Articles by Sarah Grano
Paper Check Fraud Is On the Rise
Check fraud may seem like an outdated crime in today’s world of digital payments, but it’s surging, according to an alert sent to banks by the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (a bureau within the US Department of the Treasury). Last year, banks filed 680,000 reports of check fraud, nearly double that of the year before. How it happens: Criminals remove checks you are sending from your mailbox or fish them out of the US Postal Service’s blue collection boxes.
These 5 Charlotte bakeries have some of the most visually stunning Instagram feeds in the city
Instagram feeds that feature foods right out of a minimalist’s perfect world with their muted colors and bright backgrounds are having a moment, and these five Charlotte bakeries get it. The French bakery is a staple everywhere from Rock Hill to Atlanta, and they’re soon opening a new location in the Park Road Shopping Center’s Backlot. Their macarons have made the big-screen in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, but don’t sleep on the éclairs or chocolate croissant.
9 reasons to visit Doughlicious Yummy's, a cookie dough café 25 minutes from Uptown
I lived in Mount Holly for six and a half years. During any of those years did it have a cookie dough restaurant? No, it did not. And what do I learn literally the day I moved out (as I scrolled through Instagram when I should have been putting random stuff in boxes labeled “Random”)?
Magnolia Coffee is brewing up an expansion
Changes include the addition of a third small-batch roaster that doubles the Matthews-based roastery’s production capacity, a renovated tasting room, an expanded hands-on barista training lab and a new e-commerce site with direct-to-consumer coffee subscriptions and free nationwide delivery. Owner Jay Gestwicki says the enhancements are part of the brand’s focus on reaching more regional and national wholesale customers.
I'm eating my way through Charlotte's Brussels sprout hotspots. Here are my early rankings.
It all started with Essex. I told my friend, Sarah, I would be celebrating my fifth wedding anniversary Uptown, and she told me I had to try Essex. Specifically, I had try its warm Brussels sprouts Caesar salad. So I went, and I did, and it was delicious. I texted Sarah a picture of my the Caesar salad. (Don’t all friends text each other pictures of salads?) She started rhapsodizing about the beauty of Brussels sprouts. Turns out, Essex has the third best Brussels sprouts dish in Charlotte.
My favorite pizza and ice cream date nights under $20
Last month I challenged my husband to join me in a game of $20 date nights once a week. As newlyweds, it’s a game that honors where we are in life with a focus on saving money, staying social and strategically spending time together. Otherwise, it’s easy to end up on the couch like this every night: It’s not about big fancy nights out. It’s about prioritizing time together and making it fun.
I massively underestimated ImaginOn. But after my first visit, my family is obsessed
How did I not already know about it? I thought I knew all the best places to take a bored toddler in Charlotte. (And this place is free!) I mean, fine, I had heard of it, but I was like “It’s just a library? I have a library within walking distance! I’m going to go to that library?” Oh, how ignorant I once was. What I have learned is that ImaginOn includes a library, but it’s so much more and totally worth a visit (or 12) with your kids. Why? Let me spell it out for you.
You're going to want to eat your way through O-Ku's new spring menu
The award-winning sushi spot that opened last year in Atherton Mill and has added nine new additions to their menu for spring. Because Agenda Digital Strategist Lizzy Sirkin and I are team players, we tried them all for you.
I discovered tacos, rum, antiques and a tiny brewery while spending a Saturday in Belmont’s River District (25 minutes from Uptown)
Obviously, you’ve heard about Belmont. Who hasn’t heard about Belmont? Belmont is the best! But did you know there’s a lesser known (and therefore cooler) area of Belmont? Are you ready to venture beyond Main Street? (If you haven’t already ventured onto Main Street, I suggest you get on that.) Well, let me introduce you to the Belmont’s River District, which is filled with food, booze and lovely river views. York Chester Brewing Company is a tiny brewery. Like really, really tiny.
If you haven't had these three Bloody Marys, have you even had brunch in Charlotte?
Step up your brunch game with a Bloody Mary that doubles as an entire meal? Yes, please. Need more Bloody Marys in your life? Check out the Charlotte Bloody Mary Superlatives. Made with a house-made mix and Tito’s vodka before being topped with pretty much everything but the kitchen sink: Chicken and pork sliders, a chicken wing, a corn fritter, onion rings, bacon, a pickle and more. Served every Saturday and Sunday. Made with Cathead small-batch vodka and topped with okra, shrimp, olives and pickles.
I don't normally go big Uptown, but here's how my husband and I spent 24 hours Uptown for our 5th wedding anniversary night
Last May, my husband and I celebrated our fifth wedding anniversary by eating takeout from Chicken Bucket and hanging out with our toddler at home. It was fun, but it wasn’t, you know, amazing. (No offense Chicken Bucket.) So when our close friends told us they really, really wanted to babysit our two-year-old for a weekend (really), we decided to take them up on it. From 11 a.m. Saturday to 11 a.m. Sunday, we were footloose and childfree.
Top 10 delicious Charlotte restaurants to take your toddler (where you will receive minimal side-eye)
I need to be clear here. This is 100 percent not a list of Charlotte’s most kid-friendly restaurants. Honestly, if I’m in the mood to go to a kid-friendly restaurant, I straight-up go to IHOP because I know there will be a ton of other children there, and my son will joyously attack its chicken and waffles. IHOP is a great place to take your kid. IHOP, however, is not insanely delicious according to this adult. Tupelo Honey Cafe is delicious, it is southern, and it has amazing grits.
Your guide to 9 of Charlotte's most important Black History Month activities
The World is a Mirror of My Freedom – Five artists whose works have appeared at the McColl Center are using their talents to explore the violence against African Americans, spanning from the 1700s to present day, and how the past has created the present. Look for the community pie social on February 18 and the I Can’t Breathe workshop on March 18. Now until March 25 at the McColl Center. Details.
Charlotte’s top 4 mall playgrounds, ranked
Before I became a mother, I didn’t really go to malls. Then, I had a child, and I learned that malls are temperature-controlled free places that are not my house. And so I started to explore Charlotte malls. This exploration took place mostly in the summer when it was ungodly hot and the outside world was not an option for my son and me. Want to know when the outside world is also not an option for us? When it’s unbearably cold. (So, basically half the year. Ugh.) What’s up winter?
Go inside Heist's gorgeous new 3,000-square-foot taproom expansion
Though it shares a common wall with Heist’s main dining room, this 3,000-square-foot area tentatively known as the Taproom is largely self-contained. It has its own kitchen, bathrooms, bar area… you get the picture. This isn’t simply an addition, or even a clone. It’s an overall improvement. “Hopefully this turns into a place where people want to come be comfortable,” says Heist owner Kurt Hogan.
My toddler and I are obsessed with Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden’s Holidays at the Garden
Going to a garden when winter is looming doesn’t make a lot of sense. I get that. I mean, will there be flowers? Do the trees even have leaves? Is everything just dead and dormant, and if so, why am I in this garden again? Answer: Because lights are pretty and fountains are fun. Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden’s Holidays at the Garden celebration is one of the best times to see the garden. The lights are on from 5 p.m to 9 p.m. nightly, and festivities last through the first of January.
9 views from the tallest hotel in Charlotte
The developers behind a massive hotel complex going on top of the EpiCentre announced Thursday that they’ve set the final steel beam in place. [Agenda story: Construction is underway at the EpiCentre hotel] In time, this will become a 184-room AC Hotel, a 116-room Residence Inn, 2,400 square feet of meeting space, a rooftop restaurant and bar. And at 337 feet, it will be the tallest hotel in Charlotte.
Cash Confessional: A week of spending in Charlotte on a $61,000 salary
Our Cash Confessional series, in partnership with Bank of America, takes a personal and anonymous look into how people of all ages and incomes spend their money in the span of seven days. To see the other installments of Cash Confessional, click here. This series is completely volunteer-based; if you’re interested in keeping track of your own spending and having it featured, email Kylie at kylie@charlotteagenda.com. This week, I spoke with a 22-year-old woman that makes $61,000 per year.
7 ways to find joy despite your post-election anxiety
I took the election hard. Like catastrophizing, totally hyperbolic, click-baiting clicking like there was no tomorrow hard. I’ve heard I’m not the only one. It’s been tough times, guys, and so as we begin to move past the initial feelings of “Say what? I’m a little confused. What just happened here?” get out there and find a little joy. Here’s how: You should go to the overlook on a clear day, and you should bring sunglasses.
11 reasons to embrace whimsy and drive 45 minutes to the totally adorable town of Lincolnton
Lincolnton is 45 minutes outside of Charlotte, and it’s super cute. It’s best known for its early fall Apple Festival, but I prefer it when there aren’t 10,000 people cramming the streets. Have you been binge watching the Gilmore Girls? Are you wishing for your own Stars Hollow moment? Well, you should pay Lincolnton a visit! Seriously. This place has whimsy on lock.
The Turnhouse Grille is now open. Here's what you need to know.
The Turnhouse Grille is officially open in the space formally occupied by Tiki Hideaway. Owners Andy Pressley and John Cates have been friends (and in the restaurant business) for years and are pumped to bring this grille to the Montford Park neighborhood. Guests are encouraged to come just as they are for high quality food at good prices served in a relaxing, at-home atmosphere. And he means it.
Senior Application Developer
Payzer is the all-in-one financial tool that helps contractors grow their business. We help our customers by providing: • Easy to use online and mobile payment solutions. • Instant loan decisions that help grow average order size. • Effective promotional offers that help close business. • Simple electronic cash management. • Rich financial and customer level reporting.
Recruiter - Charlotte Agenda
Overview: We’re looking for an experienced, energetic, and enthusiastic Recruiter to attract, screen, select and interview qualified and suitable personnel to fill our sales openings. The Recruiter plays a critical role in the development and growth of our company. Responsibilities: Source, recruit, and identify qualified applicants. Facilitate interviews. Find quality candidates through various sourcing channels.
Mailbag: Top 15 feedback letters on YAFO, toddlers, HB2 and house hunting
“Hi Agenda Gods! Allie Papajohn is on the verge of killing me for the amount of times I have texted her over the past month asking for brunch suggestions or dinner suggestions to which she so kindly responds, “did you even read my article?” Yes, I did, but I am a part of the “M word” generation and I am too lazy to go searching through past Agenda articles for her “Top 10 brunches in Charlotte, ranked” article when, as one of my best friends, she is required to be at my disposal 24/7.
Get woman’s health advice on skin, weight, sleep, exercise, etc + free dinner & gift on 9/21
SHOT OF CHARLOTTE NEWS DELIVERED EACH MORNING @7AM BY KATIE, ANDREW OR TED
SCarowinds opens tonight which means the countdown to Halloween is on
The theme park’s annual fall fright festival features haunted mazes, scare zones, performances and all your favorite thrill rides. Not into the surprise encounters? You can buy a glowing No Boo Necklace for $10 to get scare immunity and signal to characters that they can’t approach you. Thinking about bringing your kids? Maybe think again. The park doesn’t recommend the nighttime SCarowinds attraction for children under the age of 13.
Charlotte’s No Kids Hungry dinner spotlights female chefs
The annual No Kids Hungry dinner, which raises money to fight childhood hunger, will be held 6 p.m. Saturday at Mimosa Grill. Tickets are $175 each ($75 of which is tax deductible). The all-star lineup includes Charlotte’s Alyssa Wilen of Chef Alyssa’s Kitchen, Emily Hahn of Charleston’s Warehouse Bar + Kitchen and Ashley Auer of Atlanta’s Cooks & Soldiers, among others. The evening’s mixologist and sommelier also are women.
Renovated 1914 Neoclassical home in Myers Park wants $2,495,000
You know you’d love to live on Hermitage and you know you’d love to have the Duke Mansion as your neighbor. Now’s your chance. At the beginning of September, this listing dropped $80,000 to $2,495,000. This 7 bed, 7 bath, 8,609-square-foot house is gorgeous. Say hello to 625 Hermitage Ct, Charlotte, NC 28207. What do you get? Wine cellar with tasting room, salt water pool, pool house, custom mill-work, reclaimed French paver floors. The property was last sold in February 2005 for $1,900,000.
The Stiletto Sprint is unlike any race in town
For most short road races in Charlotte the routine is the same. Get up early on a Saturday, toss on your running gear and head to a 5k course where you do essentially the run you’d have done anyway, maybe collect a medal and a t-shirt and spend the rest of the day eating and drinking eight times as many calories as you just burned running the race. The Stiletto Sprint is a different sort of animal.
10 Charlotte bakery items that are insanely good
Nothing brightens up a morning in the Queen City quite like a freshly baked pastry alongside a steaming cup of coffee. If you are looking for something new and tasty to mix things up, these items will definitely keep you coming back for more. New mantra: Treat yo self. Ever since it opened its location in Dilworth, Sunflour Baking Company’s Morning Glory muffin has been a morning standby for me. It’s packed with carrots, apple, pineapple, coconut, raisins and walnuts.
Senior Mobile Developer
Payzer is the all-in-one financial tool that helps contractors grow their business. We help our customers by providing: • Easy to use online and mobile payment solutions. • Instant loan decisions that help grow average order size. • Effective promotional offers that help close business. • Simple electronic cash management. • Rich financial and customer level reporting.
Manager II, Digital Channels - Corporate Communications, Marketing and Outreach
At Carolinas HealthCare System, our patients, communities and teammates are at the center of everything we do. Our commitment to diversity and inclusion allows us to deliver care that is superior in quality and compassion across our network of more than 900 care locations. As a leading, innovative health system, we promote an environment where differences are valued and integrated into our workforce.
Snow cones have made their way into Uptown
They are located in the old valet stand right on College (so nice to see them give this space an actual use; it was so stupid as a valet stand). With the colder months coming they may introduce hot chocolate, which would be amazing. Their hours are currently 2 p.m. – until, 7 days a week. They have been operating until late night thanks to a snow cone hungry bar crowd. $5 for a small, $7 for a medium, and $9 for a large.
Service Management Administrator
Overview: This entry-level position provides varied and complex administrative support by applying clerical, administrative, and office skills for the service management department at a quickly-expanding technology company. This position provides the successful applicant with a unique opportunity for skill growth and advancement.
Agenda Weekender: 3rd Annual South End Shuffle, Painting with Bob Ross and the Peak-to-Peak Crowders Climb
Friday: 85. Partly cloudy. 20% chance of rain. Saturday: 85. Partly cloudy. 20% chance of rain. Sunday: 87. Partly cloudy. 20% chance of rain. Pints & Paws Social with White Street Brewing at Plantation Park at Ballantyne: Come with or without a 4 legged friend to enjoy some craft beer and pizza with Pet Wants: The Urban Feed Store, The Waggle Company, KeenDog and RescuedMe. 6-7:30 p.m. Free. Details.
9 things you need to know about Teriyaki Madness coming to the Metropolitan in 2017
A fast casual Asian grill named Teriyaki Madness is bring its woks to Midtown in the Metropolitan shopping center in early 2017. Think Zoës ordering process meets a more high quality Panda Express. Metropolitan seems like a high rent location for the concept, but they’re clearly aiming for the Chipotle clientele, not the Panda Express clientele.
Project Manager - Charlotte Agenda
We are on a mission to improve healthcare globally by connecting and engaging the world’s largest community of physicians online. Through clinically relevant tools and applications we empower the community to exchange insights, collaborate and challenge each other to improve outcomes for patients around the world. Overview: SERMO is seeking a talented Project Manager to work with the project management team to develop project plans and insure timely delivery of project completion to clients.
Account Executive
We on a mission to improve healthcare globally by connecting and engaging the world’s largest community of physicians online. Through clinically relevant tools and applications we empower the community to exchange insights, collaborate and challenge each other to improve outcomes for patients around the world. Overview: SERMO is seeking a talented Account Executive to work on existing and new clients within our Client Services team.
Web Copywriter - Charlotte Agenda
Overview: The Web Copywriter will conceptualize and write compelling website content to market our brands. This individual will possess a solid understanding of direct marketing, exceptional writing skills and the ability to turn around high quality work in a fast-paced environment. As a strategic thought leader, this person will work to drive meaningful results in support of our company’s initiatives.
Speaker Tim Moore stopped by Triple C today and met with most of Charlotte's brewers
Yesterday afternoon, many of the Charlotte area breweries met with Representative Tim Moore, Speaker of the North Carolina House, to discuss brewery-related issues. Triple C head brewer Sam Perkins and owner Chris Harker led delegation on a tour of their hosting brewery consisting of Rep. Moore and Rep. Chuck McGrady, with Margot Metzger and Alex Miller representing the North Carolina Brewers Guild.
Buckle up, Charlotte. The cereal milkshakes of your childhood dreams are here.
The family-owned ice cream shop has a 30-year history serving Charlotte at The Boardwalk in University. They made a splash a couple weeks ago with the release of their wildly popular macaron ice cream sandwiches. Now they’re at it again creating new milkshakes with your favorite sugary childhood cereals. They rolled the new flavors out with a sneak peek on Instagram Stories followed by posts on Facebook and Instagram.
Mid Century Modern renovation with open floor plan in 28205. $289,000.
SHOT OF CHARLOTTE NEWS DELIVERED EACH MORNING @7AM BY KATIE, ANDREW OR TED
Ric Elias is a civic treasure and I am damn proud of his actions yesterday
In the mud-slinging arena that is the 2016 election, Red Ventures CEO Ric Elias is battling hot-button issue HB2 with a novel approach—democracy. Yesterday Elias announced that all Red Ventures employees will receive three hours of paid time off to vote any time from the start of early voting on October 20 through Election Day on November 8. And he’s urging other business leaders across the state to do the same.
Get health advice on skin, weight, sleep, exercise and more over a free dinner on September 21
CAROLINAS HEALTHCARE SYSTEM September 15, 2016 | Views: 34 Invitation Each decade of a woman’s life comes with unique health concerns, but there are lots of ways to look and feel great at every stage.
Hop online to learn about UNC-Chapel Hill's Online Master’s in Technology and Communication on 9/20
SHOT OF CHARLOTTE NEWS DELIVERED EACH MORNING @7AM BY KATIE, ANDREW OR TED
1.5 hours from Charlotte: Paragliding, ballroom dancing and a chance to disconnect
You know those times when you realize you’re exhausted emotionally, mentally and physically? You’re just burnt out on every level? I hit that place hard just before Labor Day Weekend and decided that I needed to get out of the city and as far away as possible without the distraction of e-mail, social media and my cell phone. I wanted no cell bars, no phone calls, no interaction with other human beings.
What should you do if you just got laid off in Charlotte?
Over the past few weeks I have met several people in Charlotte who are in “career transition.” A nice way for saying they lost their jobs. I get it. Job loss is not easy and in the case of each of the individuals I met, it was through no fault of their own. Companies and their needs evolve, they get acquired, they move their offices, they shift their business models and all too often their employees end up as casualties. Career transition is nothing to be ashamed of.
Move in ready home in South Charlotte's Sherwood Forest with open ranch floor plan and expansive rooms
SHOT OF CHARLOTTE NEWS DELIVERED EACH MORNING @7AM BY KATIE, ANDREW OR TED
Noda Bodega is now serving breakfast and you are going to want it
Although they used to stay open until 9 p.m., owner Bryan Moore says they weren’t seeing the nighttime traffic they’d hoped for so they’re shifting the whole thing to an earlier operation. They’ll now be open Tuesday – Friday 7 a.m. – 7 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m. – 7 p.m. and Sunday 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. Breakfast will be available 6 days a week; Tuesday – Friday 7 a.m. – 11 a.m., Saturday 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. and Sunday 8 a.m. – indefinitely.
Soon you'll be able to rock climb rope-less over water at the USNWC
Adrenaline junkies seek out angled cliffs over bodies of water where they can free climb with a natural, albeit wet, safety net below. It’s called deep water soloing, or psicobloc, and it’ll be available soon here in Charlotte. And while that’s technically true, there is another taller temporary psicobloc wall that first went up in 2013 at the Utah Olympic Park in Salt Lake City.
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