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Conversation: Mark Englander ain't no Superhero |
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Written by Sheri Joseph
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Mark Englander ain’t no superhero, yet he’s trying to save the world—your world, to be exact. Don’t let his wiry hair puffing salt-and-pepper gray around his head, his chain smoking, or his slightly cranky persona fool you; he’s a do-gooder. Mark Englander is nutty—there’s no denying that. But he’s not crazy. Yeah, there’s a difference. We meet at Charlotte Energy Solutions, his store in the Cherry neighborhood, on a gorgeous spring day and set out to talk about alternative energy. I pull up in my 13.5 mile-per-gallon SUV and park it sheepishly down the street. Mark greets me and lights a cigarette. “You the reporter?” he asks, eyeing me (suspiciously, I think). “Yes, I’m from Uptown Magazine and I’m writing an article for our green issue,” I say, a little too enthusiastically. I tell myself to be cool, but it’s hard. I’m nervous because I’m in uncharted territory. “Yeah,” I babble on, “Normally I do stories in ‘The Life’ section of the magazine? And it’s usually about fashion and beauty and wellness…” My words drift on. “Oh, you know, mascara and jeans, I can handle those, but biofuel and biodiesel? Gosh, how did I get this assignment?” Englander’s eyes narrow and he takes a drag on his cigarette. He doesn’t laugh. I’m bombing with this guy. I give up. “Look, I don’t know anything about this biofuel stuff. You’re gonna have to teach me.” ‘Nuff said. Now the lesson begins.
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Written by Celina Mincey
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In equal proportion to my love of travel is my loathing of being a tourist. I mean a camera- case toting, loud and slow speaking, tennis shoe wearing, ‘hello’ and ‘thank you’ in the local language knowing American sense of the word tourist. I lean toward quiet, blended travel exploring local spots in typical towns, and my brother’s marriage to a woman from Ploiesti, Romania, provided the perfect opportunity to be an un-tourist.
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Neighborhoods - Everyone Makes a Difference |
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Written by Sheila Saints
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Jim Faulkner walks down Reddman Road almost every morning, past the spot where people once bought plants at a thriving nursery and carried them home in their arms, past the abandoned riding stables, where horses and children gathered, past the forgotten Cedarview Dairy Farm, from where men delivered fresh milk in bottles to front door steps. Now those patches of old Charlotte, the area then called Crab Orchard Township, are gone, taken over by high-density apartments, starter houses and thickets of twisted vines. |
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Food – A Girl's Search for Mead |
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Written by Emily Nolan
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My story begins on a hot summer day. After biking around the city for over an hour, I decided to make a stop at an old friend’s house to say hello. I found him in the middle of what looked like a giant science experiment in his kitchen.
“What are you doing?” I asked, only to have a glass of cool golden liquid shoved in my hand.
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Living - James Dean wasn't so Green |
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Written by Matt Kokenes
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You could say I’ve been a little slow to get aboard the “Go Green” bandwagon. Really slow, even. It’s not just that I don’t drive a Toyota Prius, or that I don’t bring my own canvas shopping bags when I buy groceries. I just started recycling two months ago, and still sometimes space out and let the water run while I brush my teeth. Hell, I know it’s old fashioned, but I think every visit to the toilet still warrants a flush. |
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