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The German coalition that was here late last week included reps from the biotech, wind energy and maritime industries.
“It'd be nice if we got some companies,” commish chief Jennifer Roberts said at one event.
“It's all about long-term relationships,” countered Kurt Waldthausen, our honorary consul of Germany.
“Right, but this is a great time to invest here,” Roberts replied. “Those euros go a long way right now.”
I felt like the Berlin Wall standing there between them.
Our top visiting VIP, Jürgen Seidel, deputy prime minister from the German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, told me, “Everyone from Charlotte should come and visit us. Would you like to go?” Just as he was about to get über generous – probably with a first-class Lufthansa ticket and XXL lederhosen – somebody swept him away from me. Darn it! I could see the fräuleins dancing around me and everything.
Ike Belk knows sportcoats
Great May 20th Society party Thursday at the home of Claudia Belk. Tommy and Patty Norman, Dale Halton, Jim and Mary Lou Babb, Ken and Ruth Samuelson – the joint was packed with biggies. My favorite moment was when Irwin “Ike” Belk pulled the sportcoat off an overheated German dignitary – who spoke little English and was obviously perplexed. “This is North Carolina, not Germany!” Belk protested. “It's too hot for that thing. But I am an old shopkeeper, and if you leave it here I'll sell it in the bargain basement.”
John Belk knew airplanes
CPCC Prez Tony Zeiss, who writes about a book a week, is writing a new one called “The Wit And Wisdom Of John Belk.” I asked Zeiss for examples.
The late Mayor Belk was cornered by a citizen who demanded, “But why is the airport on the west side of town?” Belk replied: “Because that's where they land the airplanes.”
A fountain with giddyup
Chas Fagan, the famous sculptor doing the equestrian statue of Capt. James Jack at Fourth and Kings, hopes to get little water jets around a reflecting pond at the horses' feet. The jets would shoot in threes – tsh-tsh-tsh! – to sound like the horse galloping. Cool!
Fagan whispered to me about his new project: A statue of a college-age Neil Armstrong headed for an aircraft carrier. I got a peek, and it's inspiring.
‘Charlotte Squawks'
Attendance is higher, standards of taste lower and the skewerings merciless-er at “Charlotte Squawks.” The musical parodies that jab at local power brokers ( Bruton Smith, for one) had the figures in the McGlohon Theatre's stained glass windows blushing over the weekend. This show, with more performances Thursday, Friday and Saturday, crackles with local buzz: The in-the-know audience is positively gleeful to be catching Charlotte with its khaki pants down. ( Mike Collins even took a poke at me in his opening monologue.) Beth Troutman needs a spot on “Saturday Night Live.” Look for the number slamming US Airways for its miles program. Tix: www.blumenthalcenter.org
