This drink honors the holiday classic Elf COURTESY Billy Sunday, the Chicago-based bar that opened in Optimist Hall in early 2020, is known for its hand-carved ice, creative glassware, and library of vintage spirits. Mixologist Stephanie Andrews created this Advice From a Narwhal cocktail—a nod to the movie Elf, a longtime favorite of hers—for the
Read MoreAs a child, Michelle Castelloe would pretend to ring things up on her grandparents’ antique cash register at her imaginary store. She pictured herself as a shopkeeper, and her grandfather often used the word “moxie” to describe her. “He was born in Maine, and there’s a soda there called Moxie,” Castelloe explains. “It’s awful, but
Read MoreWe wish you a merry Christmas and a happy new beer COURTESY NoDa Brewing’s Hoppy Holidays The Recipe: NoDa Brewing calls this IPA with a piney aroma “the perfect beer for the most wonderful time of the year.” Six hop varieties are used to craft each can, and it’s brewed with spruce tips. The Bona
Read MoreScott and Linda Murphy had never run a restaurant until, two years ago, they bought their first. He’d owned and operated a dental practice in Morganton for more than 30 years, and she worked there as a dental hygienist. They raised three children, whose friends nicknamed the couple “Papa Murph” and “Mama Murph.” Theirs was
Read MoreFor close to two years, uptown restaurants have struggled without the lunchtime crowds and expense account holders that once filled their tables. But construction has continued on skyscrapers and mixed-use office buildings like the Ally Charlotte Center, which houses the JW Marriott that opened in August. The 22-story hotel has three dining options: Dean’s Italian
Read MorePHOTOGRAPHS BY CHRIS EDWARDS Jason SteinJason Stein Metals Jason Stein works full time as a bench jeweler at Perry’s Jewelry, where he does custom design, repair, and consultations. In his spare time, he creates what he calls “wearable sculpture”: heavy statement jewelry made with found objects and repurposed materials like nails and screws coated in
Read MoreOdom’s Jazzy Christmas Comes to Uptown When Leslie Odom Jr. released his first Christmas album in 2016, he had just ended his Tony-winning run on Broadway as Hamilton’s Aaron Burr. That record topped Billboard’s U.S. Jazz charts and prompted a second holiday LP released last year: The Christmas Album. Now his aptly titled The Christmas
Read MoreFrom free, family-made efforts to professional experiences Though many holiday events in Charlotte have had to evolve this year, light displays that you can drive through remain safe and joyful. Free Light Displays by Families Harbin Family Christmas Lights10223 Summer House Ct.Dec. 1-31Donations go to Make-A-Wish Central & Western CarolinaArndt Christmas Lights14904 Carbert Ln., HuntersvilleDec. 1-31,
Read MoreA special advertising section created with Charlotte magazine partners PEOPLE ARE WHAT MAKE THIS CITY SPECIAL. Charlotteans have a can-do spirit, high standards for quality, and, more often than not, look at their business as a calling. We’d like to introduce you to Charlotteans who are at the tops of their respective fields. They work
Read MoreHe never serves the same meal twice Courtesy Glyn A Stanley Photography Where does your love of cooking come from? The science behind it. I’ve never been obsessed with eating food—I don’t have a primal attraction to food like you’d think a chef would. I’m curious about the technique used to develop a flavor. What
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