Charlotte Happenings

JUN 2017

Charlotte Happenings is your monthly guide to events and things to do in and around Charlotte, NC.

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PENSKE RACING FACILITY DATE night By Joanne Spataro WHETHER IT'S FOR A FIRST DATE OR A BIG ANNIVERSARY WITH YOUR SOUL MATE, THE CITY IS IMBUED WITH SPECIAL THINGS TO DO FOR TWO. Whether it's the first or third date, the Saturday night dinner, drinks and dessert trifecta can strike the perfect balance between deeply romantic and still getting to know one another. Take your burgeoning romantic relationship to the charming town of Cornelius, North Carolina, where the water's edge is the perfect setting for a late afternoon stroll. Switch it up by letting dessert play a starring role before dinner and drinks. With an indulgent selection of confections that are available Tuesday through Saturday until 6 p.m., SweetCakes Bakery is your ideal first stop. Each day of the week holds a cornucopia of different cupcake flavors. For this Saturday night soiree, decide between variations of Boston cream, butter pecan, gluten-free chocolate or cinnamon roll. Bonus: Employing ingredients like eggs, fruits and vegetables from nearby farms in its recipes, SweetCakes pays it forward for other local small businesses. With sugary notes still lingering on your palate, you crave farm- to-table fare. Take a 10-minute drive to FORK!, where a dinner for the books awaits. The cuisine at this Lake Norman favorite is local and straightforward. A menu that spotlights creative small plates includes everything from a North Carolina cheese plate played up by locally made jam and house pickles to a chicken breast entree that arrives smothered in savory sage pan jus. At the helm of it all, chef and owner Tim Groody has forged longtime relationships with regional farmers and area purveyors. The perfect way to cap off the evening? After-dinner brews under a summer evening sky on D9 Brewing Co.s' patio. The taproom boasts plenty of IPAs and ales to choose from, including year-round essentials, like the Swell Rider Tangerine Session IPA, Brown Sugar Brown Cow mocha brown ale and Hukuna Matata tropical IPA. You'd be remiss to skip the brewery's gold medal-winner, Systema Naturae 2nd Edition–Scuppernong & Lily wild sour ale, which stole the show at the 2016 Great American Beer Festival. For more date night ideas in Charlotte, visit charlottesgotalot.com ALL PHOTOS BY KYO H NAM PHOTOGRAPHY CORNELIUS JUNE 2017 45

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