After-party with The Spinners

I ate breakfast with The Spinners. Well, not exactly.
We were in the same room at an after-party in their honor. They were mingling. I was eating. But I'm sure they ate too, eventually.

At first, I didn't know what to expect of this party at the Wadsworth House on Summit Avenue. It's a beautifully restored two-story frame house in the historic Wesley Heights neighborhood, just west of uptown. It's 4,500 sq. ft. and rented out for meetings, parties and wedding receptions.

I was invited to party with The Spinners after their Saturday night concert at Charlotte Convention Center. The 1 a.m. affair was hosted by the Charlotte Music Awards. But when I walked in, there was a Groove Phi Groove party going on.

The woman at the door made it perfectly clear: Don't eat the Grooves' food and don't drink their liquor. The Spinners party is upstairs.

But they were running late, so I went up to check it out. Great, they're serving breakfast. Eggs, bacon, sausage, grits, pancakes. I ran into a couple of Grooves I know, including Taylor, an emergency room doctor who graduated from Duke. You can pledge Groove at Duke?

About an hour has passed and still no Spinners. I've been mingling with others who've been waiting, too. There was the lady whose favorite Spinners song was actually a song by the Whispers. The guy in a pin-striped suit and hat who sings Sinatra at private parties and nursing homes. The Groove who gave me a beer.

Just as we were about to give up on the Spinners, their limo arrives. A crowd followed them upstairs. I took some pictures, shook hands with two of them and told them how much I loved "Sadie" and "Rubberband Man."

Then it was time to go. But first, one more trip to the breakfast bar.

Almost partied with almost Nelly

When your day begins at 6 a.m. Friday and ends at 4 in the morning, you know Saturday is going to be hazy. But it'll be that way for thousands of others, too.

After going to the "Steve Harvey Morning Show," I went to the arena to catch some games and talk to CIAA fans and snap their photos. Then I hit a couple of fish fries. Shout out to the Imani Chapter of Eastern Star #396. The fish sandwich and chicken basket hit the spot. After that I returned to work to write about the events of the day. The newspaper won't pay me if I don't.

I leave there about 9 p.m., dragging. But I'll have to find some energy before I get home. My wife and out-of-town guests wouldn't have it any other way. So we toast to the weekend and prepare for an evening of partying in the Queen City.

However, the women were taking too long to get dressed. So my brother-in-law, Matthew, and I set out alone. We'd been together much of morning so I know he's tired too. The highlight of his day was when a motorist flagged us down because they thought Matt was Nelly, the rapper. That's Matt pictured at top.

It's now 1 a.m and the uptown traffic is bumper-to-bumper. We decide to park at the newspaper and walk to a party at the Hilton, where about 200 people were hanging out in the lobby. It costs $40-$60 to go upstairs to the party, unless you're a VIP. You mean like my brother-in-law, Nelly?

Didn't work. By now my wife is calling on the cellphone to find out where we are. They're just leaving the house at 1:30. We meet up with them, then all decide it's too late to party, but we can always get something to eat.

We'll try it again tonight.

Steve Harvey Morning Show woke us up Friday

Ruben Studdard awakened a sleepy crowd at the Charlotte Convention Center this morning. And they were sleepy with good reason. Many of them had been in line since 3 a.m. to make sure they got a seat for the 6 a.m. "Steve Harvey Morning Show," which featured Ruben.

I stood in the back with the stragglers. We arrived around 6:30, just in time to hear Ruben belt out a couple of tunes. He sounded great. Then Harvey invited members of the audience to come on stage and sing. They didn't sound great. Actually, one of them was OK.

Off to the side of the stage was a sign-up table for aspiring JET Magazine swimsuit models. Don't get too excited, guys. They were just taking their information and head shots, fully clothed. But I shot some photos anyway.

Two people who applied were Lewis Steward (they need male models too) and his girlfriend Tukesia Garner of Trenton, N.J. They're in the picture above. Steward, who's from Philadelphia, asked me what I thought his chances were. I told him pretty good.

He was starting to get his hopes up, then realized I wasn't the JET photographer. My bad.

Swimsuit models and fashion shows, oh my!

You gotta love this job.
After watching basketball and talking to CIAA fans for half the day, I come back to the office and get another assignment: Cover the JET Magazine swimsuit model search Friday morning.

JET is asking aspiring models to bring their best headshots and swimsuit photos to the Charlotte Convention Center during a live broadcast of the Steve Harvey Morning Show. The show starts at 6 a.m., which is way earlier than I normally rise. But hey, I'm a trooper.

The swimsuit photos will be used in a calendar, an extension of the popular Beauty of the Week feature. Yeah, you know the second-most famous centerfold of all time. The one that always appears on page 42.

If that's not enough, I later learn that I'm also suppose to cover the CIAA fashion show Saturday.

OK, if I must.

Should Charlotte bid on CIAA Tournament Again?

There's a rumor floating around Bobcats Arena that Charlotte officials are not planning to bid on bringing the CIAA Tournment back after 2008, when our contract expires. Apparently it was a false alarm. They haven't said what their plans are.

But after talking with some of the local fans, I was surprised at how mixed opinions are on the matter. Some love the tournament being here. It's one of the biggest events of the year and it's right in our backyard. No travel involved. You have access to all the happenings and when it's over, you can retreat to the comforts of home. But enough about me.

Others say they liked it better in Raleigh because the RBC Center has a hugh central parking lot, instead of the scattered parking of uptown Charlotte. It simply was easier to come and go. And they liked getting away for the tournament, like a vacation. And I'm sure out-of-towners are split, too.

But for those who make the decision on whether to bid, it'll boil down to money. How much does the CIAA add to the local economy? Last year, local restaurants and bars said they didn't make nearly as much money as they had expected. But on the other hand, it's more than they would've gotten with any other tournament taking place this week. And the ACC Tournament doesn't start till the following week.

If they want my opinion (and I'm sure they do) I'd at least wait until this year's CIAA Tournament is over before deciding.

What do you think? Should we try to bring it back after 2008? Why or why not?

Invite me to your party, please

The CIAA Tournament starts today and I was up like a kid on Christmas morning. It's going to be a busy day. Gotta get an Observer-issued laptop and camera so I can write about the fans and take their photos. Then I'll attend several inner-office meetings where the bosses will tell me to write about the fans and take their photos. This will take up much of the day.

After that, I'm going to hit the streets looking for CIAA color. I know it's early but as you can tell by our lengthy calendar of events, folks are getting their party started already. I don't mean the big celebrity-studded galas. Those will be covered by my friend and colleague Tonya Jameson, who's "Paid to Party" year-round. In fact, just last week I asked TJ how we were going to cover all these huge bashes. Surely we'll have to split the list down the center. No, she said. She'll cover the big parties. Kelvin, you cover the house parties and cookouts and stuff.

Who does she think she is? Does she think I'd be intimidated because I'm pretty much paid NOT to party? You think I'm scared? Uh oh, here comes TJ...

As I was saying, I'm going to the house parties and cookouts and stuff. But I'll need your help. Anybody having a CIAA party, fish fry, BBQ, whether it's at a house, park or street corner, drop me a line with the location so I can come by and take some photos of you and publish them throughout the week.

I know you're thinking: "What a shameless way to get a meal." And you're right. But I also have unlimited space to write about how good your food was. Trust me, nobody puts their stamp of approval on some ribs like me.

Go Party But Don't Miss The Hoops

Q: Khart, I'm driving up to Charlotte from Ohio to kick it at the parties down there. I didn't attend last years festivities but I went to the Raleigh-Durham Tournament three times in the last six years. I lived in Durham years ago so i had no problem getting around there but now that it's in Charlotte I hope I don't miss the livest parties. I must confess I have never seen one basketball bounce or the arena at the tournaments but don't tell my wife that. I'm bringing the crew and at least 4 first timers so if you know about a Diddy party or a celebrity smash, let me know where it's going to be between Mar 1st-3rd. I'm like you, I need that long drive back to Ohio to get my mind right. Counseling is in order. Any info you provide I'd apprciate. MC

A: First of all, Uncle Merle, I know that's you. But I won't tell Aunt Edna. Anyway, I'm glad you're coming to the show this year, but if you haven't seen any of the games, you don't know what you're missing. There's some major talent in the CIAA. It's produced NBA players such as Charles Oakley, Ben Wallace and Ronald "Flip" Murray, to name a few.

In fact, just this week an ACC alum who went to last year's tournament was telling me how surprised he was at the skill level. However, he decided not to buy CIAA tickets this year. He said he'll wait till the losing teams' fans leave and just buy their tickets for cheap. Sorry, dude, this isn't the ACC. Nobody leaves till the weekend's over.

But if it's parties you want, there are way too many for me to list for March 1-3. So I'll just list a few that I'm planning to hit. The rest you can find on www.charlotte.com:
March 1

• '80s R&B: Coca-Cola presents Showtime At The Apollo with special guests Boyz II Men. 10 p.m. Charlotte Convention Center, $30. http://www.ticketmaster.com/, 704-522-6500.
• HAPPY HOUR: The Alphas host the 2nd Annual Phrozen Hour with complimentary hors d'oeuvres and free draft beer while it lasts. The place is small, and the party was packed last year. Get there early and grab a table. 5 p.m.-9 p.m. Brevard Court Sundries, 145 Brevard Court. Free.
• KAPPA HOUR: Joins the Kappas for Kappa Kocktail Hour. Drink and appetizers specials. Speciality drinks are: The Diamond Martini, Krimson Punch and The HurriKane. 4 p.m. Zink. Free.
  March 2
• RISE AND SHINE: Steve Harvey Morning Show featuring guest performer Anthony Hamilton. 6 a.m.-10 a.m. Charlotte Convention Center, 501 S. College Street, 704-339-6000, http://www.charlotteconventionctr.com/. Free.
• LEGENDS OF HIP-HOP: EPMD kicks off its reunion tour in Charlotte. After-party hosted by "The World's Greatest Entertainer," Doug E. Fresh. Sponsored by Sol Kitchen, Crown Royal and VH-1. 9 p.m. Amos Southend, 1423 S. Tryon St. $30. 704-377-6874; http://www.charlottevibe.com/, www.amossouthend.com.
• CELEBRITY PARTY: NFL players, Grammy nominated artists, actors and models are expected for the Supreme Clientele party. 10 p.m. Dilworth Neighborhood Grille, corner of McDowell and Morehead. $20. 800-807-7602. http://www.revolutionaryentertainment.net/.
  March 3
• OLD SCHOOL R&B: Maze featuring Frankie Beverly will perform at Ovens Auditorium, 2700 E. Independence Blvd.{confirmed}, 704-335-3100. $50-$60. www.ticketmaster.com.
• LIVE MUSIC: Digital Divas presents a jazz and R&B trio at their party Dream. Sponsored by Jack Daniels. 10 p.m. Blue restaurant. (corner of Fifth and College.) $10-$15. 201-304-2933,{confirmed} or tiffany@digitaldivasinc.com.
• GO-GO GREAT: Dynasty5 presents the 2nd Annual Chuck Brown After Party & Show. Wind-me-up Chuck did his thing last year. Don't miss it this year. 9 p.m., Hilton Charlotte Center City,. 222 E. Third Street, 704-377-1500. $30-$60. http://www.dynasty5.com/.
  

The Anticipation Is Killing Me

Next Monday the CIAA Basketball Tournament tips off again in Charlotte and I can hardly wait. Last year's tournament was so much fun that I almost went into withdrawals when it was over. It was hoops everyday and parties every night. I was hanging out with old friends and classmates and staying up so late that going to bed was like a pit stop. If CIAA '07 is anything close to last year's, I'm going to need counseling.

Tourney officials say it'll be even better. For starters, there are more musical acts and more daytime events for kids and folks who want to enjoy the festivities and still go to work the next day.

Another improvement will be more parking closer to Bobcats Arena. Charlotte's "Tournament Village" approach puts fans in walking range of many uptown restaurants, hotels and party venues. But walking range is relative. If you wear Hush Puppies and hit the treadmill everyday, you can walk. If you're wearing $400 stilettos, then probably not.

Beginning this week, I'll be blogging about any news leading up to the tournament, including on-the-court happenings as it relates to the tournament brackets. Right now, Virginia Union (the defending champs) are tops in the Eastern Division; Fayetteville State is leading the West with Charlotte's own Johnson C. Smith a close second.

Once the games begin Feb. 26, I'll be there writing about the sights and sounds. I'll interview people in the stands and fans on the street and answer any questions or comments about the CIAA, the city, places to eat or drink, or anything else. Got any CIAA-related photos? Email them too. I'm at khart@charlotteobserver.com.
And if you see me at the games, holler at me.