Hey, readers, I'm interested in your first impressions of the Charlotte area. If you have lived here three months or less, please e-mail your first impressions to abaldwin@charlotteobserver.com. Be sure to leave your name and daytime phone number in case I want to chat with you for a story. Thanks!
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
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19 comments:
Everyone seemed so nice, but it didn't take long to realize it's a smile to your face and a knife in your back.
Keep right except to pass!
My first impressions:
- Lame music scene
- Lack of college atmosphere
- Too many chain restaurants
- No identity
- Conservative
- Not much for culture
- Fake
- Those moving here from other large cities want Charlotte to be like their former city.
- All those who are not from Charlotte talk about is their former city.
- Charlotte leaders and its citizens try way, way, way too hard to get others to believe the city is something it's not.
Seems companies hire young, work you too death then replace you with the next young person
Where are the retail stores
Needs more culture
Lots of violence
Yes....here comes the negative post.
You guys are too critical. I lived in Charlotte from 93 to 2000 and loved almost every day of it. I felt optimism in the air there. It's got just about everything you could want from a big city with alot less of the stuff you don't. Sure, traffic can be tough, but have you spent any time in rush hour in DC? No comparison. Maybe it's romanticizing things a bit, because like any city it has its issues...but spending my time now in the Baltimore/DC area gives me an even greater appreciation for the vibe in Charlotte. Maybe it's not the place for everyone, but as cities go, you've got a good thing going on, Charlotte. I want to come back.
Please read the book "WICKED CHARLOTTE" and you will understand through Charlotte's past why it is what it is; This book is written based on facts and is at 'Books a Million' bookstore. My take on Charlotte is that the last pages have not been written yet. Read about the history of Charlotte and then you will the see why things are slow to taking off here; Charlotte needs to look ahead and finish the outerbelt; Lets quit being cheap and make it something or walk away. This City could be the 'diamond in the rough'and just not finished yet. Like a' Monet'that failed to get the right brush stroke;
I was born/grew up here and moved away for about 8 years. During that time, I lived in Pittsburgh and DC. I came back to stay in January 2007.
My humble opinion: there's one thing about Charlotte that I think people are missing: Charlotte is a city that's in the process of finding its identity. As such, Charlotte isn’t quite made to order just yet.
Of course I realize that this is a good thing and a bad thing. Probably not so good for newcomers looking to quickly find their scene/niche, but maybe a good thing for those who are ready to make their “home” Charlotte and invest in a community that has a great potential and the room for growth.
As far as the rest is concerned, every city has “two faced” people, every city has screwy politicians and every city (especially now) can be a hard place to find the perfect job.
Being happy in any city takes time. Perhaps Charlotte is more of an investment. I really hope you guys come to find that it's worth it.
Jinx...
Imagine this , I just found out my ancestors came here from a city Queen Charlotte herself was related to and I may be related to Queen Charlotte ,I was floored by this. Oh MY GOD! This relationship goes back to GERMAN VILLAGE in Columbus, O Amy I am delirious over this. My Mother just sent me the news.
Amy I would like to see the low income neighborhoods given a high buy out and then graze the dumps a block at a time and put Headquarters there and push the city out and stop cramming. This can be done buy giving each family a one hundred fifty thousand up to two hundred for each lot; The new jobs would pay for this action and its a win win for everybody; Poor People get to get out of poverty and Charlotte makes jobs for those People. I want to be your MAYOR Im not Leo Sayer
I like Charlotte and it looks alot like WASHINGTON D.C. area AROUND I-277; Its an attractive city but the Loitering by People must stop; People should find something to do and they should let People sweep for $5.00 an hour if they want some booze money for later.
If you line up 20 Peopl in D.C. you will have 15 of them Virginians, on the other hand Charlotte is more mixed with a variety of everyone from across the U.S. New Jersey, New York , Boston , Ohio, Florida , California and many more. Its amazing , I have traveled the U.S. and never have seen this phenomenon anywhere. I cant explain it but I do think this is why the identity crisis the other blogger was talking about.
Tomorrow , and tomorrow, and tomorrow creeps in this petty pace from day to day to the last syllable of recorded time and all of our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death, out , out brief candle
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is heard no more. It is a tale told by an idot, full of sound and fury signifying nothing.
Anon 9:02
I agree with you.
The outerbelt is a state road not Charlotte roads, Raleigh is the needs to get with the program.
Many Reporters at the Observer would like to grab at the back of my neck; The Outerbelt makes us look like we attended college but never finished; The light rail is a good idea but can they finish it without getting stubbed? where is the true middle class is it getting forced out into " you cant get their from here" the old farmers joke. People are moving farther and farther out but cant get back. My plan is a car plant in Chester, Monroe or Concord Old Phillip Morris plant.
SIgned BUCKEYE Boy
The OUTERBELT could be finished with prison labor help ; This is a win win situation because they will learn a skill and pay back to society and maybe earn their freedom.
I just found out Im related to Queen Charlotte by a German family tie in Schwarburg; This is really scary , like Twilight zone music. Im thinking this may be my curse , my Waterloo. Something is real mysterious about this town anyway; A part time Mayor and City Council , the Women here are like Stepford Wives . Im waiting for the whole town to fall over like its cardboard or like recent remake of 'Wax museum' where a maniquen is really waving out a house window an not a real human.
I think the area has a serial killer becuase of all the bodies showing up all over; I anyone fnds my body after this post, mail parts back to : in care of Columbus , Ohio P.O. box 111 Attn: MOM
If I die here Please dont bury me here I dont know anyone here;
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