Foodie Find Friday: The Dive N

Do you ever crave something deliciously bad for you?  I know I do.  We are always searching for a good "greasy spoon".  You just can't beat a burger cooked on a flat top grill with a side of fries.  About a year ago, we discovered a little place in Pineville called The Dive N.  It's right on South Blvd. before you cross over Pineville-Matthews Rd.  Open Monday through Saturday for breakfast and lunch, this place has a huge menu that will satisfy most any craving.

When you walk in, you will be greeted by 50's style diner decor, vintage advertisements, festive vinyl booths, and even an Elvis Presley mural on the back wall.  A family run business, you are always welcomed by the warm smiles of the staff and owners.  At the counter where you order, there is a large chalkboard menu hung on the wall.  There you will find a sea of breakfast and lunch items.  Additionally they have daily specials to add to your choices.  Once you order, you take a seat and your food is brought out to you.  Inside you will find booths and tables, probably enough to seat 40 or 50.  Outside there is a covered patio, and this past summer they added some great picnic tables and umbrellas in the front.

I have been there for both breakfast and lunch.  The breakfast menu has just about everything you could ask for, and more.  I am a sucker for good hash browns, and The Dive N does not disappoint.  They are the shredded type, and you can tell they were finished on the flat top grill by the crispy pieces on top and throughout.  Most recently I ordered the daily special, which included two eggs cooked my way, a meat of my choice, and two pancakes.  The girl (one of the daughters) was so helpful, I always have such a hard time making a menu choice.  My husband could tell you all about that!  She told me that the special included two small pancakes.  Once the food came out, I was very curious to know what a regular pancake looked like!  I chose liver mush, or liver pudding as some say, for my meat.  I love liver mush.  I think that this is one of those southern items, like okra, where if you haven't been raised on it you will not try it as an adult.  My husband adds merit to my theory, he will never sample this delicacy.  Of course, let's not forget liver mush's less-healthy cousin, Scrapple.  Now that's something you see up north more than here.  He's not trying that either.  As usual, I digress.  He ordered a sausage and egg sandwich, but this was a special sandwich because it also had a hearty portion of homemade pimento cheese in there, oh yes he did that.  Genius.  Their pimento cheese is awesome!  More about that later.  Part of my decision making dilemma was that my meal wasn't going to include hash browns.  Have no fear, my husband came to the rescue.  He got a side order to share since I agreed to share my "small" pancakes.  Behold, our feast:

How about those pancakes?

This was one hearty breakfast, and even with two teas to drink, our bill was less than $15.  Can you believe all this food?  I love that this place is open on Saturdays too, we love a late, leisurely breakfast on Saturday mornings.

This week, we went to The Dive N for lunch.  Much like breakfast, there is a huge menu with specials each day.  I made my decision much quicker and easier this time.  I went for the chicken salad sandwich on Texas Toast.  It was piled high with chicken salad, and topped with lettuce and tomato.  I skipped the extra mayo smear, let's cut calories where we can.  I opted for a pasta salad instead of fries, I was feeling healthy that day.  The chicken salad was great, it had a nice flavor, and I could see tiny bits of carrot and onion in there.  Very traditional, which is nice. A lot of places get funky with their chicken salads these days, and they are good, but it's also nice to go back to a traditional version.  My husband went for a grilled pimento cheese.  Yes, he loves the pimento cheese here.  Just imagine the familiar look of a semi-flattened grilled cheese, but inside is the warm gooey pimento cheese.  Something about it is just so much better than a regular grilled cheese.  Not feeling the need for healthy options, he chose the fries.  Again, a hearty meal and with two teas to drink, another meal under $15.

If you are in the mood for a burger, pick any of theirs and you will love it.  Their hot dogs are great too, they have all the toppings, including chili.  Be sure to pick up their punch card with your order.  You get a punch for every $5 you spend, and once your card is filled, you get $5 off!

So next time you are looking for a true diner experience, head down to The Dive N.  You will love the food, the atmosphere, and the staff.

109 North Polk St.
Pineville, NC
704-889-DIVE

Foodie Find Friday: The Open Kitchen

If you are looking for a fancy Italian restaurant, this is not the place.  But if you are looking for authentic, amazing Italian, then you must check out The World Famous Open Kitchen.  This restaurant, located on Morehead Street in the Wesley Heights neighborhood (a few minutes from uptown), has been around since 1952.  That's right, 1952.  I have been going to The Open Kitchen for as long as I can remember with my family, and I will take anyone there that is willing.  My sweet storytelling grandmother, who is now 91, always says that she went on dates there.  Now she has been known to embellish on her stories as grandmothers often do, and given that she was married in 1940, I doubt that her dating days were spent there, but I don't doubt that her and my grandfather frequented the place beginning in the 1950's.

When you walk in, you are greeted by a sea of pictures, newspaper clippings and pennants that leave not a single inch of wall (or ceiling) exposed.  Pictures of Charlotte from decades ago in frames are scattered about as well.  Maybe it's because I'm a Charlotte native, but I love to look at those old pictures, to see what the city used to be, and what it has become. 

The tables are covered with red and white checkered picnic table cloths, along with your standard jars of powdered Parmesan and red pepper flakes.  There are a few main dining rooms, one to the right and a couple to the left.  In the room to the right there is a bear on a unicycle that runs across the room on a string.  I loved that thing as a kid!  Oh who am I kidding, I still love it when he cycles across the room.

If you come on a weekend night, either make reservations or be prepared to wait.  Once seated, your server will bring you a basket of bread, along with crackers.  My mom just loves the Melba toast, she says she never sees it anywhere else.  The menu has a lot to offer.  They have many Italian specialties like Lasagne Di Stefano which is basically traditional lasagna with a hearty helping of extra cheese baked on top.  My husband's personal favorite is the Fettuccine Di Alessandro.  To call it Alfredo would not be fair.  Picture fresh fettuccine noodles smothered in a bubbly, creamy Alfredo sauce, with chopped bacon and Parmesan cheese mixed in.  Top it off with a well-seasoned chicken breast, and you have the Fettuccine Di Alessandro.  My husband likes it so much he refuses to order Alfredo anywhere else, he's exclusive to The Open Kitchen.

I always start my meal off with a house salad.  Always.  Their house dressing is called Mama K's Italian and it is unbelievable.  They bring it out in a squeeze bottle, now that's what I'm talking about.  Somehow I always manage to spill some dressing onto my bread.  Oops.  I'm not the only big fan of this dressing, because they actually sell it by the bottle.  Is it a surprise to know that I have gone home with a bottle more than once?  Call me boring, but I almost always order the same meal at The Open Kitchen.  My family could be spokespeople for spaghetti and meat sauce.  I grew up eating it all of the time, and we would often eat it at restaurants as well.  For those Charlotteans, you may remember the Spaghetti Warehouse which is now Byron's South End, or the Spaghetti Factory which is now The Big Chill.  So spaghetti and meat sauce is my dish of choice here, and it never disappoints.  I've branched out and tried the meatballs, but they weren't as good as the sauce.  I have also ordered the pizza at times, and it is delicious.  The crust is thin, the toppings are fresh.  It comes out piping hot, made just for you.

The Open Kitchen is hands down one of my favorites places to eat.  The food is always delicious, the staff is friendly, and it just has a great feel to it.  Wear what you want, be comfortable.  It's all about the food.  This is and always has been a family run business, and they do a great job of making you feel welcome.  I am not the only one that loves this place, check out this blog I stumbled upon this week to see some great pictures, and interesting history of the place:   http://charlotteeats.blogspot.com/2008/03/open-kitchen-hall-of-fame-eatery.html

The Open Kitchen cannot be missed.  I just love that it has been open for so long, and I hope it will stay around for many, many years to come.  So be sure to visit soon, enjoy the food, you will be hooked!  And remember to take a bottle of Mama K's dressing home with you too.

The Open Kitchen
1318 W Morehead Street
Charlotte, NC 28208
704.375.7449

~Alisa
info@charlotteeventstyle.com
704.960.2262

Vendor Spotlight: Renee Skipper Design

Today's Vendor Spotlight holds a special place in my heart.  Renee Skipper of  Renee Skipper Design is one of my dear past brides.  We had so much fun working together for her March 2010 wedding.  We have kept in touch ever since which is so great!  Soon after the wedding, Renee and Nathan made a move to Savannah.  While there, Renee founded Renee Skipper Design.  She has extensive experience in graphic design; she most recently worked for the Business Journals prior to starting her own company.  Renee is back in Charlotte and still does a lot of work with the Business Journals, but has also gained a wide variety of clients.  

I got my first look at Renee's amazing talent while we were planning her wedding.  She designed her save the dates and invitation suite, as well as her ceremony programs.  She also designed the Just Married sign for her reception, one of my favorite details of the day.

Aren't these just beautiful?!  I love to see the stationery elements flow like this.  Since her wedding, she has done work for other weddings as well.  She designs custom logos for your big day, that you can use in many different ways.  Here's a couple wedding logos she did for some of our other weddings:

Renee does gorgeous design, and will work with you to come up with a completely unique and customized stationery suite for your wedding.  Who wouldn't want that?  Her work doesn't stop with invitations, if you come up with it, odds are Renee can make it a reality for you.

 Already married?  Have other design needs?  Renee designs all types of invitations and stationery for any occasion.  Recently married?  Let Renee design custom monogram thank you cards.  Everyone needs thank you cards on hand. 

Lastly, Renee also does a lot of work for business owners.  She can design business cards, marketing materials, anything that will help your business be successful. 

Give Renee Skipper Design a call, I know that you will love working with her, as well as the fantastic product you will receive.

~Alisa
info@charlotteeventstyle.com
704.960.2262

Foodie Find Friday

If you have read any of my previous blog posts, you probably picked up on the fact that I am a foodie.  I love all things food: learning about it, cooking it, and of course eating it.  I love to try new things, and am always searching  for the hidden jewels of Charlotte.  When traveling I will go to great lengths to avoid any chain restaurants that I can go to at home.  So while I have a passion for event planning, my love for food is right up there too!

Last week my husband and I stumbled onto a great little place, seconds from our neighborhood...who knew?!  We are lucky enough to live in a culturally diversified area of the city, so we have discovered many fun places in the last couple of years.  This week we were craving Mexican food, a normal craving in our household.  Taco night at home?  The usual Cantina 1511 or Monterrey?  No, this time we wanted something different.  Something authentic.  We also love coupons and often let the savings do the choosing for us.  Out came my husband with a coupon to Taqueria La Unica.  No harm in giving it a try, so off we went.  About two whole minutes later, we arrived at our destination. 

Being mid-week, the place wasn't too crowded.  We never mind that!  A very nice hostess seated us in a booth.  It's not a huge place, maybe seats 75 or so.  We were immediately served a basket of warm, fresh tortilla chips, along with a carafe each of tomato salsa and tomatillo salsa.  Both salsas had a wonderful flavor, and the tomatillo had a pretty good kick to it.

After chowing down on some chips, we started to browse the menu.  The items were very authentic, and I had a hard time deciding what I was going to indulge in for dinner.  After much thought, I decided on three tacos.  Their tacos come with cilantro and chopped onion, yes please.  They also have a taco La Unica which is your choice of meat topped with cheese, lettuce and sour cream.  They have the usual chicken, ground beef, steak and pork.  But they also have some not so common varieties like marinated pork, cow tongue and tripe.  I decided to go with carne asada (steak), al pastor (pork), and pollo (chicken).  I went with the La Unica version for the chicken but stuck with the original on the steak and pork. 

The rest of the menu had the traditional burritos, quesadillas and seafood specialties that you would typically see on a Mexican restaurants' menu.  On the weekend they have a couple of stew specials that sounded good.  My husband also ordered a batch of queso fundido, the delicious white cheese dip.  It was a good size, and the flavor was spot on.  Sometimes you get a runny mess, but this was perfect.

Our tacos arrived very quickly.  They also brought a little ramekin of lime wedges.  The tacos were served on soft corn tortillas with a garnish of a smoked whole jalapeno and pearl onions.  Don't get me wrong, I love spicy stuff, but biting into that jalapeno was not happening.  The tacos were amazing, to say the least.  All three of the meats were moist with wonderful flavor, and the pork had a bit of a crust to it which provided a nice crunch.

We both cleaned our plates (except for the jalapenos), and left with a lingering flavor of spicy tomatillo on our palates.  Meanwhile, I have been craving Mexican pretty much since we left.  Ever had something so delicious, you want it again immediately?  I can't forget to mention the prices.  The tacos run just $1.60 each so our meal was well under $20, and after our coupon the grand total was $12.  Not too bad, huh?  I don't think we could have gotten Taco Bell for any less.

So branch out and give Taqueria La Unica at try.  They are located at 6625 South Blvd.  You won't be disappointed.

So thanks for reading my first edition of Foodie Find Friday.  I'll do my best to remember to take pictures next time.  Would love any feedback!

~Alisa
info@charlotteeventstyle.com

Happy Anniversary April and Jon!

This past weekend, my dear past clients April and Jon celebrated their one year anniversary.  I cannot believe it has already been that long!  Working with April was so special to me, as she is my oldest friend in the world.  We met at the age of eight, in second grade.  We were inseparable as kids and all through high school and college.  As we grew up and moved to different places, we have remained in touch and I cherish her, and our friendship.  At the time they were engaged, they lived in Cherryville and found West Point Farms in Rutherfordton for their wedding.  This place could not have been more perfect, it was as if it was created just for them. The journey to the farm begins with a long winding driveway to the top of a hill where three small open air cabins sit.  There is also large log cabin, pavilion and chapel.  The views of the mountains are breathtaking!

The ceremony took place mid afternoon with Jon's uncle officiating while surrounded by family, friends and the undisturbed beauty of nature.  Once the I Do's were said and a kiss was shared, April and Jon were joined by their guests in the pavilion.  The pavilion was adorned with rustic yet romantic lighting, the tables with local flowers including one of April's favorites, Queen Anne's Lace.  What a perfect flower for their mountain setting!  The decorations really reflected the personalities of April and Jon very well: no frills needed, this couple shares a true love.  Sometimes while planning a wedding the details of the day become the central focus but April and Jon didn't have that issue come up.  They kept the focus of their day on what mattered, they were committing their lives to each other.

The reception was great fun!  BBQ was catered in, and they even fried hush puppies on site!  Can't get any  fresher than that.  I was pleased to be a part of this special day.  See below for some of my favorite pictures from the day.

Can't be a mountain wedding without a picture with a Wagon!

Pictures of past generations of marriages in their families

Delicious cupcakes, and a small cake for April and Jon

April and Alisa

Family heirloom jewelry wore by April

A special thanks to Terri Hood Photography for capturing the events of the day.  Happy one year anniversary April and Jon!  I hope the first year was a great one!

With Love,

Alisa