Boomers moving to Charlotte, millennial burnout and cheap flights—here are 10 stories you should definitely read.
(1) Yoga teacher trainings drive revenue for Charlotte studios—but at what price?
“Yoga teacher training and other transformational programs” are precisely why the nation’s largest yoga studio chain, CorePower Yoga, has recently come under fire. About 1,200 former instructors and graduates of its programs have filed a collective-action lawsuit, claiming the company pays instructors less than minimum wage by requiring them to work well beyond the hourlong class sessions — if they are even able to become instructors.
— Liz Logan
(2) Get the deets on snagging flight deals out of Charlotte
Traveling from Charlotte doesn’t always have to break the bank. There are several websites and search engines that can help you score low priced flights year-round. I like to consider myself somewhat of a flight deal geek. While I live to travel, I don’t always want to spend a luxury car payment to do so. Here are some of my favorite methods, websites and search engines to find insanely cheap deals out of Charlotte Douglas International Airport.
— DeAnna Taylor
Bonus read: There’s a new flight from CLT to an island with white, pink and black sand beaches by Laurie Larsh
Bonus read: Announcing CLT’s biggest airplane, here to offer you a luxury ride to Munich by Melissa Oyler
(3) Charlotte millennials, are your parents living here yet? If not, they might be soon.
Millennials aren’t the only ones flocking to Charlotte in droves — their Baby Boomer parents are following. In 2016, 26,390 millennials moved to Charlotte. With powerhouse employers including Wells Fargo, Bank of America, Lowe’s and Red Ventures, many 23-38-year-olds move to the area for career opportunities. Once they get here, they stay: The city’s low cost of living compared with other big cities and quality of life are key drivers in decisions to make the Queen City their permanent homes.
— Nakisha Washington
(4) Is Charlotte ready for inside jokes—or are designer dogs and bonus rooms off limits?
Is Charlotte ready to laugh at itself? The men behind Creative Mornings Charlotte are testing the Queen City’s reaction with a video about NoDa and Ballantyne neighborhoods.
Charlotte natives and founders of Charlotte is Creative, Tim Miner and Matt Olin, partnered with Charlotte Star Room to release “Charlotte Secrets Revealed on Broken Crowns.” It’s part of a video series on their website, The Biscuit. This one is a three-minute news skit, similar to what you might see on Saturday Night Live, and it plays into these popular neighborhoods’ stereotypes.
— Vanessa Infanzon
(5) Which Charlotte restroom was named among the best in the country?
Quick: name the Charlotte restaurant most known for its restroom selfies. If you said Salud, The Crunkleton or Undercurrent Coffee, you’d be close. But if you guessed La Belle Helene, you nailed it. The uptown French brasserie, already locally famous for the selfies taken in its vanity mirrors, gained national fame this year as a finalist in the 18th annual America’s Best Restroom Contest.
— Jillian Mueller
(6) Uptown’s new art gallery features YOU—get ready to next level your Instagram.
When it comes to super dope art installations, Charlotte is normally only a temporary stop. Artists bring their creations to the city for a limited time, leaving us all wanting a little more. But, that feeling of FOMO is finally out of the window. There is now a permanent interactive gallery that is sure to be your new favorite photo op. Portal CLT is here—and it’s here to stay.
— DeAnna Taylor
(7) 31 black-owned shops, restaurants and studios 20 minutes from Uptown
Nationally, black-owned businesses average $58,000 a year, compared with $546,000 earned by white-owned businesses, according to a 2017 report by Prosperity Now. A 2018 survey showed that even while their businesses were profitable, challenges remain related to the operation of black-owned businesses. Yet, on a local level, the directory for the Charlotte Black Chamber of Commerce receives about 15,000 page views a day, which is how Shanté Williams, chairperson of the CBCC board of directors, knows the Queen City wants to engage with black-owned businesses. CharlotteFive pulled together a list of restaurants, bars and shops owned by members of Charlotte’s black community. Of the estimated 13,000 businesses in this city, we highlight 31 brick-and-mortar locations within 20 minutes of Uptown.
— Beth Castle
(8) What the heck is millennial burnout—and do you have it? 9 Charlotteans weigh in.
There are reasons why adulting is so difficult, Buzzfeed reported earlier this year: a phenomenon called millennial burnout. Although successful in other aspects of life, some people are failing in the regular tasks: to-do list items are not getting checked off, the packages don’t get mailed, the errands don’t get run. Since misery loves company, we wanted to know: Which tasks are Charlotte millennials putting off because of burnout? So we asked 9 Charlotteans. Actually, we asked a few more than that, but they didn’t get their answers turned in on time, probably because — well.
— Melissa Oyler
(9) What is ‘sober curious’—and why is it becoming a movement?
Sober. The term conjures images of blackouts, somber meetings in dark rooms, damaged relationships and coins marking the start of new lives. However, a new generation of former drinkers is transforming the term sober. For them, the word signals a lifestyle change more akin to becoming a vegetarian or going Keto rather than hitting rock bottom. Nationwide, these Charlotteans are part of a growing sober movement that has been coined “sober curious.”
— Tonya Jameson
(10) This juicy reality show has it all, including Charlotte couples
Charlotte is no stranger to the big screen — hits like “The Hunger Games” and HBO’s “Homeland” were both filmed in popular neighborhoods around the city. Now, the spotlight is on the Queen City again, but this time it’s reality television. The Oprah Winfrey Network’s newest show, “To Have and To Hold: Charlotte” follows the lives of five couples as they navigate the hardships of marriage and relationships. From troubled finances to steamy sex lives and potential separations, there’s almost no topic this group of friends will leave untouched as they support each other on the difficult journey that is love.
— Temily Wardlaw
