Crowder's Mountain State Park sits roughly 30 miles to the west of Charlotte, North Carolina and offers a wide variety of hiking trails. With 11 trails ranging from easy to strenuous, visitors can enjoy summit peaks or lakeside strolls, Crowder's Mountain is one of the most popular hiking destinations for visitors from Charlotte. With two main summits, Crowder's Mountain and the Pinnacle, hikers have the opportunity to witness sprawling views of the Piedmont region, including the Charlotte skyline 25 miles away. I have visited Crowder's Mountain twice. The first time I went alone, on a Friday in November. It was a beautiful, sunny day, but the trails were quiet and I only encountered a handful of people at the summit. The second time I went was yesterday, the first sunny day after a week of rain, and a Saturday, in February. I knew it would be crowded, but I was not prepared for the hoards of people I saw in the parking areas. Families, couples, individuals, dogs. Everyone was accounted for. This has become my experience more and more as the pandemic continues. These are the things that people are doing now, which is great! I highly encourage people to get outside, take their families or pets, and explore their communities. However, if you prefer quiet trails, check out this park on a weekday and save the lesser know parks for weekends. During my first visit, I hiked the Pinnacle Trail to the Pinnacle summit. My second visit I wasn't looking to summit because 1. I had done it before, and 2. the aforementioned crowds. I hiked about a mile on Crowder's Trail to Rocktop Trail, where I hiked another quarter mile or so until a came to a rock scramble. I took some time to enjoy the views and get some water, then hiked back down. From there I drove to the overflow parking area and did two short loop trails, Lake Trail and Fern Trail, each about 1 mile long. Let me know what your favorite trail at Crowders has been! And if you're from Charlotte, let me know your favorite hiking spots! Need to Know: I highly recommend visiting the park on a weekday. On nice weekend days, the park is extremely crowded, with cars filling up the overflow parking areas. Use the Sparrow Springs access point to check out the Visitor Center, get information on trails, and pick up a sticker for your North Carolina State Parks Passport Entrance: Free Sparrow Springs access and visitor center 522 Park Office Lane Kings Mountain, NC 28086 Linwood Road access4611 Linwood Road Gastonia, NC 28086
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With 30 local breweries, Charlotte has a booming craft beer scene. One particular spot has decided to stand out by taking their brew skills to the next level. In addition to traditional ales and lager, Lenny Boy Brewing Co. has expanded their beverage menu to include sours, gluten-free wild ales, and organic kombucha. With a wild flavor list including Lost Rose, Lavenderade, and seasonal Sweet Potato Pie, Lenny Boy is actually the only certified organic kombucha in the entire Southeast. This wide variety of options mean that drinkers and non-drinkers alike are sure to find a new favorite brew. Featuring a bright, spacious taproom adorned with greenery and views into the brew warehouse, Lenny Boy puts a strong emphasis on their slogan “Culture Matters.” How does a brewery build culture, one may ask. Aside from providing an opportunity for groups large and small to gather, Lenny Boy loves local. By partnering with local groups and organizations to host art shows, weekly fitness classes, non-profit events, trivia, and more, Lenny Boy connects people with culture. Real, local, culture that builds community. Oh, and there’s always dogs.
What more could you want in a brewery? Lenny Boy has it all. Do you ever find yourself in a situation when you have a friend coming to visit and you know you want to spend some time catching up, but all of a sudden you feel like you just moved to the city you’re in and can’t think of a SINGLE decent place to go for drinks? Or coffee or breakfast or dessert? You spend weeks or months making mental notes of all the new places you want to try but when the opportunity arises to go somewhere, it’s as if everywhere you’ve ever heard of vanishes, leaving you panicked as your quickly do a Google search of “good restaurants in…” or “best place to eat near me.” Maybe it’s just me, but I have started keeping a written list of those such places so that I don’t keep finding myself in that situation. The most recent example is when a friend was coming into town for a few hours, and while we both knew we wanted to grab some drinks, dessert was mentioned, and I quickly found myself falling down the rabbit hole of local instagram foodies, trying to find something visually appealing that caught my eye and met the criteria established. This time, it manifested in the form of Barcelona Wine Bar. I’d heard of it. I’d seen pics of it. I knew they had alcohol. So far so good. A little more scrolling and voila, dessert was spotted. This was the place. Upon entering said place, my initial feelings were validated. With shelves of books, antique knick knacks, and a few scattered plants, I immediately felt as though I was entering into a cozy cellar that featured warm lighting and delicious smells. After a round of sangria, we decided to throw some tapas into the mix before moving on to dessert. The abondigas, spiced meatballs in a tomato-based sauce paired great with the complimentary bread that we couldn’t get enough of. The pork belly with almond slivers was so extremely tender it almost melted in your mouth. And the garlic aioli topping the patatas bravas was worth licking the plate for. Of course we didn’t… We allowed the savory goodness of meat and bread, sauces and spices, to almost dissuade us from ordering dessert. But alas, we came here for a reason and we could not leave without fulfilling our quest.
The crepas allowed us to complete our mission. Stuffed with the lightest, yet creamiest coffee filling, drizzled with chocolate sauce, and sprinkled with whole hazelnuts, the rich flavors were so smooth and airy with just the right amount of crunch. The next time I need to find the perfect spot in a pinch, there will be no hesitation. |
AuthorI like hidden gems, hole-in-the-walls, and offbeat destinations Archives
April 2021
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