|
ConCarolinas is an annual convention held in Charlotte, North Carolina. Historically, it takes place at the Hilton Charlotte University Place over a three-day weekend. The convention focuses on science fiction, fantasy, and gaming and features a multitude of guest presenters, vendors, and performers. ConCarolinas offers a diverse range of themed tracks, each delving into unique and fascinating topics such as writing, paranormal, and geek life. These tracks host numerous scheduled panels and events, all led by engaging guest speakers. For my first ConCarolinas experience, I had the privilege of speaking and moderating several panels across these diverse tracks, each offering a new and exciting perspective. ConCarolinas 2024 - Day 1 Arriving at ConCarolinas on Friday, May 31st, around 3:30 p.m., I noticed the hotel's parking lot was already 85% full. Walking into the main hotel lobby, I was pleasantly surprised to see no line in the registration area. Upon giving my name and receiving a weekend badge, I went down the lobby escalator to the heart of the convention. The lower level of the Hilton Charlotte University Place consists of meeting rooms, ballrooms, and a common area with vendor tables scattered around the perimeter. I made my way through the common area to find the meeting for my upcoming panel on blogging for fun and profit, which started in fifteen minutes. Since I was still early for the panel, I grabbed a cup of water and a seat behind the speaker table. Surprisingly, my fellow panelists were late to the panel, so I began speaking with the handful of attendees who ventured into the room. I found out later that the other panelists mixed up their timeslot, but it worked out as many attendees arrived late to the panel, and we still had plenty of time for discussions and answering questions. My fellow panelists brought enthusiasm, passion, and experience. Our conversations were engaging and touched on many facets of blogging. The audience walked away with new information and ideas to explore further.  ConCarolinas Geek Life Banner Following the panel, I had time to explore the convention more thoroughly. I spoke with my friend and author John G. Hartness at the Fallstaff Books vendor table, perused the vendor rooms, and stopped by the gaming room. Friday afternoon seemed light on attendees as there was little issue navigating the convention halls or waiting for the elevators to return to the lobby floor. Unfortunately, the escalator going up to the lobby remained broken all weekend. My next activity was the Banned Book Fair. Any attendees could walk into a large dining room and pick out a book for free. The catch is that each book got gift-wrapped with a label explaining why the mystery book received a ban in public libraries or schools. Some mystery books were well-known, such as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory or Lord of the Flies, while others were more niche. I selected a mystery children's book that turned out to be Hair Love by Matthew A. Cherry. ConCarolina's Banned Book Fair is a great event that attendees should consider participating in. As dinner time approached, I walked behind the hotel to try Pho@University. Upon entering the establishment, a friendly waitress greeted me. The inexpensive beers listed on the table tent stood out as I sat at an open table. I ordered a local beer for a few dollars and then reviewed the food menu. When the waitress came by with my beer, I asked for a pair of spring rolls and their pho combination option. Pho@University's spring rolls were tasty, and the pho met my expectations. If you like pho, bao buns, and Asian cuisine, visit Pho@University during your time at ConCarolinas.
After dinner, I returned to ConCarolinas and stopped by their karaoke event. A member of a live-action role-playing group volunteered to run the karaoke event since he owned some equipment. Upon entering the room, I noticed a professional setup with a microphone, lighting, a DJ table, and a large television screen. Karaoke participants visited a website through a QR link to select a song and get in a queue. Once the event started, the list of karaoke singers quickly filled up. I sang (terribly) Torn by Natalie Imbruglia and stayed a while to watch other attendees perform various songs. To cap the night, I went to the game room, hoping to jump into a Magic: The Gathering Commander pod. Luckily, a game had ended, enabling me to join a three-person pod. Throughout the evening, I continued playing Commander and won two multiplayer games before leaving the convention.  Karaoke Setup ConCarolinas 2024 - Day 2 Parking at ConCarolinas was challenging Saturday morning as no parking spots were available in the hotel's lot. I had to park on the other side of the boardwalk for the day, which worked out fine. When I arrived at the convention hall around 10 a.m., I immediately noticed a larger crowd of attendees. My first panel of the day was Geek Travel Destinations in a meeting room off the hotel lobby. Although the room was hot, attendees came and stayed for the panel. One of the panelists enjoyed visiting locations of famous movies filmed around the state of North Carolina, and another enjoyed visiting old graveyards while sightseeing. I discussed traveling to Japan to immerse oneself in video games, manga, and more. Following the morning panel, I strolled through Saturday's outdoor craft fair and stopped by Kevin J. Anderson's table. I only had an hour before my next panel, Business and Budgeting for Writers, started at 12:30 p.m. My lunchtime panel was interesting as an accountant moderated for myself, a contractor writer and blogger, and a successful author with many novel and anthology publications. Members of the audience heard two distinct perspectives on paying taxes, managing expenses, business licenses, etc. We both stressed the importance of tracking your expenses and tax obligations and being mindful of spending the first real money made from a creative endeavor. Afterward, I went to Cava nearby for lunch and departed for the afternoon as I had an offsite commitment for the rest of the day. ConCarolinas 2024 - Day 3
ConCarolina's Sunday visit was short; I only went to moderate the Nerd Food panel at 10:30 a.m. It was my first time moderating a panel, but I felt confident after participating in others throughout the weekend. Also, it was one of the more engaging panels of the weekend between panelists and attendees. We shared tips on healthy eating at a convention, how to improve the flavor of a meal, hydration, and other related topics. I learned as much as I shared and began implementing some tips the following week. I left after the panel ended, but I could tell many people were either already gone or planned to leave the convention. Overall Impressions As a guest speaker, I had a wonderful experience attending ConCarolinas for the first time. I met several writers and bloggers throughout the weekend and engaged with enthusiastic attendees. Participating in other activities around the convention was fun, too. The hotel's location is excellent, as many enjoyable restaurants and shops are within walking distance. Although the escalator issue was annoying, it did not hinder the ability to enjoy the convention. Moving around the convention was a struggle on Saturday with the influx of attendees, but the hotel's convention space felt large enough to accommodate everyone. One takeaway from the convention is the notable presence of fantasy and science fiction writers. Many guest speakers and vendor tables are authors of fantasy and science fiction books across multiple subsets, such as urban fantasy, horror, and steampunk. If you enjoy reading fantasy and science fiction stories or writing your own, you will get a lot out of the convention. Beyond writing, there are a ton of panels on the paranormal, gaming, movies, and even wrestling. Any self-proclaimed nerd will find several panels and activities appealing. Also, a charity event, musical acts, and other activities occurred throughout the weekend. ConCarolinas is on the smaller side of conventions, but the content and opportunities to interact with guests and other attendees make it an enjoyable experience. Capishe Real Italian Kitchen is a fast-casual Italian restaurant with two locations in Charlotte, North Carolina. Both establishments in Dilworth and SouthPark are open daily from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. for dine-in and takeout. Charlotte Business Journal recognized Capishe as one of Charlotte’s best new restaurants of 2019 per Yelp.  Capishe in SouthPark The menu for Capishe focuses on pizzas, pasta, sandwiches, and other small plates. There are multiple pizza offerings with red sauce (Rosso) and white sauce (Bianca). As for red pizzas, Ashley and I have tried the Prosciutto and San Lorenzo and enjoy them both. If there is an indecisive decision, flip a coin. Mozzone is our favorite white pizza with buffalo mozzarella, artichokes, Italian sausage, and other ingredients. Our second favorite white pizza is the Angelina, featuring truffle oil and vegetarian toppings. The 10-inch size pizza is enough food for one person.
Even though Capishe is a fast-casual style restaurant, they make their pasta in-house. The rigatoni and linguine pasta dishes offer multiple combinations of the ingredients found in the pizzas. Ashley’s favorite is the Linguine Carbonara featuring pancetta, white wine, pecorino, and spices. While Ashley and I have not tried the sandwiches, we did enjoy the Antipasto. The salad is a generous portion of mixed greens, olives, prosciutto, and cheeses.  Linguine Carbonara Ordering curbside takeout is a smooth process from their website. Just select the location of choice and add food options to the cart. Once the order is processed, customers receive a pickup time. An employee greets customers and carries out orders to cars. Ashley and have done two takeout orders that were efficient and delicious. Capishe is a convenient and affordable option when craving pizza, pasta, and other Italian fares.
Lang Van is a Vietnamese restaurant that has been open for over 25 years. It is located near the corner of Shamrock Drive and Eastway Drive in Charlotte, North Carolina. Lang Van serves lunch and dinner every day except on Mondays when closed. Recently, Charlotteans came together and raised over $50,000 to support Lang Van. The owner, Dan Nguyen, was struggling to keep the restaurant afloat during the COVID-19 crisis. Why are residents donating money to help Lang Van?  Lang Van Amazing Food Lang Van offers over 130 dishes on their menu (prices not current). Customers are certain to find something to enjoy even with dietary restrictions or preferences. Pho and Hu Tieu, Vietnamese noodle soups, can be ordered with a variety of meats and seafood. For those interested in something besides soup, the vermicelli dishes are a great option. If a customer is overwhelmed by the menu, Nguyen is willing to assist. Lang Van receives positive reviews about the freshness and taste of their food on Trip Advisor. However, food is not the only thing that receives high praise at Lang Van.  #43 Hu Tieu Hai San  #43 Hu Tieu Hai San Amazing Service Nguyen and her employees are focused on taking care of customers. They offer a high level of service to each person whether they choose dining inside or takeout. Nguyen makes every customer feel welcome and appreciated at Lang Van. This sentiment is echoed in a 2017 interview with Nguyen. The main priority for Lang Van's staff is always the customer. Nguyen decided to only allow takeout orders during COVID-19 for the safety of her staff and customers. Personal Experience During a recent visit, I tried the #43 Hu Tieu Hai San. It is a delectable seafood noodle soup and lighter alternative to Pho. I do enjoy Pho and typically order the #26 Pho Dac Biet from Lang Van. Also, the #2 Goi Cuon (Fresh Summer Rolls) is a nice appetizer to enjoy during warm weather. While waiting for a takeout order, I watched Nguyen greet multiple customers by name. She brought beers to a few customers while they waited to place an order. Nguyen and her staff made everyone feel welcomed and appreciated. The way Lang Van treats its customers, along with great food, makes it the best Vietnamese restaurant in Charlotte. Also, Lang Van is the highest-rated restaurant in Charlotte on Trip Advisor. I encourage anyone who enjoys Vietnamese cuisine or dining out to visit Lang Van.  #2 Goi Cuon (Fresh Summer Rolls) Ginbu 401 is a Chinese and sushi restaurant in Charlotte, North Carolina. The restaurant is located at 401 Providence Road. Except for Tuesday, lunch and dinner are served Monday through Saturday. Dinner is only offered on Sunday. A full-service dining area provides seating for guests. Ginbu also offers a consistent take-out and delivery service. Orders can be placed by calling the restaurant directly or through Grubhub.  Ginbu 401 Ginbu's entree menu features many Chinese favorites such as Hunan and Szechuan. Customers can order any of their dishes with chicken, beef, shrimp, scallops, or tofu. Mixed vegetables are also available with some of the options. I enjoy the Mongolian, 401 Spicy, and 401 Sesame. Beside Chinese cuisine, Ginbu has an extensive sushi menu. There are multiple choices between maki rolls, hand rolls, nigiri sushi, and sushi platters. My wife and I often order multiple sushi rolls for takeout. Our favorite rolls are the 401 Maki, Green Dragon, Firecracker, and Rainbow. Ginbu is one of the best values in town for sushi. I believe the quality and price are hard to beat for a great sushi meal.  Sushi from Ginbu 401 Another reason why my wife and I enjoy Ginbu is their friendly staff. Everyone who works at the restaurant is welcoming, helpful, and greets us with a smile. They offer a consistently high service level with takeout orders. I know my takeout order will be exactly what I wanted with no mistakes. I highly encourage others to try Ginbu for takeout. Their service and food quality will meet and exceed your expectations.
|
Follow me
on Instagram @card_knock_life Categories
All
Archives
October 2024
This website contains affiliate links
|
RSS Feed