ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries 646 / C& RL N ew s ■ O c to b e r 2002 ACRL NATIONAL CONFERENCE Charlotte on a shoestring Public art, waterscapes, historic sites, and dining by B arbara Tiern ey What does a transplanted San Francisco Bay Area librarian have to reveal about explor ing Charlotte’s charms on a shoestring? After a three-year trial separation from San Francisco’s high cost of liv ing, I can assure you that Charlotte offers a w ealth o f public art, historic sites, w aterscaped vis tas, and southern dining de- lights that are extrem ely easy on the pocket book. Photos r by , Carl n and d Barbara Tierney G e t t i n g a r o u n d C h a r lo t t e Uptown (Center City) Cha lotte is a visitor-friendly com pact lo cale set withi tree-can o p ied plazas an streets— easy and safe to explore on foot. If you are O n e o f C h a rlo t te 's fre e t r o lle y car buses. a fan o f public transporta tion, you will be delighted w ith C h arlotte’s free trolley car buses. T he C e n te r C ity C ir c u it S h u ttle provides 43 stops on a round-town-loop, with free pick up at each stop, every seven to eight minutes. For a more nostalgic mode o f travel, hop aboard the H i s t o r i c C h a r lo tte T r o lle y for a 15- minute ride to S o u th E n d C h a rlo tte , where you’ll find antiques galore, restaurants, and the T r o lle y M u seu m . E n j o y m u s e u m h o p p i n g ? For m odest entrance fees, Uptown Charlotte provides an exciting array o f museums. T he M in t M u se u m o f C ra ft + D e s ig n offers a fascinating medley o f glass, wood, ceramic, and jewelry art by leading craft artists. The T ry o n C e n te r f o r V isu al A rt (a newly constructed center o f galleries and studios within the walls o f a form er church) celebrates visual art with exhibits, classes, and studio space for artists- in-residence. The Levine M u s e u m o f t h e N ew South interprets southern regional history with inven tive interactive exhibits fo cusing on civil rights history, NASCAR, and much more. D isc o v e ry P la ce (Char lotte’s 140,000 square-foot hands-on science museum) features an Ominmax The atre, a planetarium, and a tropical rain forest. P u b lic a n d w a t e r s c a p e a t t r a c t io n s Fancy serendipitous art-focused walking amidst refreshing waterscapes? Uptown Charlotte is a won derland o f public art and waterscape attractions. Each year, Charlotte/Mecklenburg sets aside one percent of Hinds used to construct or renovate pub lic buildings for public art. For a “zero budget” escapade, try the Uptown Charlotte’s self-guided Public A rt W alking T ou r which features: A b o u t t h e a u t h o r Barbara Tierney is librarian in reference services at the J. Murrey Atkins Library, University o f North Carolina at Charlotte and a member o f the ACRL National Conference 2003 Local Arrangement Committee, e-mail: bgtierne@email.uncc.edu mailto:bgtierne@email.uncc.edu C&RL News ■ October 2002 / 647 • An Oculus Reflector. As you walk through the halls of the Convention Center, look up. Integrated into die Grand Hall ceiling is a glass and steel oculus reflector, which reflects and re fracts sunlight streaming through it, creating shift ing patterns and designs on the floor (artist, Jamie Carpenter). • Wachovia Plaza’s Fountain Sculp tures. Perched amid die splashing waters of the fountains in Wachovia Bank Plaza are four bronze sculptures of children so lifelike it wouldn’t sur prise you if the children stepped from the water and skipped through the plaza (figurative sculp tor, Dennis Smith). • Carillon Building Cascade. Stroll into the lobby of the Carillon Building and you are face to face with a moving, splashing, motor ized, kinetic sculpture/fountain that incorpo rates eclectic Charlotte memo rabilia. Look for the lion’s head that once graced the fa cade of “Hotel Charlotte,” which stood on the same spot the Carillon now occupies (in Photos by Carl and Barbara ternational artist, Jean Tinguely). • Transamerica Square Continuum. Breeze through the open air rotunda of Transamerica Square and direct your eyes upward to a gorgeous circular fresco that pays homage to the “continuous cycle of de struction and rebirth” (artist, Ben Long). A f lo o r-to -c e ilin g Ben Long triptych fresco in the Bank of America Corporate Center Lobby.Other notable public art at tractions include the floor-to- ceiling Ben Long triptych frescoes in the Bank of America Coiporate Center Lobby and the “Stat ues at the Square” at Trade and Tryon Streets (four giant bronzes by sculptor Raymond Kaskey repre senting Charlotte’s transportation, industry, com merce, and die future). H ave a ta s te f o r g a lle r y b r o w s in g ? Visit Charlotte’s NoDa (North Davidson Street) District, located two miles north of Uptown Charlotte. This thriving arts and cul tural center is home to one-of-a-kind art gal leries with such whimsical names as the Cen te r o f the E arth Gallery, New Waves of Jo y , the Blue Pony, and the Light Factory. Residents and visitors alike enjoy First-Friday Gallery Crawls, which display the work of ex citing local artists. NoDa’s eclectic small shops—such as Sun shine Daydreams (silver, jewelry, beads, hats, candles, and clothing), Swank (vintage housewares, underground artwork, and clothing), and Sit A Spell Atelier (seating furniture)— offer an out-of-the-ordinary shopping experience. A r t a p p re c ia tio n m a k in g yo u h u n g ry ? For low-cost dining served up with gracious Southern hospitality, sample the NoDa neighbor hood eateries. Fat City, a full-service deli with inside or outside dining, offers live music by re gional bands nightly; Boudreaux’s Louisiana Kitchen features Bayou specialties such as gumbo, jambalaya, and po’ boys; Kelly’s Café offers veg etarian food in a quaint mill house setting; and Pat’s Time for One More is a popular neigh borhood bar connected to the Studio 23 Gallery. Other recommended Up town eateries for academic li brarians on a budget include: Alexander Michael’s (a ca sual neighborhood tavern with loads of atmosphere in the Fourth Ward residential area); Green’s Lunch (a lunchtime tradition in Charlotte since 1926); Mert’s Heart and Soul (a tasty soul food place); Reid’s Fine Foods (a gro cery/gourmet shop with great takeout sandwiches, salads, and sushi); and Fuel Pizza Café (a local chain of pizza parlors, often located in restored gas stations). See the January 2003 issue of C&RL News for an article that focuses on recommended Charlotte dining spots. D o n 't k n o w m u ch a b o u t S o u th e rn h is to ry ? Try the self-guided Charlotte Uptown Histori cal Walking Tour that features such stops as St. P eter’s Episcopal Church (Confeder ate President Jefferson Davis attended services here as the Civil War ended); Settlers Cem etery (Confederate soldiers, planters, politi cians, and slaves were buried here from 1776 to 1 8 8 4 ); and F o u r th W ard (on e o f Charlotte’s original residential neighborhoods featuring many restored Victorian-style homes decorated southern-style.) ■