The Charlotte Observer from Charlotte, North Carolina • 11

THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER Tuesday August 25 1987 11A Puttin' On The Ritz High Above The Pits I Speedway Club Sets 4 Nights Of Parties I 7 Grace Hamrick 0 1 t-- Grace '74: Hamrick it -A 4- '( A v- 7 :4 1117 tk 10 4 -A' 1 -x l'''' A 3: i l'- 'A 40Nt 5'''''': Ii1X 1" 'A1' 44: i-- tt- 4 14411N -s 41- 1 "-x 4i''' P' P': I 'he 1 1 1' '''''if''''''s 4 rl'' 9'''''''''''4 14i If) 'i it' 1 I-4iat flawe: r) -1 rehearsal dinner Friday night at the Guest Quarters Hotel Before the dinner a cocktail party will be held at the Greentree Drive home of Julie and Bill Suk Cohosts will be the bridegroom's grandmother Virginia (Mn Edward) Hardin of Wilmington and the bridegroom's aunts and uncle Helen and David Luck III of Norfolk Va and Virginia (Mrs William) Hawfield of Signal Mountain Tenn Among guests will be the bride's two brothers Ben Drymon of Sarasota and Doug Drymon of Greensboro and former Charlottean Adelaide Foil Farrell and her husband Reid also of Sarasota After a wedding trip the couple will live in Charlotte where Cara Jo is development assistant for the Charlotte Symphony Orchesta and Wright is marketing director for MarconMultivisions Inc DON STURKEYStatt sert tray (below): a tart of kiwi raspberries and peaches in whipped cream The restaurant entrance (above) is paneled in oiled mahogany From the des 2 Continued From Preceding Page Varney of New York to design what Wheeler envisioned as "the best city club in the country We don't want it gaudy but we don't want a conservative London men's club either We want sophisticated sizzle We want the president of Ford Motor Co to come in and feel comfortable as well as the dealer from Gastonia and the man who owns a small electric company That's a tall order" The result is handsome well-thought-out and even to use an adjective seldom applied to the speedway understated Mahogany-paneled walls mute the effect of red carpet brass railings black and white marble and an immense crystal chandelier while floor-to-ceiling windows save the space from stuffiness The mahogany paneling is undergoing several weeks of unplanned refinishing Explains promotion director Janet Warren: "Bruton walked by ran his hand over it and said 'Nope nope' Everything here has to pass his tech inspection for fit and finish" The 600 Room still lacks wallpaper Wheeler recently ordered workers to strip three newly hung rolls "It was the kind you'd put in a 'Best Little Whorehouse in Texas' he says "It slipped by on us Carleton went a little overboard" (The quirky Varney also proved a bit much for Charlotte TV audiences Wheeler pulled his commercials off the air because viewers were paying more attention to the broad silk scarf he uses for a necktie than to his testimonial for the club) Club manager Alain Lacouture oversees a $1 million kitchen At Wheeler's suggestion the French-born Lacouture (known to some speedway personnel as Alan LaCooter) has taken on the challenge of adding catfish to his repertoire of salmon tuna and grouper "He's working on cornbread now" says Wheeler The Speedway Club will operate year round daily except Monday counting on race weeks as a twice-yearly bonus rather than as a financial base Like more conventionally situated private clubs it will earn its bread and butter with business lunches wedding receptions and Christmas parties If the club 12 miles northeast of the Square on US 29 had opened a couple of years ago it would have had little immediate market to draw on Today however it fits conveniently into one of the Piedmont's economic hotbeds "We're right in the middle between Mecklenburg's growth north and Concord's growth south" says Wheeler "The one thing we wanted to do different from other clubs is to do a big night business" he says "Everybody does a good sf k414 Zl'k v- '1i 0 lk o'IL- 0 4 i 4 I At'''e 0 itt I Ntittos Si rtr4'' i i 4 l' i t''' )': '1'4ki 4t e44N1 Members must choose between certain time-honored race-watching accoutrements and air-conditioned close-circuited comfort Club rules prohibit T-shirts shorts and coolers indoors If you want to stick with tradition you can sit in the 2000-seat outdoor section immediately below the glassed-in clubhouse (Comparative prices per seat per year: $500 enclosed $220 exposed) During the club's unofficial opening in May the dress code caused some curious behavior as members sampled the best of both worlds Says the speedway's Warren: "People were handing their pants to the security guards and saying 'Hold this for me' A few other snags had to be corrected overlong buffet lines glare on the closed-circuit TV screens security procedures inadequate to deal with the hordes of nonmembers eager to sneak a peek inside "That's fine" says Warren "but not on race week" For Humpy Wheeler who saw his track-side condos sell faster the more they were laughed at the future of the Speedway Club holds few doubts In Wheeler's mind the 600 at Charlotte lacks only time to take its place alongside the Derby at Louisville or the Masters at Augusta "It's going to be as tough to get in this club" he predicts "as in Augusta National" Take note David Letterman Going-Away Party Anne and Charles Crawford of Maryland Avenue who will move Sept 2 to Tallahassee Flag were honored at a cocktail party Sunday night by the Eastover Garden Club Anne founded this club in 1959 The party for garden club members and their husbands was at the Hempstead Place home of Lucille (Mrs Edward) Giles The Crawfords who have bought a house with a swimming pool will be across the street from their son former Charlottean Roger Crawford The Speedway Club at the Charlotte Motor Speedway will have its grand opening this week with the same party repeated Wednesday through Saturday nights for members and their invited guests The parties will celebrate the formal opening of new club on the fifth and sixth floors of the seven-story Smith Tower A high point of the black-tie-optional opening evenings will be entertainment by contempo- rary music rel cording star and entertainer Neil oZ5 Sedaka performance dschedule ed If Pkr aoa nml 9- Sibi' two to four eve- flings because the demand was Sedaka so great" said Speedway Club executive director George Doubrava On Wednesday and Thursday nights club members may bring an unlimited number of guests However for Sedaka's shows on Friday and Saturday club memtters have been asked to limit their party to six The club promotion director Janet Warren said the club has 960 members and its membership is limited to 1275 The opening galas will be held on the fifth floor which has a large ballroom and areas for private parties The cost of each evening is $125 per couple or $65 per person That price includes champagne and wine at 7 pm followed by a dinner with such foods as a shrimp appetizer a spinach salad sliced tenderloin vegetables and light and dark chocolate mousse with raspberry sauce Sedaka's performance will be around 9:30 pm each evening Club members wishing to view Sedaka's concert on closed-circuit television in the club's sixth-floor restaurant may book reservations each night for $75 per couple or $40 a person This includes the same dinner fare Tower Club Reception After Cara Jo Drymon and Wright Clarkson marry Saturdayin Christ Episcopal Church her parents Jo and Jim Drymon of Sarasota Fla will host the wedding reception at the Tower Club After the reception the family and out-oftown guests have been invited to a picnic supper at the Abingdon Road home of Lib and Foy Laseter Cohosts will be for mer Charlotteans Lois and Doug Donald of Williamsburg Va and Mary Gilmore (Mrs Logan) Howell of Raleigh and Charlotteans Rita and John Cushman Betty and George Ennett Sally (Mrs Harvey) Henderson Keith and Johnny Green and Fran and Ed Wilkins The bride and her mother will give the bridesmaids' luncheon Friday at Ell's On East Among guests will be the bride's sister Darcie Drymon who teaches school in Tegucigalpa Honduras and the bridegroom's two sisters Ginny (Mrs Ronald) Woodruff of Wilmington and Molly Clarkson The bridegroom's parents Lauri and Julian Clarkson will give the lunch but at night we wanted a fine restaurant and a nightclub that would book acts like (former executive director) John Goyette did at Spirit Square" Neil Sedaka performs this week followed later this year by Sylvia Louise Mandrel' the Lettermen and Roger Williams Also scheduled: closed-circuit boxing telecasts Despite the club's day-to-day attributes the 3742-seat clubhouse clearly ranks as its piece de resistance Each membership includes the option to buy up to four enclosed seats i Don't Cross Different Age Groups Off Your List than before" But her feeling about herself as an appealing woman were obviously communil cated On Your Own is a column about living single whether you widowed divorced or have never married Send questions to Howard Halpern at The Charlotte Ob-t server Box 32188 Charlotte NC 28232 years ago She was unhappy about her lack of male attention In one session there was a breakthrough in which she could experience herself as a lovely desirable and valuable woman That very day three men began conversations with her She made a date with one She came to the next session delighted but confused "I didn't feel I was doing anything different 1 Double Gold Mary Ellen and Joel Weaver of Cherokee Road and her sister and brotherinlaw Helen and Leonard Snyder of Akron Ohio had a double wedding Aug 27 1937 in Akron The two couples along with their adult children and grandchildren all gathered recently to celebrate the joint 50th anniversary at the Ogleby Lodge in Wheeling Va Among the festivities was a banquet given by the couples' children Hosts were the Weavers' three married children: Drs Mary Jo and Alan MacCracken of Hudson Ohio Barbara and Dr Joel Weaver II of Columbus Ohio and Helen and Dr Michael Kaufman of Colville Road and the Snyders' two married sons Ki and Don Snyder of Columbus Ohio and Pam and Dale Snyder of Centuria Wis The Weavers have six grandchildren and the Snyders have four grandchildren Spinsters Club The Charlotte Spinsters Club will meet at 7 pm Wednesday Prospective members have been asked to attend at 7:45 pm Among issues to be discussed are plans for a social next month and a Christmas party For details call Sheila Koltveit 371-5245 9 am to noon weekdays Send news of upcoming events at least two weeks in advance of the event to Grace Hamrick The Charlotte Observer PO Box 32188 Charlotte NC 28232 Include a morning telephone Fall Semester Aug 29-Dec 10 The Graduate The New School at 94- College at Queens Queens MBA-MEd-MLA Undergraduate REGISTRATION T( I REGISTRATION The issue of age differences be tween romantic partners usually arouses strong feelings In response to a column in which several women mentioned the drawbacks of being involved with older men one reader felt "compelled to write" She doesn't give her age but says "I am married to a man 17 years older than I am I did not fall in love with him because of his age I fell in love de with him be- SO1 cause of who kfc he is a ft) wonderful Nzt kind fun-by- ing and yes 1 very sexy I man On Your "I wish he Own were closer to my age be- Howard cause statisti- malpern cally I have twice as many years left to live as he But how foolish it would have been to consider that as a reason not to marry him Can any of us predict the future? I may die tomorrow and if I do don't feel sorry for me I am one of the lucky ones I found true love" Other letters indicated that many women think marrying someone older is foolish and unappealing but many told of experiences similar to the one just expressed And some wrote of gratifying experiences with younger men We open a wider range of possibilities if we do not put too many restrictions on our choices Responding to the same column one irate woman wrote: "You were out of line telling this woman that she was 'sending seductive signals to younger men' She did not indicate that she smiled flirted or had eye contact with these young men She simply stated that she had been approached by them I do not believe younger men are interested in older women exclusively for sexual intention" This reader missed the point The woman whose letter I published was distressed because she was approached almost exclusively by younger men and not by men in her age group It's entirely possible and not uncommon that someone flirt without knowing it Responses to that might be surprising and not always unpleasant I think of a 45-year-old widow I saw in psychotherapy several -4)A1 TODAY Everett Library 9 am-7 pm For Information: (704) 337-2313 Queenscptlege 1900 Selwyn Avenue Charlotte NC 28274 1 8 I Ouffront i l' 'l' 1 1 Dear Teacher Please excuse Out Front's absence today It will return OPEN MON-FRI TIL 7 SAT TIL 6 20-30 OFF CUSTOM TABLE PADS LAST WEEK! 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Order with confidence from America's oldest and largest table pad company Our free measuring service assures an exact fit No advance deposit or messy COD You pay nothing until you receive your table pads and are completely satisfied 554-0880 Ext11061 OUTSIDE METRO MTABLE PAD CO 1-800320-7237 EXT 160 Cat0 SENTRY 1987 SINCE MI Mill Cloth Outlet Street 3341 kings Mtn Hwy NC Gastonia NC 283-8944 (704) 864-9558 Sales at Below Wholesale Prices" Cone Thread Buttons Lace Zippers 4 (96ate6t4tee presents this prettily pleated party-goer for those festive fall functions Deftly tailored of rich polyester Jacquard it features tucked shoulder-to-waist flanges and knife-pleated skirt Dramatic autumn colors 8-16 $7200 TOL Stal 10 P11 Summer MOSES OAS db 0110 600 Tryon Street Charlotte NC 379-6300 IITEZa Gaston County Art Guild Through Aug 30 Each month The Charlotte Observer has on display various art collections featuring paintings crafts photography and more The displays in the lobby of The Observer 600 Tryon Street are free and open to the public seven days a week This month enjoy a stunning collection of paintings sculpture and mixed media from the Gaston County Art Guild For Information about the the exhibit call 379- 6896 Every day 8 am-8 pm through August 30 8 am to 8 pm Zhe Oharlotte Observer i' 11110WilliallAin I 1 20-30 OFF i m4w- '1 ti- '-'0'''''' 4 d''''- 1 'i-4-: ollt hoze 4 9 AN 1 1 4 1111t4A 'i' eA i CUSTOM i TABLE PADS d-i-- iii- presents this 4 kA- t''' prettily pleated i-' i I LAST WEEK! party-goer for AUGUST SALE those festive fall sii i- II''i' 1 functions 19 Deftly tailored of 4 4 4 i tal 1 -t 444 t1: 1: 1 GUARD YOUR TABLE AND SAVE! Order with confidence from America's rich polyester tiF')4 tT Gaston County oldest and largest table pad company Our free measuring service assures Jacquard it 1 114 4-J i an exact fit No advance deposit or messy CO You pay nothing until features tucked L') 4 ''eI' :::7 A -4" i Art Guild satisfied shoulder-to-waist '4'- ::4 you receive your table pads and are completely satis i Through Aug 30 'V' ic i- ri: 554-0880 Ext 1104 c51 flanges and knife- Each month The Charlotte Observer has on display lay OUTSIDE METRO att1 i PAD CO pleated skirt i' AA it i0 4 AJ I 4' various art collections featuring paintings crafts photog- A SINCE III Dramatic autumn 1-800328-7237 EXT 160 SENTRY 1987 0-7 g''tl raphy and more The displays in the lobby of The i colors 8-16 7 511-'-''''4 I 1)1i Observer 600 Tryon Street are free and open to the lo --i public seven days a week zsczg: rsi e7200 l''' i'- a --4 st 44: 1 This month enjoy a stunning collection of paintings sculpture and mixed media from the Gaston County Art Mill Cloth Outlet i 'I flttL 4' t' '2 i :4 4 t4' Guild For Information about the the exhibit call 379- 6896 Every day 8 am-8 pm through August 30 Street 3341 Kings Mtn Hwy i 4 8 tbegS i- 1 Itamm uti NC 4 (704) 864558 Gastonia NC :0 ''J Y'i 283-94-9 014 ti" tta b' i'1-'1' no Sales at Below Wholesale Prices" Sat ''''f 0 1 Cone Thread iii Alynost 0 sz 4 7 :4 ti tc Give 0 tt it'ci1 i 11 Fabric Buttons 1 --y- els Lace 't I 1 'f 14 i A 1 Wool Zippers te t- N4 'i 1: 4 1 i eil 4 go SS 4 4 i 4" c4-4 4 i ctit Mt' rd da 4' -9 qr 4 $12 oi v4 fi 4 43 ri) Ilk" 1 1 I 1 1 iS 8 amto 8pm 183rTa' re: roa aleied 4 Zhe Oharlotte Oberve sr -414 4 ts 5- gi 600 Tryon Street Charlotte NC 379-6300 777 Eth it 0 0 15 0 4' 1 I I Drapery Fabric Upholstery Apparel Fabric Imported Fabric Come by soon to see our wide variety of cloth Factory 320 East Franklin Monroe (704) "Retail 1 ou-roarzlamiu4a 1 I nl ''1 Fact or 320 East Frank Monroe 4 (704) 281 4 "Retail ff 111 I li Drapery Fat 4 Upholstery I ia 4 4 Apparel Fat 3 Imported 1 Fabric 1 Come by soon 1 to see our wide variety of cloth ii I' 1 1 'i 4 i it Factory '1 ii11 320 East Franklin i A iv Monroe (704) tk 4 "Retail i' I 4 Drapery Fabric 1 4 4 Upholstery il Apparel Fabric I Imported 4 Fabric 0 il Come by soon 1 varietto see our wide of cloth Ki :1 f' 1 1533 South Boulevard at Park FREE STORESIDE PARKING I IWO RTH 1533 South Boulevard at Park Ave 1 tint CetnOrcing PADVItkin Hours: et 42011e 93 Mon-Fri 'toe flt to Saturdays 9-2 a -ass ZSZozmummmtgausgammgai Hours: Mors-Fri Saturdays 9-2 Hours: 1- 1 93 Mon-Fri a Vt gitt 1: tr Saturdays 9-2 i I.