Archive for June, 2008

Charlotte’s Underwater Treasure: Mecklenburg Aquatic Club!

June 30th, 2008 categories: Charlotte Living

Living in Charlotte we have so much to be proud of — but there is just something “once in a lifetime” about the Olympics. This year we have a number of local athlete who have made it to the Olympic trials, thanks to the Mecklenburg Aquatic Club. Monday night our own Mark Gangloff, a MAC swimmer was the first Charlotte based swimmer to earn a ticket to the 2008 Olympics in Beijing! Mark came from behind placing second in the 100 meter breaststroke. (read Scott Fowler’s story here).

So what does it take to be an Olympian ~ a lot of pool time and a whole lot of talent. Coaching helps too and that is one thing Charlotte can safely boast about ~ The Mecklenburg Aquatic Club better known as MAC is one of the best in the country. For 31 years MAC has been spawning swimmers of Olympian stature. This year more than two dozen MAC swimmers with some sort of Charlotte connection will try to make the Olympics team. Longtime Charlotteans like Doug Van Wie, Ricky Berens and twins Matt and Sean Patton will be among them.

Just a few of the MAC accolades:

USA SWIMMING OLYMPIC TEAM MEMBER
1988,1996, 2008
USA SWIMMING OLYMPIC TRIAL QUALIFIERS
1988,1992,1996,2000,2004
USA SWIMMING NATIONAL JUNIOR TEAM MEMBER
1990,1991,1992,1995,1996,1997,1999,2003,2004,2005

MAC is more than just a Charlotte tradition, its a cherished jewel in the Queen City’s crown. So whether you’re ready for the podium or juts trying to learn to swim MACS is for you ~ sure you may never reach the Olympics but you will have swum in regal water and been around a whole lot of people who can show how to reach your best!

Authored by Mike Gibbons | Discussion: 1 Comment »

Charlotte Summer Pops at Symphony Park, SouthPark. | Priceless.

June 30th, 2008 categories: Charlotte Living

Charlotte is blessed to be one of the few cities in the country that has a free Summer Pops series. For four sundays in June thousands of Charlotteans transform SouthPark’s Symphony park into hundreds of private backyards and are serenaded by one of the best orchestras in the country the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra. Better get their early Sunday morning to stake out a place on the grand lawn and then around sunset lean back, enjoy great food, a bottle of wine and some of the best music you’ll ever hear!

Last night Rhonda and I joined friends Keith and Sarah Cox who Rhonda helped relocate to Charlotte from Miami. (this was our view) Keitha and Sarah love, love their home in the Ballantyne area and Keith is making some noise with his new website ConnectWithCharlotte.com a great resource for everything to do in Charlotte. So nest year plan to join us at one of the Summer Pops concerts ~ Oh and if you need to buy a home first we can help you with that!

Authored by Mike Gibbons | Discussion: Your Comments Please »

Save the date! Charlotte’s Pinnacle of homebuilding HomeArama October 08

June 30th, 2008 categories: Great Neighborhoods

HomeArama is the Southeast’s premier luxury housing showcase. In 2008, the event will be held at The Ranch at Palisades October 4 through October 26th.

We will have much more to say as this event draws near but here’s some tidbits to whet your home buying appetite and give you plenty of time to plan your move to Charlotte:

• HomeArama returns to The Palisades on Lake Wylie recognized as one of the most beautiful lake communities in the southeast, receiving national recognition for its environmental stewardship. Sections of The Ranch will be gated. Homes will begin at $1.5 million
• Homeowners on The Ranch will be allowed to keep horses (dogs and kids too) haha on their property. The community is centered around a private equestrian center. Residents can experience the casual affluence of the equestrian lifestyle less than 20 minutes from uptown Charlotte.
• One of the showcase homes will be a manor home featuring a two story guest house overlooking a cascading pool area. The home will be decked out with furnishings, fine art and scuplture valued at over $7 million total!
• And remember Charlotte’s HomeArama is not all about excess — the Charlotte Homebuilders Association do a really nice job of giving back through HomeArama charity fundraisers like the Gal Preview Night!

  OK, OK so you don’t have millions (we don’t either) — that’s OK do what we do go enjoy an afternoon of looking around and stealing ideas and when you get home just think how much cheaper it is to feed a dog instead of a horse!

  

Authored by Mike Gibbons | Discussion: 1 Comment »

Charlotte real estate is going to the dogs!

June 30th, 2008 categories: Charlotte Living

We already know Charlotte is a great place for us two legged folks to buy a home but what you might not know is Charlotte is also one of the best places for your four legged buddy!

Jamie Sheats-Johnson’s article tells why “The Charlotte area is a great place for a tail-wagging good time. Here’s just a few of the Charlotte organizations that will make your dog feel right at home in Charlotte…

• Charlotte-Mecklenburg Animal Control and the Humane Society of Charlotte work together to provide free and low-cost spay/neutering and rabies vaccination. Call 704-377-0534 for adoption information, or 704-333-4130 for the clinic. www.humanesocietyofcharlotte.org.
• Perhaps your pooch could use a relaxing day at the spa. Atrium Animal Hospital at 6520 McMahon Drive caters to all pet health needs. 704-542-2000; www.atriumanimalhospital.com.Bark Street Dog Spa offers self-serve dog wash stations and full-service pet styling at 3930 Park Road. 704-525-9998; www.barkst.com.
• Canine Cafe, 1447 S. Tryon St. in SouthEnd, specializes in gourmet treats and hosts doggie birthday “pawties.” www.caninecafe.net.
• Two hours from Charlotte in the Blue Ridge Mountains is the Dog House Resort, (P.O. Box 1594, Jefferson, NC 28640), a bed and breakfast catering to owners who want to vacation with their dogs,
• The Charlotte area is home to a growing number of doggie day cares that provide boarding facilities and a place for your pooch to get some exercise while socializing with other dogs. Here’s a partial list:Camp Wagging Tails, 10835 Bailey Road, Cornelius. 704-895-8444; www.campwaggingtails.com.

And please check out Charlotte’s four public dog parks (now free) and a fifth opening this July in Uptown Charlotte’s Frasier Park!
Definitely five paws up! (sorry but I couldn’t resist!)

Authored by Mike Gibbons | Discussion: Your Comments Please »

What does Ward Cleaver have to do with Charlotte Real Estate?

June 29th, 2008 categories: Charlotte Living, Real Estate News

Even native Charlotteans have a hard time with Charlotte’s “wards”. OK so what exactly is a ward (no not that Ward!) Thanks to the Charlotte Observer’s Amy Baldwin today I too learned something about our wards! Here in Charlotte a ward is basically an election district within our Charlotte uptown center city. For some it’s Uptown Charlotte for others Downtown Charlotte ~ either way our wards are hopping! There are four wards and as you can tell from the map Charlotte’s real estate areas are actually pretty well organized.

Now that you know we have ‘em, here are some of the exciting things going on in Charlotte’s four wards?

First Ward: Home to our beloved Levine Museum of the New South, Time Warner Cable Arena home to the Charlotte Bobcats, and the main branch of our excellent library.

Second Ward: Charlotte Government Center, Courthouse and Charlotte’s gleaming new NASCAR Hall of Fame.

Third Ward: Home of the soon to be Super Bowl champion Carolina Panthers and Bank of America stadium, and a very good hometown newspaper the Charlotte Observer.

Fourth Ward: Our award winning Discovery Place museum and iMax theater, some great pubs and historic Victorian homes

So if anyone asks we absolutely have wards and I think we may even still have a beaver or two!

Authored by Mike Gibbons | Discussion: Your Comments Please »

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