October 2 – 8, 2024

As mentioned in the prior post, we drove over to Lyndsey and Dave’s house in Plaza Midwood and after an initial round of conversational getting caught up, hopped in the car again to head over to one of our favorite breweries, Birdsong Brewing.  One of the first three breweries in Charlotte (Olde Mecklenburg in 2006, Birdsong in 2010, and NoDa in 2011) they sprang to life after 2005 when the legislature passed the “Pop the Cap” bill, also known as House Bill 392, which raised the maximum alcohol by volume (ABV) for beer in North Carolina from 6% to 15%.  Prior to its passage, the strength of beer was limited to just 6%, precluding the production of many popular styles such as IPA’s, Barleywines, Imperial Stouts and brews of that ilk. 

Olde Mecklenburg makes a good beer, but it is just a decent version of a 5% German style.  Starting out in a small brewery and tap room, they expanded into a much nicer indoor and outdoor facility that is the real draw.  NoDa and Birdsong both started out in small taprooms on the southern border of NoDa (the neighborhood known as North Davidson) and with the success of their products, both moved to larger, nicer facilities.  Some of our fonder memories are of those early taprooms and their intimacy.  And of them all, Birdsong remains our favorite, particularly for the beer. 

That was our first stop where we all enjoyed a round while munching on the always present free peanuts they serve, putting the empty shells in a basket for disposing in a composting receptacle.  Once we finished, we took off for Central Avenue in Plaza Midwood for dinner at a long time favorite, Intermezzo.  The brainchild of two brothers from Serbia, it is known for its pizza, handmade dough and house-made mozzarella, savory traditional Serbian dishes, specialty cocktails and craft beers on tap. 

Curiously, in all of the many times we’ve eaten here, we’ve consumed the pizza just once and while it was quite good, it is the Serbian dishes that keep us coming back.  I started off with an Old Fashioned while Joanna enjoyed a draft IPA to help us with the Corn Dip starter we shared with the table.  After polishing that off, Joanna and I split an order of Pork Medallions (Pork Tenderloin, mashed potatoes, sauteed spinach, and pan sauce), which were delightful, cooked perfectly and a savory delight when you got a bite of those ingredients combined in the mouth. 

We settled up and returned to Lyndsey and Dave’s place for a final cocktail (Lyndsey belongs to a cocktail making club and she is really good at putting creative drinks together) before returning to Diana and Jim’s for a final evening there.  The next morning the four of us convened for a final breakfast (they were on their way to the beach to stay for some time while their kitchen was being remodeled) at Eddies Place.

I didn’t document what we had that morning but remember it as being very good and what we would need to get through a long day of visiting old haunts and pulling out old memories.  That evening, before heading to Dianne and Loren’s for the next two nights, we met up with Sarah and Hans at Dilworth Tasting Room for dinner.  We’d not been here before and would enjoy our experience there after some initial confusion regarding parking.  I had parked in a lot I thought was open to visitors, but after asking while checking in, determined I needed to move the car to the employee lot immediately behind the restaurant, as we were advised to do. 

Having arrived before Sarah and Hans, I ordered a glass of House Chardonnay and soon thereafter, they arrived, and we were seated in the dining room.  Joanna ordered the NEMA PROBLEMA- No Problem – The first 2 words every tourist learns (Pisco brandy, Sauvignon Blanc Wine, Lemon, Aperol, Peach, and St. Germain).  We would end up sharing a number of items, including the Flatbread, Octopus Salad, Seared Tuna, Short Rib Empanada (Moroccan spice short rib, mozzarella, caramelized onions and peppers), and the Shrimp Buzara, a house specialty made up of sauteed shrimp in a white wine garlic sauce served with a baguette. 

We don’t get to see Sarah and Hans every time we visit Charlotte, so it was great to spend the evening with them.  As the evening wound down, we bade farewell to each other and made our way up to Kannapolis for our overnight stay with Dianne and Loren.  We met these two through the Piedmont Adventure Club and although the club’s activities have wound down over these last few years, we always manage to get together with the group when we are in town.

That would be the case the next day when Dianne and Loren hosted a party at their place for the group.  It was great to spend time with these folks who during our time in Charlotte we camped, hiked, ate, drank and held chili competitions with.  And we will see them all again when we next return.  The next morning before taking off for Wilmington, the four of us had lunch with other members Peggy and Luther at their new digs at the Aldersgate Retirement Community, a large complex that offers a full continuum of care to people age 62+ in high-quality residences.

Consisting of a diverse range of housing options, active, independent adults can move from their own house or apartment into living spaces that offer a full continuum of health services that include assisted living, memory care, skilled nursing, home care, a wellness clinic, and short-term rehabilitation after a surgery or medical event.  Peggy and Luther enjoy a good sized two-bedroom house withing walking distance of an excellent dining facility, where we would have lunch.  We were pleasantly surprised at the quality of the food served, as well as the very low prices.  Joanna enjoyed a seared Ahi Tuna plate while I had a chicken Caesar Salad, both priced under ten dollars. 

For many folks, this is a great way to land as you face your senior years, and for Peggy and Luther it was a good choice.  Not sure it is the right one for Joanna and me, but there are many ways to crack an egg.  We finished lunch, bade farewell to these good friends and hit the road for Wilmington which we will pick up in our next post.  See you then. 

Links

Birdsong Brewing: https://birdsongbrewing.com/

NoDa Brewing: https://www.nodabrewing.com/

Olde Mecklenburg: https://www.ombbeer.com/home/

Intermezzo: https://intermezzopizzeria.com/

Eddies Place: https://www.eddiesplacerestaurant.com/

Dilworth Tasting Room: https://dilworthtr.com/

Aldersgate: https://aldersgateliving.org/