Home + Design

Rural Renovation

NASCAR XFinity driver and wife shed 80s aesthetic for transitional warmth Article by Carroll Walton | Photography by Heather Ison NASCAR Xfinity driver Brandon Jones gets enough traffic in his day job. So, when he and his wife Ashley were looking for a new home in the Charlotte area, he wanted to escape the hustle of Lake Norman's suburban lifestyle. They found the perfect 30-acre property near Monroe, but its 80s-style house needed an update from the stomp textured ceilings and dentil...

Style + Beauty

Tailored Elegance

Taylor Richards & Conger clients share personal style and favorite brands at Orosoko Sound Bar Article by Carroll Walton | Photography by Olly Yung Taylor Richards & Conger (TRC) was established as the premier destination for men’s luxury fashion in Charlotte. The store offers bespoke made-to-measure tailoring, ready-to-wear and personalized customer service, focusing on quality and craftsmanship. Taylor Richards & Conger caters to a vast array of clientele with their curated selection of...

Life + Culture

The Changebaker Film

Colombian immigrant and humanitarian Manolo Betancur featured in documentary Article by Carroll Walton The profile of Manolo Betancur–like the bread he bakes–is rising. The Colombian native behind Manolo’s Bakery has a reputation for speaking his mind about issues facing Charlotte’s immigrant community and backing it up with charitable work.  In Charlotte, he has delivered bread to migrant workers, donated blankets to the homeless, birthday cakes to children and prepared meals to thousands...

Food + Beverage

All Purpose Grilling Rub

Pitmaster Matt Barry from Midwood Smokehouse provides rub for your favorite BBQ dish Article by Matt Barry | Photography by Courtesy of Midwood Smokehouse The beauty of this rub is its versatility. Add a pinch of cayenne or chili powder for more heat. Add extra sugar to make it sweeter. Pro tip: I love doing this on beer can chicken in the summer—put some rub in the beer can with onions and garlic for a super flavor kick. No matter how you use it, I hope you and your family enjoy it! ...

Life + Culture

MERRIMINT

The Mint Museum Auxiliary hosts an annual cocktail party to celebrate its fundraising season Article by Catherine Ruth Kelly | Photography by Carissa Rogers As the sun began to set on a cool April evening, colorfully chic guests gathered at a private residence in the heart of Eastover for MerriMINT, the grand finale to the Mint Museum Auxiliary’s annual Room to Bloom series of fundraising events.  Nearly 180 attendees flocked to the festive cocktail party, where they nibbled on culinary...

Life + Culture

Making Time

Carolina Watch Club members share a passion for timepieces Article by Carroll Walton | Photography by Olly Yung Some men play golf. Some women play mahjong. But did you know there’s a group in town who gathers to tinker with watches? The Carolina Watch Club has nearly 150 members in and around Charlotte, mostly men, who gather once a month to show and tell stories about their watches. They’ve met over beers and for dinner. They’ve floated on Lake Norman on a double-decker yacht, and “barrel...

Life + Culture

The Man Behind the Camera

Charlotte's Streeter Lecka describes the skills and insights it takes to capture world-class photographs Article by Carroll Walton | Photography by Streeter Lecka / Getty Images In an age when anyone with a smartphone is a photographer, it’s easy to lose sight of what makes photography art. But when you see an image by Charlotte’s own Streeter Lecka, you know.  His photographs are so vivid, they glisten. He can get a puzzle-worthy scene of a rustic old barn by shooting in what he calls Jesus...

Auto + Marine

Luxury Lane

Charlotte Motor Speedway introduces high end driving experience with Ten Tenths Motor Club Article by Krisha Chachra | Photography by Carissa Rogers Charlotte Motor Speedway unveiled its new Ten Tenths Motor Club at the third annual Heritage Invitational collector car show earlier this spring.  Ten Tenths is a 100-acre complex operated by Speedway Motorsports, featuring the Ten Tenths Circuit lighted road course for high-performance driving, a 20,000-square-foot special event facility, a...

Life + Culture

Oh-mazing Ohavia

Charlotte Hornets host and content creator turns childhood secret into motivation for positivity Article by Carroll Walton When Ohavia Phillips was a student at Myers Park High School, her teachers used to try to break up her conversations by moving her around the classroom. It was no use for the girl with dreams of becoming a talk show host. “I was friends with everybody, so that never worked,” says Phillips, laughing. Now she’s a Spectrum Arena host, Charlotte area event emcee and media...

Food + Beverage

Eat Local

Chef Cristian Medrano of Leluia Hall shares Sweet Potato Salad made from local farm ingredients Article by Queen City staff | Photography by Hadley Henry Sweet Potato Purée  4 sweet potatoes  1 tablespoon salt  1 teaspoon coriander seeds  1 teaspoon whole black pepper  ¼ teaspoon chili flakes 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar  2 tablespoons olive oil  ¼ teaspoon honey 2 teaspoons miso Directions:  Preheat oven to 375. Place all...