almonds, crispy onion straws, ranch dressing

Entrée (choice of one)

Char-Broiled Black Grouper – habanero lime butter, avocado vinaigrette, lemon-almond haricot vert

Asian Pan-Seared Salmon – Asian cucumber relish, soy ginger vinaigrette, seasonal julienned vegetables

Blackened Tuna “Peppadew” – Peppadew chow chow, dill tartar cream sauce, garlic mashed red potatoes

Prime Rib of Beef & Garlicky Scallops – 11-ounce cut, ‘scampi’ scallops, au jus, baked NC sweet potato

NY Strip Steak “Au Poivre” – 10-ounce, black pepper crust, garlic herbed butter, baked potato

Portobello Mushroom Filet Mignon – sliced & seared portobellos, rich Merlot reduction sauce, Cheddar grit cake

Char-Grilled “Whiskey” Ribeye – 11-ounce cut, Jack Daniel’s BBQ glazed, crispy onion straws, garlic mashed red potatoes

Dessert (choice of one)

Strawberry Shortcake

Crème Brulee

Chocolate “Tuxedo” Cake

From press release:

Coldplay will play Time Warner Cable Arena Charlotte on July 3. Tickets go on sale Jan. 21 at 10 a.m. at LiveNation.com, the Time Warner Cable Arena box office, Ticketmaster or charge by phone 800-745-3000.

Coldplay will launch its first North American tour in nearly three years on April 17. The run, which kicks off at Rexall Place in Edmonton, AB, will include a two-night stand at Los Angeles’ historic Hollywood Bowl (May 1 & 2). The band is touring in support of its new RIAA-certified Platinum record, Mylo Xyloto, which has scored the most No. 1 rankings of any album this year worldwide, topping the charts in 34 countries to date.

Mylo Xyloto’s first two singles have received Grammy nominations – “Every Teardrop is a Waterfall” for Best Rock Performance and Best Rock Song, and the Gold-certified “Paradise” for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance. Coldplay was nominated for a People’s Choice Award in the Favorite Band category.

Use any American Express Card to purchase advance tickets for Coldplay beginning Jan. 16 at 10 a.m. through Jan. 20 at 10 p.m. before the general public on Jan. 21.

“Coldplay understands how to make a shared moment from a song…their respect for their fans is obvious,” said The Times of London in a review of the band’s Glastonbury set.

Coldplay’s headline appearance at Lollapalooza before the release of Mylo Xyloto prompted Time Out Chicago to observe: “I’ve never seen a band’s unheard material go over so well” while USA Today noted: “Standouts included Charlie Brown with Jonny Buckland’s sticky, uplifting guitar work, and the soft, romantic Us Against The World, which featured drummer Will Champion on piano and backing vocals.”

You can check out the band performing “Charlie Brown” at summer festivals in this new live video, directed by Mat Whitecross and Mark Rowbotham: http://www.vevo.com/watch/coldplay/charlie-brown-live/GB0401100200.

Mylo Xyloto (Capitol Records) is Coldplay’s third consecutive studio album to debut atop both The Billboard 200 and the U.K. album chart. It also hit the No. 1 spot in all 35 iTunes stores around the world, breaking the record for the highest number of download sales in one week – a milestone Coldplay first achieved with the release of Viva La Vida, which was the No. 1 selling album worldwide of 2008, according to IFPI.

Coldplay – comprising Guy Berryman, Jonny Buckland, Will Champion and Chris Martin – has sold more than 50 million records worldwide and won numerous awards, including seven GRAMMY® Awards, six Brit Awards and four MTV Video Music Awards.

For more information go to www.livenation.com.

In December, Yahoo! announced the 10th anniversary edition of its Year in Review (yearinreview.yahoo.com), the annual look-back that identifies the top stories and trends of the year.

The top search term of 2011 didn’t go to a person or a news event, but to a technological marvel. The iPhone led the 2011 search queries, bypassing a reality TV star’s marriage and pending divorce, a notorious criminal defendant and America’s most wanted terrorist.

“The iPhone transcended gadget status,” says Vera Chan, senior editor and Web trend analyst at Yahoo! “The device helped facilitate political movements around the world, and embodied the vision of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs.”

Women in pop culture dominated the top 10 list. Kim Kardashian, who first appeared in 2009 filling in the Paris Hilton celebutante role, jumped to No. 3. Jennifer Lopez cracked the top 10 after a nine-year absence, thanks to her “American Idol”-fueled comeback. And singer Katy Perry reaped musical nominations and either tied or broke record sales.

The top 10 searches on Yahoo! in 2011 were:

1. iPhone

2. Casey Anthony

3. Kim Kardashian

4. Katy Perry

5. Jennifer Lopez

6. Lindsay Lohan

7. American Idol

8. Jennifer Aniston

9. Japan earthquake

10. Osama bin Laden

With the iPhone topping the list this year, it should come as no surprise that in 2011, consumers wanted information on the go. They searched their favorite mobile devices to connect with MLB scores, learn the verdict in the Casey Anthony trial, see where Hurricane Irene would hit land and even make sure they could beat their friends in the latest game of Scrabble.

The top 10 mobile searches on Yahoo! in 2011 were:

1. iPhone 5

2. Powerball

3. MLB

4. Scrabble cheat

5. Casey Anthony

6. Hurricane Irene 2011

7. Kim Kardashian

8. Translator

9. Amy Winehouse

10. May 21, 2011 Rapture

While the top 10 overall list focuses on related keywords, the top news list involves a wider range of searches and includes an analysis of the most-read news stories on Yahoo!. The death of a monster that haunted a generation, a record magnitude earthquake that swept away burning towns, the trial of the summer, a sudden death and a royal wedding all made the top news list this year.

The top news searches and stories on Yahoo! in 2011 were:

1. Casey Anthony trial

2. The royal wedding

3. Death of Osama bin Laden

4. Japan earthquake and tsunami

5. Amanda Knox trial

6. Death of Amy Winehouse

7. Arab Spring

8. Libya/Ghadafi

9. Arizona shooting

10. Unemployment

The Top Obsessions list combines a fevered and sustained burst of searches with a viral fixation. In 2011, topping the list required a bit of tiger blood. But, before “tiger blood” cracked pop-culture vernacular, “tiger mom” was already a full-blown meme, thanks to Amy Chua’s memoir, “The Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother.” And when tigers weren’t enough for us, we turned to birds – Angry Birds, which was downloaded millions of times, decorated a thousand birthday cakes and became the year’s hot Halloween costume.

The top 10 searched obsessions on Yahoo! in 2011 were:

1. Charlie Sheen

2. The Rapture

3. “Friday” (Rebecca Black)

4. Mortgage Rates

5. Extreme Couponing

6. Angry Birds

7. Planking

8. Game of Thrones

9. Government Shutdown

10. Tiger Mom

Amid all the global uprisings and threats of domestic government shutdowns, we had 22 days to be utterly absorbed by the United States battling Japan on a soccer field in Frankfurt. But, when it came to individual athletes, Danica Patrick drove to the top of the leader-board, and tennis’s leading ladies served up a platter of upsets and buzz-worthy outbursts.

The top searched athletes on Yahoo! in 2011 were:

1. Danica Patrick

2. Tiger Woods

3. Manny Pacquiao

4. Maria Sharapova

5. Serena Williams

6. Kris Humphries

7. Hope Solo

8. Kobe Bryant

9. Lamar Odom

10. Caroline Wozniacki

With new music rising to the top of the charts every week, searches on Yahoo! for music lyrics offer a glimpse into the songs that really seem to resonate with listeners.

The top music lyric searches on Yahoo! in 2011 were:

1. Super Bass – Nicki Minaj

2. The Lazy Song – Bruno Mars

3. Grenade — Bruno Mars

4. Rolling in the Deep – Adele

5. Someone Like You – Adele

6. Look at Me Now – Chris Brown

7. Born This Way – Lady Gaga

8. You Belong With Me – Taylor Swift

9. Pumped Up Kicks – Foster The People

10. Just the Way You Are – Bruno Mars

In 2011 people were glued to the big screen watching the magic of Harry Potter and the mayhem of “The Hangover, Part II.” The top movie searches on Yahoo! in 2011 were:

1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2

2. Twilight: Breaking Dawn

3. Transformers 3

4. Tron Legacy

5. Black Swan

6. X-Men: First Class

7. Captain America

8. Just Go With It

9. The Hangover, Part II

10. Fast Five

For more about the Yahoo! 2011 Year in Review and other top searches, go to yearinreview.yahoo.com or search for “2011 Year in Review” on Yahoo.com.

A Charlotte start-up is changing the way some folks use their smart phones while watching television.

OtherScreen, founded in February 2011 and currently still in the Beta phase, creates game play that allows users watching sports, awards shows or other live events to answer trivia questions and make predictions while interacting with others watching the same live events.

It’s similar to the trivia nights you’ll find at area bars and restaurants except players interact with each other through mobile devices – laptops, smart phones and tablets.

How It Works: Players sign up at OtherScreen.com to “start playing” events like football games and presidential debates. After registering, users tune into broadcasts and use their mobile devices to answer trivia and prediction questions such as whether a field goal kicker will make or miss an attempt, and are awarded points for answering correctly.  Users can compete against others and create private groups for friends and family.

Why Try It: According to a study by Yahoo! and The Nielsen Company, 86 percent of mobile users (and 92 percent of people ages 13 to 24) use mobile devices while watching television. “Typically what they’re doing on the web and what they’re watching on TV are uncorrelated,” said Chris Halligan, who started OtherScreen with Garth Mouton and Andrew Gertig. “Using OtherScreen converts that distraction into engagement – and entertainment.” Plus, it’s free and there are no advertisements.

The Next Big Game: OtherScreen, which has more than 400 users, expects usage to increase with its Thanksgiving event, which highlights the NFL football game between the Green Bay Packers and the Detroit Lions at 12:30 p.m. Thursday.

Press release from LiveNation: Roger Waters, the co-founder and principal songwriter of the archetypal progressive band Pink Floyd, has announced the return of the historic production of “The Wall” to North America in 2012. His aural and visual masterpiece of alienation and transformation will be performed in-its-entirety featuring a full band and state-of-the-art production. “The Wall” live has played more than 120 shows around the world for more than 1.6 million fans making it one of the most successful tours of 2010 and 2011.  Tickets for “The Wall” 2012 go on sale beginning on Monday, November 7^th at LiveNation.com.

The 2012 tour will begin on May 1^st in Houston, Texas at the Toyota Center making a 36 show trek throughout North America, including several outdoor stadium performances with state of the art modifications transforming the arena production into magnificent outdoor events.  The tour, promoted by Live Nation, includes stadium stops in San Francisco at AT&T Park on May 11th, Vancouver at BC Place on May 26^th, Chicago’s Wrigley Field on June 8^th, Toronto at Rogers Centre on June 23^rd and Philadelphia at the Citizens Bank Park on July 14^th.

ROGER WATERS – THE WALL LIVE TOUR will play TIME WARNER CABLE ARENA CHARLOTTE on JULY 10.  Tickets for both shows go on sale Monday, Nov. 14 at 10 a.m. at LiveNation.com, the venue box offices, all Ticketmaster outlets including select Wal-Mart stores, or by phone at 800-745-3000.

“Thirty years ago when I wrote ‘The Wall,’ I was a frightened young man,” Waters recalls. “In the intervening years it occurred to me that maybe the story of my fear and loss with its concomitant inevitable residue of ridicule, shame and punishment, provides an allegory for broader concerns: Nationalism, racism, sexism, religion, whatever! All these issues and ‘isms are driven by the same fears that drove my young life.”

Waters’ first reinvented his iconic stage production of “The Wall” in 2010 utilizing modern day   technological advances and special effects which have been embraced by audiences around the globe with countless sold out performances and multiple-night stands including a record-breaking 9 sold out shows at the River Plate Stadium in Buenos Aires, Argentina.   “The Wall” remains one of the most influential albums in the history of recorded music with a profound effect on pop culture, resonating with multiple generations of music fans.    

Prior to 2010, “The Wall” show was simply too large to contemplate a tour, but new arenas and advances in touring technology have solved that dilemma. Waters has updated the look and feel of the show to ensure it matches the astonishing theatrical extravaganza that The Wall’s live incarnation became so legendary for – thus allowing yet another generation to be inspired by the grandeur of the breathtaking visual and aural spectacle.  The 1980 original production of the “The Wall” had been performed live-in-its-entirety just 29 times during Pink Floyd’s 1980 tour in support of the album and once in Berlin in celebration of the fall of the Berlin wall.  

The Associated Press described opening night in 2010 with, “Roger Waters tore down the house Wednesday night in Toronto…He walked out to thunderous applause beginning with the first track of the seminal concept album, ‘In the Flesh’, and the adulation never stopped.” While during the New York stop, the New York Post declared, “When Roger Waters finished building “The Wall” in its entirety, at Madison Square Garden, it was just another brick on what was the best arena concert I’ve ever been to. Period.”

In addition to Roger Waters (lead vocals, bass), “The Wall” live touring ensemble includes: Snowy White (Guitar), Dave Kilminster (Guitar), GE Smith (Guitar & Bass), Jon Carin (Keyboards), Harry Waters (Hammond Organ), Graham Broad (Drums), Robbie Wyckoff (Vocals), Jon Joyce, Pat Lennon, Mark Lennon and Kipp Lennon (Backing Vocals).

For complete ticket and tour information, please visit RogerWaters.com, Ticketmaster.com and LiveNation.com.

The Gaston County Museum of Art & History, 131 W. Main St., Dallas, hosts its regular “Coffee with the Curator” program from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 5. Curator Stephanie Haiar will identify objects and provide preservation assistance on pieces brought to the museum by visitors. If objects are too large, bring photographs. During this program, object donations to the museum will also be considered.

No appointment is needed and the event is free. There is a three-item limit per person and no monetary appraisals will be given. For more information, visit www.gastoncountymuseum.org or call 704-922-7681 ext. 105.

Champion Fiddle Player to Perform at Isothermal

U.S. National Scottish fiddle champion Jamie Laval will present a solo concert featuring selections from his new album, “Murmers and Drones,” at 7:30 tonight, Sept. 29, in the library auditorium of Isothermal Community College, Spindale. General admission tickets are $15 and are available at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/187110 or at 206-226-5663.

Acclaimed as “One of North America’s finest practitioners of traditional Scottish music” by the San Jose Mercury News and “The next Alasdair Fraser” by Scotland Press and Post, Laval’s music making was influenced by his Scottish and Irish heritage and by his studies in classical music, jazz and ethnic music from around the world.

Laval, who resides in Asheville, has performed for Her Majesty the Queen and on NBC’s “Today Show” and has collaborated on Dave Matthews’ album “Some Devil.” “Zephyr in the Confetti Factory,” his duo album with Ashley Broder, won Best World Traditional Song in the 2007 Independent Music Awards Vox Populi.

For more information, visit www.jamielaval.com.

Terror By The Tracks Costumes Being Sold

The Kings Mountain Little Theatre is holding a Costumes & Halloween Props Sale from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oct. 8 due to the upcoming renovation of the Joy Performance Center, 202 S. Railroad Ave., Kings Mountain. Hundreds of costumes, accessories, footwear and masks will be available for purchase, including all of the costumes and masks used in “Terror by the Tracks.” Sizes range from children’s size 5 through adult 3X.

Anyone interested in buying bulk and/or large items prior to public sale should email scarylady@carolina.rr.com.

Civil War Exhibit at County  Museum

Running through Mar. 10 at the Gaston County Museum of Art & History is “Patriots or Traitors: North Carolina’s Civil War.” In recognition of the 150th anniversary of the beginning of the Civil War, the museum exhibit will tell the local story of the monumental event in our nation’s history.

Visitors can follow five different characters throughout the exhibit – an enlisted soldier, an officer, a slave, a woman and a child. Each character will give a unique aspect of the war that affected them; some will be based on actual people from North Carolina while others will be a representation.

There will also be hands-on activities for adults and children – they can sign an oath of service to the Confederacy, huddle down in the trenches, dress up like a North Carolina soldier, prepare a campsite and learn about the food soldiers and their families would eat.

> Running through Nov. 12 at the Gaston County Museum of Art & History’s bull pen is “Figments: Artwork by Matthew Justin Rupp.” This is the fifth show of the 2011 Gaston College Solo Show Series that features eight artists throughout the year.

The Gaston County Museum of Art & History is at 131 W. Main St., Dallas. Museum hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. For more information, visit www.gastoncountymuseum.org or 704-922-7681 ext. 105.

Old Stone Steakhouse on Main Street in downtown Belmont, sister restaurant to LaVecchia’s Seafood Grille in downtown Charlotte, finally has some company on the Charlotte Restaurant Week listing in Gaston County. Nick’s Steak and Taphouse in downtown Gastonia, which opened in May, is participating in the special week for the first time.

The annual Charlotte Restaurant Week, which runs from July 15 to July 24, offers a three course (or more), fixed-menu meal for $30 per person at high-end and upscale restaurants, meaning folks can usually eat more cheaply at those places.

A slew of the most notable restaurants in Charlotte are participating, such as Sullivan’s Steakhouse, where my wife and I will celebrate our 7th anniversary; The Liberty Gastropub, which is one of my favorite restaurants; and Mama Ricotta’s, a great Italian place my wife loves.

I was excited when Old Stone joined in the fun a couple of years back – we’ve taken our moms there to celebrate birthdays and special occasions numerous times in the past – and I’m pumped that Nick’s has decided to sign on, too. Haven’t eaten there yet, as I always prefer to give new restaurants a few months or so before I go to get the kinks out, but I’m looking forward to getting by there. Everyone I know who’s eaten there has raved about it.

Below is a look at Old Stone’s and Nick’s fixed menus for the special Charlotte Restaurant Week. For more information on Charlotte restaurant week, visit www.charlotterestaurantweek.com.

Nick’s Steak and Taphouse

Appetizer (choice of one)

Parmesan Dusted Calamari – lightly fried, dusted with herbed Parmesan, sun dried tomato aioli

Carolina Crab Cake – sauteed jumbo lump crab, roasted corn salsa, tomato relish, lemon chive beurre blanc

Jumbo Shrimp & Crab Scampi – sauteed jumbo shrimp and lump crab, lemon butter, garlic, tomatoes white wine, herbs

Bacon Wrapped Scallops – jumbo sea scallops, vine ripe tomatoes, lemon butter sauce

Entrée (choice of one)

Each entree comes with a house salad and a choice of side.

Blackened Tilapia – topped with jumbo shrimp and lump crab, sauteed asparagus, roasted corn and chive beurre blanc

Legendary Prime Rib – 12 oz. secret rub, blackened, roasted mushrooms, caramelized shallots, house au jus, horseradish sauce

Ribeye Oscar Style – 12 oz. center cut, lump crabmeat, sauteed asparagus, house lemon butter sauce

Black & Blue New York Strip – blackened strip loin, melted blue cheese crust, roasted mushrooms, red wine reduction

Charbroiled Atlantic Salmon – sauteed artichokes, vine ripe tomatoes, Kalamata olives, smoky bacon, goat cheese, chive beurre blanc

Filet Mignon and Bacon Wrapped Scallops – 6 oz. filet, bacon wrapped sea scallops, red wine reduction

Dessert (choice of one)

Chocolate Cream Cake

Key Lime Pie

Raspberry Crème Brulée Cheesecake

Old Stone Steakhouse

Wine

All entrées served with a bottle of wine per couple or a glass of wine per single. (Wine choice may be upgraded.)

Appetizer (choice of one)

Sundried Tomato & Goat Cheese – goat cheese topped with a sundried tomato & herb oil, served with toasted pita

Old Stone Wedge Salad – topped with shredded carrots, grape tomatoes, dried cranberries & crisp potato sticks with choice of dressing: sherry vinaigrette, bleu cheese, rosemary ranch, thousand island, honey mustard

Old Stone Tossed Caesar Salad – chopped Romaine hearts tossed with our homemade Caesar dressing and fresh baked croutons and topped with sliced Parmesan cheese

Soup of the Day – Chef’s choice

Entrée (choice of one)

Served with choice of seasonal vegetables, baked potato, steakhouse fries, or mash & gravy

New York Strip 10 oz. – hand cut in-house and served with our signature herb butter

Old Stone Prime Rib 8 oz. (based on availability) – our aged prime rib is slow roasted all day to seal in all its juices and hand carved to order; served with a side of hot au jus

Char Grilled Atlantic Salmon 8 oz. – daily fresh cut salmon fillet topped with our lemon beurre blanc sauce

Twin Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes – two pan-seared jumbo lump crab cakes served with our lemon beurre blanc sauce

Double Thick Glazed Pork Chop 10 oz. – bone-in pork chop drizzled with a smoked bacon apple glaze and lemon beurre blanc

BBQ Chicken & Ribs – chicken & ribs smothered with our signature Cheerwine BBQ sauce

Dessert (choice of one)

Triple Layer Chocolate Cake – three layers of rich dark chocolate cake stacked with layers of chocolate mousse and covered in a dark chocolate icing

Double Decker Key Lime Pie – layers of key lime pie and lemon meringue inside of a graham cracker crust topped with a lime gelatin and whipped cream

NY Cheesecake – a slice of NY cheesecake topped with your choice of chocolate or caramel glaze

Peanut Butter Tower – two rich dark chocolate cakes stacked with whipped filling and topped with a peanut butter mousse and a chocolate rose

The Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture will open two exhibitions this weekend.

“Jeanne Moutoussamy-Ashe, An Anthology: Faces, Places & Spaces” and “Live and In Stereo(type)” featuring former Gantt Center resident artists Fahamu Pecou and Marcia Jones, both open Saturday, June 25. A Gallery Talk and catalog signing with Moutoussamy-Ashe will take place at 1 p.m. and a Gallery Talk with Jones and Pecou will take place at 2 p.m.

“Jeanne Moutoussamy-Ashe, An Anthology: Faces, Places & Spaces” offers viewers insight into the range of Moutoussamy-Ashe’s interests and observations as an artist. The exhibit includes imagery from the African, Asian, and North American continents; from the 1980s; and photographs taken as recently as March 2011.

Fahamu Pecou and Marcia Jones were the first artists to be in residence in a new collaboration between the Gantt Center and McColl Center for Visual Art. Both artists create pieces that critique the social construct of gender and race. Their joint exhibition, “Live and In Stereo(type),” raise questions about stereotypes that fuel fame, drive consumerism and perpetuate celebrity worship.

Both exhibitions – along with the John & Vivian Hewitt Collection of African-American Art – will be on display at the Gantt Center through Aug. 21.

The Gantt Center is at 551 S. Tryon St., Charlotte. For more information, visit www.ganttcenter.org or call 704-547-3700.

I’ll go ahead and say it: “Shrek the Musical” is more colorful, more imaginative and just more fun that the original.

And considering the film featured the voices of Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz and Eddie Murphy and won the first Academy Award for animated feature, that’s saying a lot.

In the 2001 DreamWorks fairy tale satire, we were introduced to Shrek, Princess Fiona, Donkey and Lord Farquuad. But in the musical version, which opened at Belk Theater in Charlotte Tuesday, we get to really know them.

We get to know why Shrek lives alone in the swamp, why Princess Fiona is locked away in the tower, why Donkey is chased from Duloc and why Farquuad is so short.

Other than that, the story is the same – a green ogre with a (slight here) Scottish accent must rescue the faraway princess in order to get his swamp back. Still, seeing a fairy tale come alive onstage the way “Shrek the Musical” provides an experience that popping in a DVD of the original just can’t match.

From the opening “Big Bright Beautiful World,” in which we get to see Shrek and Fiona as children, to the raucous performance of “I’m a Believer” performed at the end, the musical is an enjoyable distraction from everyday life.

Though there are some touching and heartfelt moments, the laughs are more than plentiful. Eric Petersen aptly portrayed everyone’s favorite green ogre, while Haven Burton was a delight as Princess Fiona. But for me (and for much of the audience opening night), David F.M. Vaughn and Alan Mingo Jr. stole the show as Farquuad and Donkey.

The way Vaughn moved across the stage on his knees most of the night while playing the diminutive Farquuad speaks to the level of ingenuity found in bringing this show to life. I’m not sure if it’s harder to bring a dragon to life through computer animation than it is on stage, but seeing a 24-foot long singing dragon maneuvering around the stage is more impressive than seeing it in film.

As far as criticisms go, the musical, which is about two-and-a-half hours long, could stand to be shorter. The running time for the movie is 90 for a reason –younger kids don’t have much of an attention span. There’s no deep message or revelation here, either.

That’s okay. The fairy tale characters that pop up throughout the play are bright and entertaining (I still want to know how they made Pinocchio’s nose grow), the ever-changing set is one of the most impressive you’ll see and the music is strong.

If you’ve got young children, or if you’re just a “Shrek” fan, it’s definitely worth seeing.

A Big Green Musical

“Shrek the Musical” runs through Sunday, June 19, at Belk Theater, 130 N. Tryon St., Charlotte. The musical is based on the movie about a green ogre who leaves his swamp home to go on an adventure with a talkative donkey to rescue a trapped princess. Tickets are $25-$89.50 and are available at www.blumenthalarts.org, by calling the box office at 704-372-1000 or in person at the Belk Theater box office. Save $10 on balcony one seats when requesting the “Family Fun” special price when calling the box office or select the option online (not valid Saturday or Sunday matinees).

Not a lot is known about “Super 8,” the science-fiction thriller opening in theaters Friday, June 10. Other than the basic plot, a suggestive trailer and a strong viral campaign, the summer blockbuster has been shrouded in mystery.

With that being said, here are eight things we do know about “Super 8,” rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi action and violence, language and some drug use.

1. Unexplained disappearances and events begin taking place in a small Ohio town. In the summer of 1979, a young group of friends witness a catastrophic train crash while making a super 8 movie for a contest and begin to suspect that it was not an accident.

2. The title references the super 8 mm film and system used by the friends. The film and system were developed in the 1960s and was popular in the 70s. Although not as in demand among amateurs these days, it’s still used by professionals in the movie, television and music video industries.

3. It’s got two big names attached at the top. J.J. Abrams (“Star Trek,” “Cloverfield”) wrote and directed the film while Steven Spielberg (“Jaws,” “E.T.,” “Jurassic Park”) signed on as producer.

4. The cast is not so star-studded. Elle Fanning, Dakota’s younger sister, may be the most recognizable of the younger actors in the film. Kyle Chandler of NBC show “Friday Night Lights” stars as the local deputy who tries to uncover the truth about the terrifying events happening in the town.

5. Expect this flick to be emotionally-charged. Joe Lamb’s (Joel Courtney) loss of his mother in an accident at the steel mill months before the action is a central plot point, along with his crush on pretty classmate Alice (Fanning) and his relationship with his father, Deputy Lamb (Chandler).

6. It’s got nothing to do with “Cloverfield.” Early speculation was that “Super 8” would somehow be related to Abrams’ 2008 alien invasion movie, but that’s not the case.

7. There will be some sort of otherworldly creature. This is the film’s biggest mystery. The nature of whatever creature is discovered and how it is revealed will likely be the biggest influence in how well the movie is received.

8. It needs to have a big weekend. With “X-Men: First Class” having a better-than-anticipated showing last week and with superhero flick “Green Lantern” opening next week, “Super 8” needs a strong weekend and word-of-mouth buzz in order to have any chance of topping the box office.