Emiene Wright

Charlotte

Writer and news editor, sharing the stories that tell me who I am. West African, Southern, progressive, unintentionally funny.

Articles

Once a secret for fashion insiders, Charlotte boutique finds a new, visible home

2 days ago | charlotteobserver.com | Emiene Wright

On a grimy strip of North Graham Street, tucked between industrial supply stores, a hidden gem quietly flourished for over a year. The only clue to the decades of fashion treasures inside the Charlotte shop were its exquisitely well-dressed visitors. A peek through the door revealed cashmere dinner jackets slung casually over silk sheaths, halter jumpsuits mingling next to luxury streetwear brands in a symphony of cool.
Ocean City, Everlasting

1 week ago | ourstate.com | Emiene Wright

Five-year-old Carla Torrey often played alone on the beach in Ocean City, building sandcastles under the watchful eye of a neighbor. Less than a mile in either direction, she could see throngs of strangers jockeying for space, their umbrellas and lounge chairs jumbled together. But here in 1960, along this serene stretch, Torrey’s playmates were the waves and the breeze, the sand and the sky. The princess of Ocean City danced in the foam, vaguely understanding that she enjoyed a special privilege.
Charlotte's first Tanzanian restaurants showcase a taste of African flavors, tradition

Nov 27, 2024 | charlotteobserver.com | Emiene Wright

Tastebuds getting bored? Take them on safari to Serengeti Kitchen, Charlotte's first sit-down Tanzanian restaurant. Chef Ammalu Saleh opened up shop Monday at The Market at 7th Street. It happened on short notice, but the new eatery is receiving no shortage of attention.
’Tis Always the Season

Nov 25, 2024 | ourstate.com | Emiene Wright |Jill Lucas |Leah King |Jo Grey

The foyer of Margo Scurry’s home in northeast Charlotte is a portal into a kid’s Christmas dream. Four-foot-tall nutcrackers stand at the entrance to the living room, just the right height to look a child straight in the eye. A glowing tree twinkles nearby. And the entire room, anchored by a two-story brick wall, is festooned with hundreds of Santas — caroling, golfing, riding scooters. She even has a huggable, life-size Santa.
At Charlotte's Tima restaurant, there's no taste like home

Nov 4, 2024 | charlotteobserver.com | Emiene Wright

There's no taste like home, but for a region as vast as West Africa, dishes can vary widely. Luckily Tima, a newcomer to Charlotte's restaurant scene, has a bit of something for everyone. Malian smoked lamb, called dibi; thieboudienne, Senegal's famous fish meal; attieke, riced yucca from Burkina Faso; and Liberian potato greens are a few of the choices. "My restaurant is West African," owner Fousseini Sacko told CharlotteFive.
There's no taste like home, until gentrification hits at Charlotte restaurants

Apr 11, 2024 | charlotteobserver.com | Emiene Wright

Chances are, there's at least one dish that can pull you right back into a particular space and time. You grew up eating it, have passed it at weddings and funeral feasts, hotly debated whether this or that ingredient belongs in it, and your assessment of a cook's ability may rest on this one dish. It's more than nostalgia - it's a building block of your identity. Think of its colors, its texture. Can you taste it? Now, imagine it vanishing from the table. It's already happening in many communities.
There’s no taste like home, until gentrification hits at Charlotte restaurants

Apr 11, 2024 | yahoo.com | Emiene Wright

Chances are, there’s at least one dish that can pull you right back into a particular space and time. You grew up eating it, have passed it at weddings and funeral feasts, hotly debated whether this or that ingredient belongs in it, and your assessment of a cook’s ability may rest on this one dish. It’s more than nostalgia — it’s a building block of your identity. Think of its colors, its texture. Can you taste it? Now, imagine it vanishing from the table. It’s already happening in many communities.
Savoring the State

Aug 28, 2023 | ourstate.com | Emiene Wright |T. Edward Nickens |Katie Schanze |Katie Kane

Standing in the middle of Levine Avenue of the Arts, one might get the impression that Charlotte was built yesterday. Slanting steel channels weave themselves into the facade of the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture. The curved orange column in front of the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art and Duke Energy Plaza’s gleaming inverted pyramid surround visitors with contemporary and futuristic designs.
Why food critic's Charlotte reviews are harmful

Aug 28, 2023 | charlotteobserver.com | Emiene Wright

TLDR: A confrontation this summer between Charlotte culinary power couple Greg and Subrina Collier and Starex Smith, a food critic and restaurateur from South Florida, prompted this CharlotteFive series on African-American culinary culture: what it is, what it isn't and who gets to make that determination. We looked at the initial incident, a Facebook Live feed that went viral.
Get crunk for brunch at Serving the Culture’s next pop-up meal in Charlotte

Jun 14, 2023 | ca.sports.yahoo.com | Emiene Wright