Creative Loafing: The Dirty Martini

So this is my first article for Creative Loafing Charlotte... It will appear on the Brittney After Dark section of the blog.... will link in later to read full article.

My go with the flow attitude on New Years Eve 2009 landed me at The Dirty Martini off Exit 28 in Cornelius at about 11:30 PM with 10 of my guy closest guy friends. Upon entering the bouncer asked me to remove my baseball hat.

Thinking he was a University of Tennessee fan I laughed and said “good one” in reference to my Hokie Headwear.

He wasn’t a Vols fan and was serious about his request to remove my lid. Although I felt entitled to wear it in support of my alma mater’s trouncing of the SEC team, I was blown away by the enforcement of a “dress code” at a lake bar!

Fully aware the minutes were ticking down, I obliged and entered to find LKN New Years revelers in a club that seemed to be completely lost.

It caught me totally off guard. I was floored by how this place had passed by my radar until the waning hours of a this year.

Don’t get me wrong bar owners&tenders of Lake Norman; I love the laid back Lakelife. It’s a Kenny Chesney mentality up here although most local watering holes do require a shirt and shoes to get served; you never have any problems.

While you wont run into any problems at “The Dirty” you won’t find any of the sleeveless, sunburned and salty that occupy most of the sports bars and Kenny Chesney songs in my life. This place is different.

Owner Peter Contastathes has been here since 2005 and noticed that “there really wasn’t someplace people went to as the ‘spot’. I got tired of hanging out at the same old bars around here, I really wanted to open up something fresh and new.”

As a native of Philadelphia, Contastathes grew up in a household where the nightlife business was the family business.

This is why it comes as no surprise to me when he shared that he designed it and puts in a lot of physical labor at the lounge and bar himself.

“I grew up all around them and with my parents owning clubs I naturally took interest. I had a vision, thought it was a good time to invest and wanted to put my all into it.”

Aside from the northeast, Contastathes said there were a few other places where he got his inspiration.

“So, I went to Orlando, Miami and all around just to get some different ideas. I hope it brings a modern & contemporary feel with a little UK flare to the lake area since the people here appreciate class.”

The creative use of open space is highlighted with white furniture that energize The Dirty Martini’s aesthetics. Well measured VIP areas are “walled” off by curtains which help sustain enough room for the flow to their outside patio to remain uninterrupted....