Charlotte
Going Green
2008 10Best Bet - Award Winners
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HUNTERSVILLE. The Carolina Raptor Center, located just north of Charlotte, has been home to 11,000 rescued hawks, eagles, vultures, and owls. One of the largest raptor treatment facilities in the country, the center cares for some 6,000 creatures each year. Visit the 20-plus species on the shaded nature trail, take part in educational classes, or enlist to become a rescue volunteer for the betterment of the environment.
UPTOWN. Held in the heart of Uptown, this market brings people back to the city on Saturday mornings. Get seafood from the nearby Carolina coast, or search out fresh-cut flowers, local produce, handmade crafts, and jewelry from area artisans. Some Saturdays feature themes (such as Panthers Kick-Off Day), cooking demos from nearby Reid's Fine Foods, and children's games and activities. It's a "feel good" way to start your weekend!
ELIZABETH. Mark Englander opened this unique store that focuses on alternative energy sources to help Charlotteans realize that going green isn't that hard. With his guidance, you can learn to heat your home with corn stoves, get hot water cleanly, and convert your car from gas to vegetable oil, all in one place. Mark has the answers when it comes to bettering the environment, helping folks answer that nagging question, "What can I do?"
SOUTH BOULEVARD. One of the most debated governmental expenditures in the city's history, LYNX Blue Line is a 9.6-mile track running north from I-485 at South Boulevard to Seventh Street in the heart of Uptown. Premiering in November 2007, and with 15 stations under construction, the Light Rail promises to alleviate Charlotte's burgeoning traffic woes while helping to improve air quality. N.B. The Blue Line is set to run every 7˝ minutes during rush hour and every 15 minutes during non-rush hour times.
SOUTHPARK. The daddy of organic superstores, this Southern chain has two upscale locations in the Queen City. Complete with a coffee and wine emporium, café, bakery, vitamin store, 250 different cheeses, a large selection of packaged and prepared organic foods, and substantial fresh meat, poultry, and seafood sections, this fresh food mecca has a cult following. As any regular will tell you, eating healthy can be convenient if there's an Earth Fare nearby.
SOUTH BOULEVARD. Visit an original "hippie" grocery store, which has been open for 27 years, well before all the recent hoopla about going organic began. The Home Economist Market on Independence is the real thing. Fresh organic produce, hormone-free meats and poultry, organic cleaners and toiletries – this is the store for the everyday environmentalist. Every Tuesday is Vitamin Discount day, and seniors enjoy 10% off on Thursdays.
MATTHEWS. Taking the farmers' market concept to a new level, this small market sells locally grown produce, along with meats, flowers, cheeses, herbs, and fresh breads. Local chefs provide cooking demonstrations in rotation, along with "Ask a Chef" hours for the public. Ask the farmers themselves about their techniques – you won't find produce-growers as personable as this at the average chain grocery!
BALLANTYNE. Don't have a garden in your backyard? Don't worry. Owner David White treks to Asheville, Hendersonville, and Columbia, SC, during the week so that all you have to do is stop at one of his three picturesque produce stands dotted across South Charlotte. High school and college kids work the stands – heck, the owner's not much older than that! – and add a down-home quality to an enterprise that supports the regional economy.
UPTOWN. A true "farm to fork" restaurant, Ratcliffe On the Green demonstrates the goodness that results when a chef connects with local growers to craft a seasonally changing menu. How fresh are the ingredients? Chef Mark Hibbs even grows some of the produce himself! Favorites include stuffed rabbit wrapped with Grateful Growers bacon and served over black truffle grits, and Hoffman Farm sweet potato beignets with caramelized onion butter. Identify the restaurant by its neon-lit, Art Deco "Ratcliffe's Flowers" sign (that's right, it occupies a former flower shop).
DILWORTH. An independent enterprise, Talley's is popular with the eco-crowd in its trendy neighborhood. Beyond offering organic produce and meats, Talley's has won awards for "Best Restaurant for Vegetarians" (compliments of the in-house Café Verdé ) and has even been featured on Food TV for its Tuesday-night cooking classes. Hint: Schedule your shopping on a Saturday afternoon, and you'll get to enjoy a Mini Food Tasting Fair, which introduces a variety of seasonal foods. They're out there, and you're proud of them. You're behind their cause and supporting them every chance you get. These environmentally-conscious businesses do their part to preserve the world around us. They include restaurants that use only organic, local produce. They're hotels with green roofs or solar panels. They're shops that deal in fair trade goods or that promote recycling. They deserve a pat on the back – and our patronage – for their globally conscious efforts!
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They're out there, and you're proud of them. You're behind their cause and supporting them every chance you get. These environmentally-conscious businesses do their part to preserve the world around us. They include restaurants that use only organic, local produce. They're hotels with green roofs or solar panels. They're shops that deal in fair trade goods or that promote recycling. They deserve a pat on the back – and our patronage – for their globally conscious efforts!
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