September 16 – 28

When we finished our breakfast at the Goodwurst Company, Jay suggested we head over to the Ballantyne neighborhood to check out the Architects of Air Luminarium exhibition that was part of the Charlotte International Arts Festival held there.  Luminarium Is the brainchild of Alan Parkinson, an English photographer who in 1992 established himself as an “Architect of Air” in order to build and exhibit inflatable displays that draw inspiration from existing natural, geometric or architectural structures. 

In the past these have included Gothic cathedrals, Islamic architecture or the work of such innovators as Gaudi, Frei Otto and Buckminster Fuller.  We walked up to the installation, paid our fee of five dollars apiece, and after removing our shoes entered this large, inflated structure that draws you in to its various chambers and intersecting sections. 

One’s first impression is just how quiet it seemed in there, some of this due to how few people were sharing the experience with us.  As you get your bearings, moving through each section creates the opportunity to pause and examine the light as it filters through the sides of the structure, as well as through clear windows interspersed in random places. 

We eventually found a spot off the main section where we sat down to enjoy the combination of light and quiet offset by the background hum of air being pushed into the structure to keep it inflated.  It is a paradox that such a stimulating environment can simultaneously be so calming and comforting.  Many people find a luminarium a place for rest or meditation.

After a relaxing time, we bade farewell to Jay and with some time to kill until dinner, made a beeline for Park Road Shopping Center to stop in at Amelie’s French Bakery and Café, a place we visit each time we hit Charlotte.  With four locations (the original is in NoDa) we are guaranteed good coffee, sweets and heartier fare should we seek it.  We enjoyed a caffeine pick me up and a flakey crusted apple pastry that reminded us of the many such stops we made in Europe in 2014, often while out on our bikes. 

We polished off the food and drink and moved around to the other side of the center to stop in at Bike Source, the shop where Joanna bought her Specialized Tri-Cross and I my Niner RLT.  I can’t recall the name of the salesman who sold me the Niner, but he is invariably working when we get there and always remembers us, a leaving one with a feel-good sense as they walk away from the store.   

We then hung out at the apartment for the rest of the afternoon and at dinner time met our former neighbors, Linda and Joe at Blacow, which had taken over the building near the university that had formerly been occupied by Taco Mac.  Known for pairing good quality burgers with sushi, we weren’t sure what we were getting into but trusted we’d be happy with the result. 

To start Joanna ordered a Kirin beer while I opted for a Southern Tier 2X IPA as we caught up with Linda and Joe, who besides our great next door neighbor George, were some of the first folks to greet and assist us when we moved into our Charlotte house on Maylandia Rd.  I got to know Linda much better when I served on the board of our HOA, as the treasurer for many years and finally as the chair.  While can on a non-profit board sometimes be annoying (serving has its plusses and minuses) that experience brought me much closer to a number of my neighbors and was well worth the time spent. 

For food, Joanna opted for the Classic Bento Box (A combo meal featuring a classic burger slider, hand cut fries, Thai cucumbers, edamame and choice of a 6-piece sushi roll) while landed on the Hawaiian Burger (Lettuce, tomato, Swiss cheese, bacon, mayo, red onion, teriyaki sauce and grilled fresh pineapple) served on a Brioche bun with fries.  We finished up and agreed that while an odd combination of choices, the results were uniformly good.

Not wanting the evening to end so soon, we rambled on to Armored Cow Brewing, a new to us establishment located near the university known for its selection of gluten-free beers brewed with 100% gluten-free grains.  Joanna and I selected traditional beers (with gluten), a Blood Orange Sex Magick IPA for her and the Fallback Crutch IPA for me.  It was a perfect way for us to close out our evening with these two good people, who will be moving to Wilmington soon.  As is often the case, friends move and while we mourn their leaving our orbit, for Joanna and me it gives us an excuse to visit some town we either want to explore, or want to return to. 

We’d have breakfast with Jim the next morning back at Zada Jane’s and then head to the airport for our flight home.  I had the same omelet as the one I’d enjoyed earlier but then discovered the favor the new waiter had done me by not charging for the potatoes and bread when I paid our tab.  The food was just as good upon the return though and so, we found ourselves leaving, having once again recharged our Charlotte batteries, good for another six months or more.  We didn’t know it at the time, but we’d be returning in the spring of the next year, getting a chance to keep those ties tied tight.

This also closes out another gathering of the Cisco’s, those good friends of mine, lifelong in many cases, the types of friendships that sustain us.  I’ve known Rendy since the third grade, Evan since just after high school and JB and Doug since our days at Wilshire Insurance in the mid 1970‘s.  Rendy and I have lived together, as have Doug and I and all but Rendy took on the task of driving my cars to Charlotte when we moved there in 2008 and for our move back to Los Angeles in 2019.  And so, this annual gathering helps us keep the connection strong, better than the occasional phone call, text, or email and so we’ll do it again next year.  See you all then. 

Links

Charlotte International Arts Festival: https://www.charlotteartsfest.com/

Architects of Air: https://www.architects-of-air.com/

Amelie’s: https://www.ameliesfrenchbakery.com/?utm_source=local&utm_medium=organic

Bike Source: https://bikesourcecharlotte.com/

Blacow: https://theblacow.com/

Armored Cow Brewing: https://armoredcowbrewing.com/