In my first three reviews, you’ve learned about Laurel Market, Prices Chicken Coop, and Alexander Michael’s. All are either in Uptown Charlotte or Southend. So, I decided to pick another neighborhood that is close to uptown that has grown in popularity tremendously over the past fifteen years. Plaza Midwood is home to a lot of eclectic restaurants, stores, and even bakeries. This is the neighborhood I grew up in, so its definitely on the top of my list!

One of my favorite places to eat in Plaza Midwood is “The Penguin.” Its actually “Penguin Drive-in”, but everyone refers to it as “The Penguin.” This is a great place to eat if you are looking for good food at cheap prices! As with the other restaurants I’ve reviewed, prepare for a short wait to be seated because The Penguin is relatively small. Make no mistake about it, if you are on a diet or concerned about calories, this restaurant probably isn’t the best place to frequent. However, if you’re looking for a great burger, shoe-string onion rings, or corn dog, you definitely need to visit The Penguin.

By the way, The Penguin isn’t a “drive-in” restaurant any longer. As you see from the picture below, you just park and dine inside the restaurant.

Are you wondering if that home or condo you are considering buying in Charlotte is really a good deal? Now you can compare it to recent sales in the neighborhood. You can even search within a specific mile radius of the property you are considering purchasing.

If you are a “do-it-yourselfer” and want to do some research before talking to your Realtor, follow these steps:

Search for property here: Charlotte Real Estate Search
Click on the property you are interested in researching
Click on the “Research” link associated with that property
Next click on “Market Check”

This sequence of steps will give you the address, sale price, and sale date of the most recent neighborhood sales. The “Market Check” tool will also map the properties automatically so that you can see where the sold properties are located in relation to the property you are researching.

So far, I’ve reviewed Laurel Market and Prices Chicken Coop in this series, but they are both located just outside of Uptown Charlotte, in Southend. Today, I’m moving to the heart of Fourth Ward with Alexander Michael’s.

This small restaurant is literally in the middle of historic Fourth Ward. I think its charm is both where it is located and also the old building that houses it. Its surrounded by old, historic houses and the new Fourth Ward Playground. I’ll let you discover what you like best when you go, but one of my favorite appetizers on the menu is the “Fried Pickles” that are served with ranch dipping sauce.

Here is your chance to own a penthouse condo in the very heart of Uptown Charlotte. Two bedrooms and two baths with extremely high ceilings make this condo feel huge! Your windows look out over 5th Street with a view of N. Tryon in one direction and N. Church in the other direction. This building is one of a kind with 24 hour security, restaurants on-site, and superior location.

Yesterday I reduced the price of 222 S. Clarkson to $270,000. This is now the only three bedroom townhome with covered parking in Uptown Charlotte (as of June 15, 2009). For someone needing quite a bit of space or a true three bedrooms, this is an incredible value for a townhome or condo in Uptown Charlotte.

Located in Third Ward, its close to Gateway Village, Bank of America Stadium, and everything Uptown Charlotte has to offer, while still being tucked into a quaint neighborhood.

This is the second in a series of posts about restaurants that non-native Charlotteans might not know. You can find the first post on Laurel Market here.

If you ask nearly any native of Charlotte where to find the best fried chicken in Charlotte, the answer is always “Prices Chicken Coop!” While this restaurant doesn’t have an area to sit and dine, it doesn’t stop them from being consistently busy with take-out orders. You’ll notice from the picture above, that “Prices” had quite a few patrons waiting for food the day that I took this picture. The funny thing is that this is pretty typical. In fact, many times, you will see a line coming out of the door with people waiting to get their hands on Prices’ signature Chicken!

Prices Chicken Coop is located just outside of Uptown Charlotte at 1614 Camden Rd.

What do you think? Have you been there before? Add your opinion by commenting below!

Take a look at this virtual tour of 325 S. Clarkson St., in Third Ward, Uptown Charlotte. This townhome has hardwoods in almost every square inch! It also has a newly remodeled, open kitchen that is perfect for entertaining. Don’t miss the new master bathroom with modern updates as well!

Walk to Carolina Panthers games, Gateway Village, and all that Uptown Charlotte has to offer.

I was thinking the other day about how many people are really surprised when they hear that I am a native of Charlotte because there are so few natives. So, I decided it might be fun and useful to share with my blog followers about some restaurants in and around uptown Charlotte that are a little off the beaten path.

I’ll be posting new ones every few days, but if you know of one you might like for me to mention, post a comment or send me an email.

The first establishment I want to share with you is Laurel Market. I’m not sure if it actually qualifies as a restaurant because it doesn’t really have any seating other than some outdoor patio tables that are self-serve. However, the food here is great! There are actually two Laurel Markets near Uptown Charlotte. The one pictured above is located at 114 Cherokee Rd. Their second location is actually closer to uptown Charlotte at 1515 South Blvd.

The reason to visit Laurel Market is for one of their freshly made sandwiches. Being a southerner, I love pimento cheese. A sandwich called the “Uber Pimento” is my favorite. Its turkey, pimento cheese, shredded lettuce and sliced bell pepper. Pimento Cheese and turkey may not be your cup of tea, but they have plenty of other healthy sandwiches to choose from as well.

I think one of the best features of Laurel Market is their unassuming interior and exterior. The location on Cherokee is an old 7 Eleven that was converted. The location on South Blvd is a former dry cleaner building. Don’t let the exterior fool you though. The sandwiches are GREAT!

What do you think? Have you been to Laurel Market? Let me hear your opinion!

I’m definitely a “dog person”, so I love to meet new dogs and also find neat places to shop for my dog. So, when I discovered Barbara’s Canine Cafe in Southend (just outside of Uptown Charlotte), I was really excited.

Barbara’s has handmade, healthy treats for your furry friends that they will surely love. If you’re dog is having a birthday or has a reason to celebrate, Barbara’s bakes cakes that are dog friendly. They’ll even host the party for you if you are concerned about a dog party getting out of hand at your home or condo!

If you would like to visit, you can visit Barabara’s Canine Cafe at 1447 South Tryon Street.

Grab some entertainment and culture in Uptown Charlotte this summer at Shakespeare at The Green. After going to Taste of Charlotte this past Saturday, I visited William Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night” being presented by Collaborative Arts Theatre. The Green is located in Second Ward adjacent to The Ratcliffe condos. It is a great venue for an “open air” presentation.

If you would like to go, you have one more week to catch one of the shows. Here is a list of the remaining shows:

Wednesday June 10, 8:00 pm
Thursday June 11, 8:00 pm
Friday, June 12, 8:00 pm
Saturday, June 13, 8:00 pm
Sunday, June 14, 6:30 pm

Bring a blanket or chairs, and your picnic basket to fully enjoy the experience!