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Articles by Gi Hallmark
The Childrens Book Review
Gi Hallmark | | August 21, 2014 The Virals Series What to expect: Science Fiction, Forensics, Technology, Action, Humor, Animals, Geocaching, High School, Mystery, Suspense, Friendships In Virals, acclaimed mother and son writing duo Kathy and Brendan Reichs have created a captivating and enthralling series by incorporating science fiction and crime with a contemporary perspective, via 4 teens who are navigating an unusually adventurous adolescence.
10 best and 10 worst sounding job openings at Bank of America
By Ted Williams | | May 21, 2015 Views: Have you ever tried to apply for a job at Bank of America? Their job titles are fairly insane. Here’s a fast list of the 10 best and 10 worst sounding job openings with my translations. There were 312 job openings at Bank of America in Charlotte when I clicked publish on this story. 10 worst sounding job openings at Bank of America Analyst II – Bus Tech Anly Surefire path to Analyst III position.
61 Charlotte metro area companies make the 2015 Inc. 5000
By Gi Hallmark | | August 14, 2015 Views: The editors of Inc. have released their 2015 annual ranking of the fastest growing private companies in America and 61 Charlotte companies are on the list. Charlotte’s IT Services industry has the largest representation with 10 companies. Business Products & Services and Human Resources tied for second with 6 companies in each industry. 3 Food and Beverage companies made the list: Olde Mecklenburg Brewery, Hissho Sushi, and Bojangles’.
Here’s what people who work in Ballantyne Corporate Park are really doing
By Gi Hallmark | | July 1, 2015 Views: Ah, Ballantyne. Do you love it yet? Maybe living here is not in the 5-year plan, but working here should be. Ballantyne Corporate Park is first class for work and play. Ballantyne Corporate Park (BCP) is a 535 acre master-planned business community that has 4 million square feet of commercial Class A space. There are hundreds of companies that choose to call BCP home. Here’s an industry breakdown of the 267 companies posted on BCP’s directory listing.
Charlotte Asian Heritage Association to host Gandhi Unity Fall Festival on October 10th
By Gi Hallmark | | August 20, 2015 Views: The Charlotte Asian Heritage Association (CAHA) will host the Gandhi Unity Fall Festival on October 10th to celebrate Mahatma Gandhi’s legacy of unity and peace in humanity. Event takes place on October 10th, 3-7pm, at the Old County Court House Lawn, 700 East Trade Street. Admission is free and parking is free at the 4th Street Parking Deck (4th and McDowell Street).
Chef Vanessa Smith sometimes eats popcorn and chocolate for dinner
By Gi Hallmark | | June 8, 2015 Views: This is an ongoing series called The Queen City Diet, a look into what locals eat. Vanessa Smith is head chef at her family’s restaurant, Two Sister’s Market Café, in Terrell, NC and founder of Life Undeveloped, a blog about food, photography and life’s new chapters. She’s also a writer for Charlotte Agenda, personal chef, graduate of Johnson & Wales culinary school, and a self-professed coffee and red wine addict. Thursday, May 7 Two cups of coffee.
A Charlotte area theatre teacher is inspiring students... and he now has a new decoration for his desk
By Collin Beck | June 8, 2015 Views: Corey Mitchell, theatre teacher at Charlotte’s Northwest School of the Arts, was awarded the first ever Tony Award for Excellence in Theatre Education Sunday in New York. The Tony Awards are the annual awards for outstanding achievement in theatre. Mitchell was announced as the winner Thursday. He received the award, an honorarium and a trip to New York to attend the Tony Awards where he was honored. Mitchell was chosen from over 4,000 nominees.
Local chefs to participate in Queen City Food Fight: A Culinary Throwdown on August 30th
By Gi Hallmark | | August 17, 2015 Views: Five chefs representing Piedmont Culinary Guild and will face five chefs representing the NC chapter of the American Culinary Federation in Queen City Food Fight: A Culinary Throwdown on Sunday, August 30th at the Philip L. Van Every Culinary Arts Center at CPCC in Uptown Charlotte. Each team will work together to create three courses. Attendees will sample them all and vote for The People’s Champion.
Hi, I’m Kiran Dodeja Smith and this is how I work out
By Gi Hallmark | | May 19, 2015 Views: This is part of an ongoing series titled How I Work Out, insights into how Charlotte stays fit. Kiran Dodeja Smith is the supermom of 4 adorable kids and a contributor and advertising manager at 100 Days of Real Food. Where do you workout? Why? In the pool. Outside. Or one of Charlottes fab boutique studios. I like to change things up for two reasons: first off, it’s good for your body. Do you run every day?
Suarez Bakery is made from scratch, a look behind the scenes.
By Gi Hallmark | | June 5, 2015 Views: I’ve visited many bakeries in my lifetime. They’re all very familiar with their beautiful pastry cases and unmistakable scents of baked flour and sugar. Suárez Bakery breeds this familiarity, but there’s also something different about Suárez.
#BuzzCity Welcome to Charlotte Jeremy Lin @JLin7
By Gi Hallmark | | July 10, 2015 Views: Professional basketball has become one of the sports I follow the least. It hasn’t always been this way, I was a fan of the Washington Bullets before they became the Wizards, and because my brother was a hard core Chris Webber fan from the Fab Five days of Michigan, the Golden State Warriors were always in the mix as well. My interest started to wean in 1995, during the lockout.
Koalas, helmets, and screens: A look behind the scenes at ESPN Charlotte
By Gi Hallmark | | June 17, 2015 Views: Each year, thousands of hours of ESPN programming (yes, that ESPN) originates right here in Charlotte. In Ballantyne, to be exact. Ballantyne naysayers repent, the scale of this phenomenon is enormous and mind boggling and elevates suburban credibility. What’s more unbelievable is that if you ask the average Charlottean, they will have no idea about the magnitude of TV production that happens here.
Green Teacher Network Charlotte is non-profit done right, here’s why
By Gi Hallmark | | May 21, 2015 Views: I first heard about Green Teacher Network Charlotte (GTN) on Twitter-their name, sleek logo, and bio piqued my interest. Further stalking of tweets led to introductions and a coffee date at Sunflour with Beth Mack, volunteer Vice President of the GTN leadership team. Beth is a craft beer loving vegetarian with infectious positivity and a cool calmness at the same time. I want to be like her when I grow up.
Work Life of John Vassallo, Senior Coordinating Producer for ESPN
By Gi Hallmark | | June 15, 2015 Views: John Vassallo is a Senior Coordinating Producer at ESPN who coordinates college football, the NCAA Championships, lacrosse, ice hockey, wrestling, The Home Depot College Football Awards and the Under Armour All-America High School Football Game. John grew up in Valhalla, New York and has a Master’s Degree in broadcasting and film from Boston University.
Amelie’s in South Charlotte is open... and coming soon to Park Road Shopping Center
By Gi Hallmark | | June 1, 2015 Views: Saturday at 7am marked the opening of Amélie’s first South Charlotte location in the Carmel Commons shopping center. I ran out of the house with wet hair and rolled over speed bumps like I just don’t care to get there. The location is huge. Victoria, the General Manager, estimates around 7,000 square feet, including the kitchen. There’s plenty of indoor and outdoor terrace seating and the décor is charmingly consistent with their NoDa location.
That time I participated in a geopolitical forecasting project but hadn’t voted in the Charlotte Mayoral election
By Gi Hallmark | | July 28, 2015 Views: In spring of 2014, as I was driving the home-school-home jitney, I caught a story on NPR called “So You Think You’re Smarter Than a CIA Agent?” Alix Spiegel reported for approximately 7 minutes on an experiment called the Good Judgment Project (GJP) and it blew my relatively dormant, suburban mind. (The scale of this experiment is large and far more complicated than I can summarize in bullet points for this piece, but here’s an idea.
Gay Bingo Charlotte to return on November 14th after five year hiatus
By Gi Hallmark | | August 21, 2015 Views: Gay BINGO Charlotte will host “How to Get Away With Bingo” on November 14th to raise funds and awareness for Regional AIDS Interfaith Network (RAIN). Gay BINGO Charlotte started 15 years ago, and after a 5 year hiatus, will return this year to continue the mission of raising funds and awareness for HIV/AIDS. This event started with 100 attendees in the first year, this year’s attendance is expected to reach close to 2,000.
Charlotte to host The 48 Hour Film Project on August 7-9th
By Gi Hallmark | | August 3, 2015 Views: On August 7th-9th2015, Charlotte will host an epic international filmmaking competition during which local filmmakers will have only 48 hours to create a seven minute film. The 48 Hour Film Project is the world’s oldest and largest timed filmmaking competition. In its 11 years, this project has engaged over 450,000 artists. This year, 135 cities around the world will participate on different weekends.
You might live in Ballantyne if…
By Gi Hallmark | | May 26, 2015 Views: (1) You’re used to getting sympathy when you tell people where you live. The award for most used condolence goes to: “I hear the schools are great.” (2) You’re from the North and consider Charlotte the tropics, where everything is permanently 50% off. (3) You know the difference between all the Ardreys and sound like a pirate saying it.
Meet Cat Bao Le, Executive Director of the Southeast Asian Coalition
By Gi Hallmark | | May 18, 2015 Views: Cat Bao Le is the Executive Director of the Southeast Asian Coalition (SEAC). I met Cat last year and was inspired by her dedication to helping refugees and immigrants here in Charlotte. She spends the vast majority of her time advocating for the underserved refugee and immigrant youth and families in our area while passionately engaging and educating our community about needs and resources.
It’s time to get some Dim Sum in Plaza Midwood
By Gi Hallmark | | April 22, 2015 Views: Sunday called for a carefully timed excursion to Dim Sum Chinese Restaurant on Central Avenue in Plaza Midwood. I’ve been adequately advised that if you don’t arrive at this dim sum parlor at or near opening, the angst that will brew inside you as you helplessly wait in the lobby will be unrecognizably fierce. So fair warning to you lucky people who sleep in on the weekends- get there early or stay home with Netflix and wait out the lunch crowd.
An obituary to the summer of hurry up and slow down
By Gi Hallmark | | August 17, 2015 Views: August is at its midway point and by the end of the month, mornings across Charlotte will include frenetic preparations to get thousands of kids to school on time. In our house, summer’s the season to go and explore the city we call home, a time to find that perfect mix between busy and lazy. My kids are both double digit midgets now and unexpectedly, this summer, their explorer prowess vanished.
The Ballantyne Hotel is the ultimate destination for a Charlotte staycation
By Gi Hallmark | | July 9, 2015 Views: I’ve been a resident of Ballantyne for three years now and am mostly desensitized to, but still appreciative of, all the benefits this suburb offers. As jaded as I am, every time I drive by The Ballantyne Hotel, I’m jolted out of my complacent suburban haze by the majesty of the building and the impeccable landscaping surrounding it.
Where Do Our Baby Teeth Go?
Gi Hallmark | The Children’s Book Review | January 25, 2014 Where Do Our Baby Teeth Go? By Vilasinee Bunnag, Illustrated by Yasmin Doctor Ages: 3 and Up Hardcover: 27 pages Publisher: Mighty Twenty LLC (March 2015) ISBN: 978-0-615-91927-0 What to Expect: Tooth Stories, Interactive Format, Geography, Cultural Traditions, Dental Health and Science, Colorful Illustrations Losing baby teeth can be a complex experience that often includes excitement, nervousness, curiosity and confusion.
I learned everything I need to know about parenting from Louis C.K.
By Gi Hallmark | | May 7, 2015 Views: I voraciously consume any literature I can about how to not mess up raising kids. Kids don’t come with a play by play handbook or even a pseudo IKEA instruction manual. A 3 piece chair comes with 10 page instructions, but kids don’t? Doesn’t seem right. In defense of my fear that everything I’m doing to raise good human beings is wrong, I scour multiple sources for advice. At least then, even if I fail miserably, I can say I did my homework.
Taylor Swift was here.
By Gi Hallmark | | June 9, 2015 Views: Taylor Swift reigned over the Queen City for 2 hours as she charmed, entertained, and inspired 15,000 fans in the Time Warner Cable Arena on a normally mundane Monday night. The last real concert I went to was Dave Matthews Band at the University of Virginia in 2001, unless you count The Wiggles at the Richmond Coliseum in 2005.
Nominate your neighborhood organization for City of Charlotte’s Annual Neighborhood Leadership Awards
By Gi Hallmark | | August 7, 2015 Views: From now until the August 19th nomination deadline, the City of Charlotte is asking local residents to help recognize neighborhood-based organizations that are doing great work in Charlotte communities.
Add Pure Barre to the list of things in life harder than you thought
By Gi Hallmark | | May 1, 2015 Views: Charlotteans are emphatically enthusiastic about exercising. Every day, I spot multiple groups of runners and walkers – they look happy and not at all like they want to pass out. There’s also a CrossFit studio near our music school, and every week, I get a 30 second glimpse into a fanatic group of really fit people voluntarily getting yelled at by an instructor. It’s fascinating and perplexing at the same time.
Ballantyne Village is making a comeback
By Gi Hallmark | | May 27, 2015 Views: As I was legally loitering around Ballantyne Village for this article, I accosted a random human being for his thoughts. “The Village is coming back,” he said, briskly walking back to work and away from me, an equally random human being. The word comeback implies a return to something that used to be great. The Village’s prior struggles have been well aired in the media, with bankruptcy, an ownership change, and a sordid parking dispute making headlines.
A Flag for the Flying Dragon: A Captain No Beard Story
Gi Hallmark | The Children’s Book Review | April 7, 2014 A Flag for the Flying Dragon: A Captain No Beard Story By: Carole P.
Phoget this rain at Pho Hoa in Plaza Midwood
By Gi Hallmark | | April 17, 2015 Views: Dear Charlotte, I know you’re tired of this merciless wet weather. Mother Nature can be so inconsiderate, intruding on well laid plans like sunny spring Presidential visits and early morning outdoor workouts. But, as with all things, it could be worse. Think about our poor friends in California, suffering a terrible drought and desperately pining to be in our puddle hopping shoes.
Downtown Matthews has chicks and beer, wrapped in charm.
By Gi Hallmark | | June 2, 2015 Views: The charm of a modern day historic town lined with bucolic reminders of days gone by is endearing beyond measure. Matthews is this town. If you haven’t visited Downtown Matthews lately, here’s what you’re missing. (1) Chicks. Pop into Renfrow’s and pick up some chicks, no pick-up game necessary. If you need help, check out Renfrow’s Chick Report. Seriously, Renfrow’s has everything, seeds, crickets, bolts, 1000 variety of keys, cast iron, ladybugs.
A dozen reasons why you should get literate at Park Road Books
By Gi Hallmark | | May 11, 2015 Views: I love books. Not the electronic kind, the paper kind. I’m a big proponent of reading books in real life, and not on a screen. Relax, I’m not mandating the good people of Charlotte to burn their reading devices. However, I’m adamant that to truly appreciate the writer and cover artist’s expressions of creativity and imagination, you need to hold the actual book. Sally Brewster, bibliophile and owner of Charlotte’s only indie bookstore, Park Road Books, agrees.
Here’s where to find Korean food in Charlotte
By Gi Hallmark | | May 12, 2015 Views: If you watched Anthony Bourdain’s Parts Unknown series premiere last week, you got a whirlwind glimpse into the food culture in South Korea. Food and alcohol are important in many countries, but in Korea, it’s a critical nexus for family, celebrations, traditions, and good health.
The ESPN offices in Charlotte are like yours, but not
By Gi Hallmark | | June 29, 2015 Views: In an otherwise unremarkable building, off Rushmore Drive in the Ballantyne Corporate Park, is the headquarters of ESPNU, ESPN Events and SEC Network. If I didn’t know better, I would have believed they sold Dunder Mifflin paper from this building. Non-descript is an understatement.
NY Times bestselling author Brendan Reichs is a night owl and Taylor Swift fan
By Gi Hallmark | | June 22, 2015 Views: For some people, becoming a NY Times bestselling author is just another day at the office. Brendan Reichs is one of these people, staying cool, calm, and collected whilst thousands of people fanatically buy his books.
Charlotte to host Virtual Currency Workshop and Cryptolina Bitcoin Expo on August 14th-15th
By Gi Hallmark | | August 7, 2015 Views: Charlotte will host the first of its kind Virtual Compliance Currency and Blockchain Technology Compliance Workshop on August 14th, which will coincide with The Second Annual Cryptolina Bitcoin Expo on August 14th-15th, 2015.
Visitor spending increases to $4.9 billion in Mecklenburg County
By Gi Hallmark | | August 13, 2015 Views: The economic impact of tourism in Mecklenburg County grew by 6.1 percent in 2014, with visitors infusing $4.9 billion in domestic spending, compared to $4.6 billion in 2013. Visitor spending has seen a steady rise since 2009 and has grown by 47 percent, an average of 9.5 percent each year.
Hubee D’s in Myers Park is made to order
By Gi Hallmark | | June 25, 2015 Views: My eating habits can only be described as erratic and weird. I blame kids. To me, eating is not just a form of nourishment, but an experience as well. With kids, it’s more difficult to eat appealing meals in enjoyable settings, which leads to eating like a bird at times and gorging pounds of food at others. I’m sure this is as unhealthy as it sounds. Recently, I had the opportunity to visit the Providence Road Hubee D’s in Myers Park, with kids in tow.
The Loop: Where Can You Find a Montessori School in Charlotte?
When you consider that Dr. Maria Montessori developed the Montessori Method of education over a century ago, describing Montessori as progressive and innovative seems like a paradox. Yet this very purposeful way of learning is increasing in popularity now to become one of the fastest growing forms of education in the United States.
The Loop: 17 Ways to Help Avoid Summer Learning Loss
Though the term “Summer Slide” sounds fun and innocuous, it actually refers to learning loss. Learning loss is inevitable when young, developing minds are idle for 3 months. Reading skills and levels are particularly impacted with research indicating that kids who do not read over the summer can lose up to three months of reading achievement. In addition, this learning loss is cumulative over the years, which is a daunting obstacle to overcome as children get older.
Q&A: YALLFest
Written by Gi Hallmark YALLFest 2014, an epic celebration of the vibrant world of young adult fiction, concluded its fourth, and biggest, festival on November 8th of this year. 60 of the world’s best young adult and middle grade authors, including 37 New York Times Bestsellers, gathered in nearby Charleston, SC for this annual family friendly event where authors meet and entertain readers, participate in panels, and celebrate literacy.
Building Your Home Library: 20 Great Chapter Books for Early Readers
Written by Gi Hallmark At around the age of 7, independent readers will begin to delve into the world of chapter books. Most flock to early reader chapter books, the majority of which tend to be formulaic series with some illustrations that help bridge the gap from picture books. The formulaic nature of these series breeds loyalty, as children are quickly able to identify with the characters and their capers.
Nonprofit purchases 54-acre property in Waxhaw aiming to heal the world one puppy at a time
It was a dream derived from the joy and healing he received from a dog years after a near fatal accident when he was 5 years old. It was a dream derived from the joy and healing he received from his dog Toby, while he recovered from another near fatal accident, this time when he was 16 years old. In a lifetime riddled with immense emotional and physical pain, unconditional love from dogs have played a vital role in Charlie’s journey.
Yard Art Day is coming and you should be about it
Yard Art Day has become one of my favorite Charlotte events and I’m excited it’s returning to Charlotte once again this Labor Day. Unlike gallery shows or museums (which you should definitely frequent as well), Yard Art Day is as grassroots as you can get. It’s art for the sake of art, displayed by your neighbors in order to make the world a more beautiful place.
38-year-old bestselling Charlotte author has published his first solo novel
Nerves, excitement and quiet freak outs are at their peak for this week’s Nemesis release and the subsequent six-day, six-city book tour. While this isn’t Brendan’s first book (he co-wrote The New York Times best-selling series Virals with his mother Dr. Kathy Reichs), Nemesis is his first solo project, which is apparently ushering in a special kind of nerves.
Charlotte to host national women’s philanthropy forum on October 15th-17th
By Gi Hallmark | | August 20, 2015 Views: Women philanthropists from across the country will gather in Charlotte this fall as the Women’s Collective Giving Grantmakers Network (WCGN) holds its 2015 National Leadership Forum October 15-17, 2015, at the Ballantyne Resort Hotel and various locations Uptown. WCGN is the national umbrella group for collective giving funds like Charlotte’s Women’s Impact Fund (WIF) across the US.
The Loop: Charlotte’s PayMySitter is revolutionizing how we book & pay sitters
PayMySitterWebsite | Facebook | TwitterWhat to Expect: Electronic booking, website or app, pay with cash or instant credit/debit payment, simple design, ability to contact multiple sitters at one time, monthly or yearly subscription, 8.5% transaction fee for credit/debit payments, no more midnight ATM runsThanks to two entrepreneurial minded Charlotte couples, there’s now a way to streamline booking and paying your sitters.
Top 25 reasons to live in Ballantyne
By Gi Hallmark | | June 26, 2015 Views: It’s come to my attention that there’s a contingent of Charlotteans who think the great suburb of Ballantyne is sub-par. I believe the descriptive phrase “Ballantyne sucks” is used, and 7 times out of 10, Ballantyne is misspelled. While I don’t know the entire basis behind this sentiment, I’d guess that most Ballantyne cynics have never lived in the 28277 and can’t legitimately back up this misanthropic suburbia sentiment.
Charlotte's streetcar to launch July 14
By Jason Foster | | June 5, 2015 Views: Charlotte’s touted streetcar will open to riders July 14, the city announced Thursday. U.S. Transportation Secretary and former Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx will be on hand to join city officials in dedicating the CityLYNX Gold Line service at 10 a.m. July 14 at Time Warner Cable Arena, according to the invitation from the city. Here’s what you need to know: What’s the deal?: Charlotte’s streetcar’s about to open for business.
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