CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Two women in Charlotte are proving a cocktail can taste just as good, even if it doesn’t contain alcohol. Kerry Boyd said she met her friend Kerri Fitzgerald seven years ago. Boyd is an avid runner and usually jogs on her own, but during one race they ran into each other. “We met running a race,” Kerry Boyd said. “It was a 10k Marine Corps Mud Run. It was super hard, but very fun.” The pair immediately hit it off and became good friends. After races and duri

NYE DINNER PLANS Crab cakes and chocolate cheesecake: A special NYE menu at DTR SouthPark by chef Jonathan Shuler will be $75 per person, including champagne. It will feature Crab Cakes with arugula and lemon herb crema, Grilled Bone-In Pork Chop with Southern collard greens and black-eyed peas, and Chocolate Ganache Cheesecake with raspberry coulis and buttercream whipped cream. Reservations are required. 4905 Ashley Park Lane, Suite J. Read more at: https://www.charlotteobs

DILWORTH TASTING ROOM Location: 4905 Ashley Park Ln., Suite J, Charlotte, NC 28210 Neighborhood: SouthPark Menu Cuisine: American, Italian Dilworth Tasting Room opened its second neighborhood spot in the former Corkbuzz location in the Sharon Square development with a wine list topping 400 options. The new location comes along with a fresh lunch menu and additional entree options at dinner. Read more at: https://www.charlotteobserver.com/charlottefive/c5-food-drink/article255

New Year’s Eve at Dilworth Tasting Room SouthPark DTR SouthPark is offering a three-course NYE menu that includes crab cakes with arugula and lemon herb crema, grilled bone-in pork chop with southern collard greens and black-eyed peas and chocolate ganache cheesecake with raspberry coulis and buttercream whipped cream. Time: 4pm Cost: $75 per person Location: 4905 Ashley Park Ln., Ste. J

Dilworth Tasting Room SouthPark Owner and sommelier Jaffer Kovic, who renovated the old Dilworth Billiards space on East Tremont Avenue in 2016, opened the second DTR in February 2021 in what was Corkbuzz’s spot in Sharon Square in SouthPark. It has a more expansive interior, with a patio in front instead of a cozy nook in back, but the focus remains on “low-production” wines; the list of bottles alone takes up eight pages in a leather-bound binder, always a good sign. DTR al

Dining al fresco is a little trickier when it comes to Charlotte winters. SOME GOOD NEWS: After adapting to COVID-19 capacity and social distancing restrictions last winter, many restaurants around town are equipped to handle sweater weather, with heated outdoor dining options. Heat lamps, fire pits, overhead infrared heating and fire tables are enabling restaurants — from casual to upscale, American to Asian-fusion — to offer patrons a warm spot to enjoy a hot meal. DILWORTH

BEST WINE BAR Winner: Dilworth Tasting Room BEST WINE SELECTION Winner: Dilworth Tasting Room https://qcnerve.com/nightlife-readers-pick-winners-best-in-the-nest-2021/