New Around Town

Update 2009

2009-01-22T14:31:00.002-05:00

This is a long-overdue update post. When I last wrote, I was headed into the adventure of full-time editing for the Observer's Neighbors of Southern Mecklenburg. You may have heard that the Observer has undergone some budget-cutting in the past year, and now that section no longer exists. But, I'm happy to report that I was able to move into the Observer's magazine division last summer, and I've continued to enjoy my work there.

The Observer publishes six magazines, many of which have operated almost completely independently until recently. Now, their editorial divisions fall under the command of the Observer's newsroom. I first stepped in as the editor of University City Magazine and SouthPark Magazine - later, due to more personnel shuffling, I traded Ucity for Lake Norman Magazine. Both SouthPark and Lake Norman are community lifestyle magazines with devoted audiences, and both experiences are gratifying for me. I still have the same e-mail address: Ldyer@charlotteobserver.com.

While the Observer no longer promotes this blog, occasionally people still find it in cyberspace and post comments - and I do still see them, so please feel free to continue posting if the mood strikes you. If you have a newcomer-related question, your best bet is to write my successor Amy Baldwin, at abaldwin@charlotteobserver.com. I hope to launch an editor blog for SouthPark and/or Lake Norman, and I'll put another update here if I do! I also hope to get that Twitter thing figured out someday.

A goodbye - and an introduction

2008-02-21T13:33:00.001-05:00

In recent weeks, I’ve been clearing out my files to pass along to Amy Baldwin, who has begun work this week as The Observer’s new guru of all things newcomer-related.

And it occurred to me that many of the people I met when I started the newcomer job in the summer of 2006 likely would not call themselves newcomers anymore. Maybe they arrived a year or two before that and were still flummoxed by our streets, our accents and our food.

But by now, I’m sure they can proudly educate their more recently transplanted neighbors on such matters as the differences between Blakeney and Birkdale, when to avoid the traffic jams on I-485 and where to find the best sushi – or barbecue.

A fact of life in Charlotte is that every year brings an influx of new people who must be welcomed and educated about our city’s peculiarities. I like to think I played a part in doing that over the past year and a half.

I particularly enjoyed how this blog took on a life of its own and you readers often peppered my message board with feisty comments, dozens at a time. It was great to have that dialogue with you.

I decided to keep that conversation going until Amy’s blog was up and running. (Click here to see it.) Now, it’s her turn to get you talking about the things that make this city unique and, at times, hard for the new folks to figure out.

I’m now an editor in the paper’s southern Mecklenburg bureau. I’ll miss meeting newcomers regularly, but I’ve wanted to be an editor for a long time. I’ll eagerly accept your tips on things our paper should be writing about in the areas of Matthews, Mint Hill, Pineville, Ballantyne, Steele Creek and the Arboretum/Providence Road area – my new realm of responsibility.

This blog will continue to float in cyberspace and, from time to time, people might stumble across it and post a stray comment or two. But with the demands of my new job, I won’t have time to update it after this week.

So, I’ll pose one final question to those readers who are transplants, but no longer feel like newcomers. What’s the most important thing you’ve done to help you get adjusted to life in Charlotte? Was it meeting other newcomers, or befriending natives? Was it joining groups, or driving around to explore? Any advice you have for other newcomers is welcome – and might provide future story fodder for my successor.

Keep in touch!

Charlotte's economy pinched?

2008-02-14T11:51:00.001-05:00

Is the economy pinching you?

As my colleague Mark Washburn pointed out in Wednesday’s paper, the effects of the economic slowdown making national headlines are finally being felt here.

Growing up in Charlotte, I’ve always taken pride in the fact that our economic growth has been so strong, we usually don’t feel slowdowns the way the rest of the country does.

But it’s becoming increasingly clear that construction cranes are slowing down, gas prices are crimping commuters and people who list their houses for sale are having a harder time than usual.

I recently added a commute to my job with my switch from reporting to editing. Now I have to drive to our paper’s Matthews bureau office each day, instead of the five minutes from my Elizabeth home I used to drive to the main Observer building uptown. I’ve become increasingly conscious of conserving gas when possible – carpooling, combining errands, eating out somewhere I can walk to or staying in at night.

I used to enjoy taking a lunch hour at Target and leaving with unplanned purchases. No more.

And I figure it’s only a matter of time before we see more fallout among retailers and restaurants, especially the smaller mom-and-pops.

If you have any moneysaving tips to share, please post them on my colleague Celeste Smith’s new Deal of the Day blog.

Meantime, I’m interested in hearing how you’re feeling the economic slowdown. If you’re taking extra steps to pinch pennies, how has your life changed in recent months? How do you think things in Charlotte are changing? Let me know.

North vs. South - again

2008-02-11T12:01:00.000-05:00

This morning, this blog earned me a guest appearance on the “Charlotte Talks with Mike Collins” show on WFAE (90.7 FM). The topic: Northerners vs. Southerners.

The show was picking up on the tensions between newcomers and natives exhibited in the comments on many entries here, as well as on the Letters to the Editor page and “The Buzz” section of the Observer.

On the show, I think we reached a consensus that Charlotte’s rapid growth has indeed caused many under-the-surface tensions, but generally this city embraces change. (Just look at our willingness to tear down historic structures to build shiny new developments).

While someone from the North may write me to say they’re unhappy about being called a “Yankee,” by far most of the people I hear from consider this place very welcoming.

And I’ve heard from many natives who embrace the amenities, restaurants and increased diversity our influx has brought us.

One listener brought up an interesting point: Should the Observer stop printing the views of transplants and natives who resent each other for their attitudes?

My response is that the purpose of blogs, Letters to the Editor and The Buzz are to air the current views of the community. Just because we devote ink or bandwidth to the views doesn’t mean that we, as a newspaper, endorse them. What we do support is informing people of what’s going on out there in their community.

What do you think? Is there more to say on the subject of Northerners vs. Southerners, or have we exhausted the topic?

A view of Charlotte from Sundance

2008-02-05T11:01:00.000-05:00

Thanks to the relative strength of North Carolina’s filmmaking industry, the state is usually represented in films at the annual Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.

As I have for the past seven years, I traveled there recently. I go out of personal interest and usually write about Carolinas connections for The Observer. One of this year’s films showcasing Charlotte surprised me.

Called “Kicking It,” it’s a documentary about soccer teams comprised of homeless people who compete annually in a Homeless World Cup tournament. An effort spearheaded at Charlotte’s Urban Ministry Center sends a U.S. team each year, and a Charlotte player was prominently featured in the documentary. (Click here for my article from Sunday’s paper about it; here for another article about a Carolina film connection).

In one sequence, the Charlotte player, Craig Holley, walks the streets of uptown Charlotte with a camera crew, and complains that in our city, there’s often no place for a homeless person to go. If the shelters are full and homeless people try sleeping on park benches or other public property, police officers will awaken them and make them move. Many end up in tents deep in the woods, and they, too, are sometimes forced to move along.

It’s no secret that this city has a serious homeless problem. It’s estimated there are more than 5,000 homeless in our community, and uncounted numbers of them sleep outside at night.

I wonder how much our leaders will want to celebrate our appearance in this film. It points up the sad reality that for many people who have fallen through the cracks of our system, there is simply no place to go.

So, I wrote in a brief for the Observer from Sundance that the film portrays Charlotte in an unflattering light. Lawrence Cann, a founder and leader of Charlotte’s homeless soccer program, took issue with my wording.

“The streets, in Charlotte or elsewhere in the world, are never nice and hardly ever described as peachy by someone who has to live on them,” he wrote in an e-mail.

But, he noted, Charlotte is ahead of many other cities in spearheading the homeless soccer program, which is credited with helping many homeless people turn their lives around. That includes Holley, the featured Charlotte man, who now lives in an apartment and has a job.

In that respect, yes, the documentary paints a positive view of Charlotte. And, I’m glad it provokes thought about the flip side of our shiny bank-towered skyline.

I also salute the filmmakers for coming up with the concept of “filmanthropy” – the idea of making a film about a cause they believe in, then contributing the film’s proceeds to the cause. This film’s profits will go toward the Homeless World Cup program. It’s been picked up by ESPN; no air date has been set yet.

This is an innovative way to attack the problem of homelessness. What else should we be doing?

Been in the Dead Zone?

2008-01-17T15:22:00.000-05:00

There aren't many things more maddening than a cell phone dead zone. Especially when it happens in the middle of the largest city in the Carolinas.

You know the drill – you’re driving along talking (in hands-free mode, of course) and realize you’ve been giving vital information to dead air for the last few minutes.

Or, in my case, I was recently banging on the door at a friend’s house, certain she was home but couldn’t hear me, and I flipped open my phone to call her. No service.

I have a major wireless carrier – one that has, in fact, bragged about the extensiveness of its coverage areas.

And I haven’t exactly been in the hinterlands when these cut-offs have happened. My friend is in Plaza-Midwood. I’ve dropped people while talking on Independence Boulevard and on Sharon Road, major urban thoroughfares.

In a metro area of 2 million people, is it too much to ask that our cell phone service eliminate its dead zones at least inside the city limits?

I’m curious to know how many others out there have similar complaints. Where are the dead zones you’ve encountered? Perhaps I can help pass the patterns along to the companies and see if something can be done.

Southern expressions - uglier than armpits?

2008-01-08T10:09:00.000-05:00

I’m a fan of those joke-a-day desk calendars. A recent entry on my new 2008 calendar, focusing on humorous insults, contained this supposedly “Southern expression”: “She’s uglier than a lard bucket full of armpits.”

This made me chortle a bit, but rest assured that as a near-native of this area with family roots going way back in the South, I have never heard anyone say this.

I have, however, heard newcomers repeatedly comment on Southern expressions they find either charming or somewhat perplexing, such as the ever-present “Bless your heart” – is it cloaked insult or true empathy?

A personal favorite of mine is “tickled pink.” How could you not smile if someone told you they felt that way? And I've heard the insult that someone is "dumber than a sack of hammers." I also enjoy stories that involve hollerin’ or skeedaddling somewhere.

A friend mentioned he hears about “Adam’s housecat” down here sometimes – as in, “I wouldn’t know that guy from Adam’s housecat.”

What about you? What are some favorite Southern expressions you’ve heard – or need translation for? Post 'em here.

Does 'Southern hospitality' exist?

2008-01-03T11:24:00.000-05:00

Anybody see today’s editorial page in The Observer?

It read like one of my old North vs. South blog entries. The first writer led off with this: “I was born in the North, grew up in the South, and now live back North for business. When people there ask about the South, it's with a positive curiosity about the great weather and the friendly people. Yet, when I return home for the holidays and open the Observer, I find one derisive comment after another about ‘Northern transplants.’

Then the woman cutting my hair the other day asked me why I'd ever move to ‘Yankee country.’ It's a shame I'll be taking back with me stories of such ‘Southern hospitality.’”

Click here to see the full set of letters.

(Side note: As I told you guys last week, while I am no longer the Observer’s official newcomers columnist, I’d like to keep in touch with you on this blog, so let me know what issues interest you for future entries).

Here’s what’s going on: People are touchy about the recent debate in The Buzz column over whether there is a difference in holiday decorating customs in the North vs. the South - and whether either region has a claim on tackiness. There’s also some sensitivity about a recent Style section article suggesting that holiday novelty sweaters are garish (for what it’s worth, one of The Observer’s top editors was wearing such a sweater in the newsroom the day before that story ran).

I’m not interested in repeating a debate on these issues – or repeating some of the North vs. South comments that the posters on this blog have already written ad nauseum. (As usual, I won’t hesitate to delete out-of-line comments).

But I am interested in discussing the concept of “Southern hospitality.” Does this phenomenon still exist here? My experience talking to newcomers is that many do still find this region to be different from other areas of the country in terms of how welcomed they feel.

One thing to keep in mind is that the people here who are doing the welcoming are often transplants from another region who may have just been here a bit longer. And we’re not just talking Northerners – the wave of newcomers transforming this region is from all over this country, and the world.

So, are we a more welcoming region because we’re a region of newcomers? Or are we no more welcoming than anywhere else?

An upcoming change (but don't stop visiting)

2007-12-28T15:17:00.000-05:00

I'm sharing a sneak preview of my column running in this Sunday's paper:

After a year and a half spent meeting newcomers, hearing their stories and writing columns and blog entries to help them make sense of Charlotte, it’s time for me to move on.

After Monday’s column in the Your Week section (and WCNC report), I’ll be returning to the Observer as an editor – a longtime goal of mine. Many of my Observer colleagues will provide thrice-weekly fill-in columns while a full-time newcomer reporter is named – and I look forward to reading their advice on fun things to do, see and know about this region.

Between e-mails, phone calls and the times I’ve gone out and about, I’m guessing I’ve met several thousand newcomers by now. Here are a few things I’ve learned from the experience:

--The best way to get a newcomer talking: Start with food. You can fill them in on the subtleties of Eastern vs. Western barbecue, while they can introduce you to such terms as “white hots” and the kinds of pie that don’t involve fruit.

--A less popular way: Start with church. Seems folks from many other parts of the country aren’t as accustomed to talking publicly about their houses of worship as we are.

--The easiest way to start a spirited blog debate: Raise questions involving ways the South is different from other parts of the country, particularly the North. (The Civil War seems to be alive and well in cyberspace.). Or just use the term “Yankee.”

--Second-easiest: Write about driving habits, and debate which region of the country has better drivers.

--The No. 1 thing newcomers seek: Ways to make friends and connections in this community. Not so different from us longtimers, eh?

--The accents, food preferences, driving styles and cultures may be different, but underneath, we’re all in Charlotte for very similar reasons: We like the city’s beauty, its location between mountains and ocean, its usually balmy weather, its strong economy, its attractions and amenities. And most of all, its people.

Note the new e-mail address we’ll use to keep up with newcomer inquiries: newcomer@charlotteobserver.com. For at least a while longer, I plan to keep chatting with you guys on this blog. I hope you’ll drop in on the discussion from time to time and keep in touch.

And as you begin your New Year, don’t forget to resolve to keep exploring all the wonderful people, places and experiences this region has to offer.

What are some of your other New Year's resolutions? Please post them here.

Newcomers: Don't miss Civics 101

2007-12-26T12:32:00.000-05:00

I hope everyone is having a great holiday week! I’m guessing most folks haven’t had time to read their Charlotte Observers faithfully every day, so I wanted to call your attention to an item my colleague Jim Morrill wrote for today’s paper about the next installment of Civics 101.

This is a great opportunity for newcomers to learn about local government. Sponsored by the League of Women Voters, it involves classes throughout February and March to learn more about the City Council, board of county commissioners, state courts, the school system and more. Click here to see Jim’s article, or try goleaguego.org.

---

And now, a follow-up to my last entry and column on my difficulty in finding butter mints (click here to see the column and butter mint cookie recipe). I got some help from readers, but I didn’t get as many pointers as I thought I might – proving that this delicacy has fallen out of favor at mass retailers. One thing that did surprise me, though, is learning from readers that the candy is traditional further outside the South than I thought.

Here are some other spots you can find them (and I know you’ve still got room after all your holiday eating):

--From Sue Schall in Waxhaw: “Thought you should know you can get them at Cracker Barrel restaurant gift stores. I have enjoyed them for years. By the way I am a ‘transplant,’ Indiana born and bred, and I was raised on sweet tea, fried mush, grits, and anything you could make with buttermilk. My wedding 32 years ago featured the exact menu you described from a Southern wedding - cake, punch, nuts,and butter mints- but I was married on the far west side of Indianapolis, having never been south of the Ohio River in my life.”

--Margaret Hood writes: “Five years ago I found Mrs. Duncan's (Butter Mints) in the Presbyterian Hospital gift shop uptown. Now, Captain Steve's fish restaurant in Matthews on Monroe Road has Parson's Butter Mints (Homemade Style).”

--“Anonymous Yankee” writes: “I'm sorry to disappoint you, but butter mints are a Michigan tradition also. I grew up in the metro Detroit area, and every wedding or baby shower had butter mints. In Michigan, they also come in yellow. I remember as a child liking the creamy, buttery flavor. I believe that butter mints should not be called a ‘Southern’ classic, rather just a classic.”

In search of butter mints

2007-12-21T12:26:00.000-05:00

In this Sunday’s paper, I’ll be writing about my recent quest to find butter mints in the stores of Charlotte.

They’re a formerly ubiquitous Southern tradition, usually found in glass bowls at weddings, bridge parties and other special occasions.

I decided to try a cookie recipe calling for crushed butter mints. The candies used to be pretty common around here, but after searching a half-dozen mass retailers, I discovered they’re more rare than I thought. (Harris Teeter and other stores had an alternative called “pastel mints” or “pillow mints,” but trust me, they’re no good without the butter).

I finally found them at Reid’s Fine Foods in uptown Charlotte, which is more of a specialty retailer than a full-service grocer.

I’m sure they’re available at other specialty stores, but it made me sad to think that a taste that reminds me of home has gotten so hard to find.

Read on Sunday if you’re interested in seeing the cookie recipe; meantime, please clue me in if you’ve found this delicacy anywhere else, and let me know if there are any other hard-to-find traditional foods you’ve been looking for, and maybe I can give you a tip or two.

Happy holidays, everyone!

Lesson learned: Always check out your handyman

2007-12-18T13:55:00.000-05:00

This is a difficult blog entry for me to write.

It’s a story that reflects poorly on me, as some of my more feisty posters will no doubt quickly point out. It isn’t particularly newcomer-oriented, though newcomers are more likely to risk finding themselves in a similar situation. But it’s a story with a lesson that could help others avoid my mistake, so I’ve decided to share it.

I’m a homeowner who occasionally needs the help of an experienced handyman – I own no power tools, if that gives you an idea of my lack of skills. About six months ago, I had a fairly urgent need for help when my ceiling sprung a leak. There was a handyman in standing in my neighbor’s driveway that morning, taking a break from doing work on my neighbor’s garage, so I asked him if he could help me. He fixed the leak, and did a nice job.

After that, he painted my place, and changed some door hardware and light fixtures. Then came a backsplash in my kitchen. Though he was occasionally erratic about when he showed up, his work and his prices were good. I felt his experience with my neighbor was recommendation enough, so I never checked him out.

When I decided to renovate a bathroom – the biggest project yet – his bid came in much lower than the other contractors I talked to. So I gave him the job.

After two months – a full month longer than anticipated – and with the job still only half-done, my handyman and his helper buddies disappeared.

He left his key ring, with van keys and his housekey, in my home (apparently he left in a buddy’s car the last day he was there). He left all of his equipment in my bathroom – hundreds or perhaps thousands of dollars’ worth of power tools, fully stocked toolboxes and more. And he disconnected his phone.

At first, I thought he was just being erratic as he had been before. But after a week with no word, I was seriously worried. I thought he might be in trouble, injured or dead. I had no other way to reach him. I checked area jails and hospitals and found no record. So, I talked with a police detective and he said it would be appropriate to file a missing persons report.

I did, and before I even returned to the Observer building, I received a call from the patrol officer who visited his last known address. His brother was there, and assured the officer my handyman was fine and not missing. And, someone in the rental office at his trailer park told the officer my handyman had a history of drug use and binges, and that a binge is the most likely explanation for his vanishing act.

There was more: I learned my handyman has a criminal record that includes an arson charge.

So, for nearly two months, I gave a substance abuser with a fairly long criminal history a key to my home and the freedom to come and go with his buddies while I was at work. I have access to Nexis here at the Observer; I could have checked his criminal record in 30 seconds, for free, and avoided ever being in this situation.

Needless to say, I feel extremely stupid. And incredibly lucky that nothing happened to me or to my home that can’t be fixed. Nothing has been stolen; in fact, if he never tries to claim his equipment, I may come out ahead on the deal. I’m changing the locks and, as usual, faithfully using my burglar alarm.

I’m hoping that by sharing this, others will remember to thoroughly check out anyone doing work inside their homes.

Here are some tips on how to do that, thanks to one of our librarians, Sara Klemmer:

The public can go to the courthouse in his/her county and do the searching on the computers there for free.

Also free: NC Dept of Correction: http://www.doc.state.nc.us/offenders/
Search by name or ID number for public information on inmates, probationers or parolees since 1972. This system allows users to view and download any/all public information from the Department of Correction database for convicted offenders. Also includes information on inmate releases and escapees.

These sites may charge for records:

People finder: http://www.peoplefinders.com/Search/Criminal/Default.htm

123nc.com: http://www.123nc.com/

Public Record Finder: http://www.publicrecordfinder.com/states/north_carolina.html

CrimeNC: http://www.crimenc.com/court.htm

Courtsearch:http://www.courtsearch.com/

If anyone else out there has some more commonsense safety tips to share, please feel free to post them here.

Do Northerners and Southerners decorate differently?

2007-12-13T10:30:00.000-05:00

The North vs. South debate has reared its head in the pages of The Charlotte Observer once again – and this time, you can’t blame me.

It seems some contributors to the Observer’s “The Buzz” section on the editorial page feel there’s a difference in style of Christmas decorating between Northerners and Southerners. This debate has spilled over into our Letters to the Editor.

Apparently, multicolored blinking lights and multi-themed yard decorations are more common in Northeastern states, according to buzzers. I also recently heard a Northern transplant complaining Southerners “don’t really decorate for Christmas.” Today's Buzz had an interesting conjecture: "My theory: Southerners display white lights because it reminds us of snow. Northerners use colored lights because white lights don’t show well on snow."

From growing up here, I’ve found that certain houses go all-out, some don’t decorate at all, and most homes are middle-of-the-road, with a lighted tree peeping through a front window, a wreath on the door and perhaps some lighted candles in other windows or some icicle lights on a railing. Giant inflatable Santas and snowmen (and one Hannukah dreidl I’ve seen) are scattered around. Colored lights do seem less common than white lights.

On the few occasions I’ve traveled at Christmastime (which is rare because most of my family is here), I haven’t noticed a dramatic difference, so I’m hoping you guys will fill me in. If you’ve lived or traveled in the North, do you think there’s a difference in holiday decorating between the two regions? Or is this just a misperception by a few folks?

(And I’m sure I don’t even need to warn you to hold off on the name-calling, as those comments will quickly be deleted).

An ode to Charlotte's roads

2007-12-10T14:16:00.000-05:00

Who was W.T. Harris? Where was Sardis? What’s the Community House?

Turns out, lots of folks out there want to know more about how Charlotte’s oft-confusing roads got their names.

After I wrote Sunday explaining four examples of the area’s more colorful road names (including the three above), I’ve received a flood of inquiries on other local road names, from Tom Short to Margaret Wallace. I’m in the process of researching some of the explanations, and I plan to follow up soon.

I can use your input. What other roads’ names are you wondering about? Or, do you know a colorful story behind a road name in your area? Please post here or e-mail me.

In the meantime, I’ll leave you with this poem composed by reader Richard Quadrini, who was inspired to write it from his own experiences trying to find his way around Charlotte's roads:

YOU CAN'T GET THERE FROM HERE
Went out one day to make my way with mind and body sound
Full tank of gas and map in hand, to the eastside I was bound
But roads were bent and streets changed names, Queens Road went round and round
Turned this way once, then back and forth, getting lost I came to fear
So I asked a cop if he would stop and show a way more clear,
He shook his head and said instead, “You can't get there from here!!”

A matchmaker for newcomers?

2007-12-06T11:21:00.001-05:00

I might be able to add the title of "matchmaker" to my many job duties soon.

In many of my columns, I print mini-interviews with newcomers about why they moved here, and what insights about Charlotte they've gained, i.e. "Jane Smith, moved here from Providence, R.I. in September, living in Dilworth, recommends joining Young Affiliates of the Mint as a way to get to know the community."

Turns out, at least three times that I know of, someone has seen one of these interviews and tried to track the person down to ask for a date. (I never give out anyone's contact information, but if someone asks to get in touch with someone I've interviewed, I will pass a message along and give the subject the option of sending a reply).

I'm not aware of any of these cases leading to long-term success stories, but in general I salute the initiative of people who act on their interest (so long as their behavior does not graduate to the stalker-ish).

To me, it's another testament to the fact that family-friendly Charlotte can be difficult for singles looking to meet people. I've certainly heard from many people in this category since I started this job, and several of the articles in Living Here magazine were crafted with the goal of giving suggestions on how to meet people (click here and here to see some).

I'd love to know if anyone out there has any fun stories of how they found romance as a newcomer to Charlotte. Did you meet someone by joining a new group, or visiting a new place - or reaching out to someone you saw in the newspaper?

Local holiday traditions

2007-12-04T17:02:00.000-05:00

It’s time once again to start exploring Carolinas holiday traditions, and I have several tidbits to share.

--First, here’s a little-known tidbit that I find fascinating as a native Charlottean. Turns out our city’s namesake, Queen Charlotte (1746-1818) is credited with having the first documented Christmas tree in England, at Windsor Lodge on Christmas 1800. “She actually re-introduced the custom of the Christmas tree to Britain from Germany following the Puritan regime which had banned Christmas altogether,” wrote Marion Redd, who commissioned Queen Charlotte ornaments several years ago.

A limited supply of the German-made glass ornaments are still available through the Mecklenburg Historic Association, as I wrote in Sunday’s article.

--Next, another follow-up to that article: I left out the Mint Museums, which have sold Queen Charlotte and Queen Charlotte Crown ornaments for over 17 years. The brass ornaments, $15 each, come with information sheets and have been longtime year-round bestsellers. They’re available at both museums: the Mint Museum of Art at 2730 Randolph Road, 704-337-2037, and the Mint Museum of Craft + Design, 704-337-2061.

--And finally, when I wrote Monday about Charlotte’s longstanding Singing Christmas Tree tradition from Carolina Voices (a personal favorite of mine), I learned there’s another act in town.

A reader notified me of the third annual South Charlotte Singing Christmas Tree, performing this weekend (Dec. 7-9, 7 p.m.) at Pineville’s Stough Memorial Baptist Church, 705 Lakeview Drive. Tickets are $10. More information is at www.stough.org.

What other local holiday traditions are you curious about? Let me know.

Please share your Thanksgiving traditions

2007-11-21T09:30:00.001-05:00

What are your Thanksgiving traditions?

When I was interviewing newcomers for today's story about people who clear out of Charlotte to celebrate Thanksgiving "back home," one told me that her Virginia family always gathers for a "big Southern Thanksgiving."

I started thinking about what that means. Most likely, the side dishes include macaroni and cheese, sweet potatoes with marshmallows on top and stuffing made with cornbread. (It was relatively late in my life that I learned people in some parts of the country actually make stuffing with oysters - shudder.) But as far as the nature of the gathering - extended family, all in one place to share in good cheer - I don't think it makes much difference what part of the country you're in.

I grew up in Charlotte, and my family's traditions hail from a combination of the Midwest (Dad grew up in Chicago) and Texas (Mom's from Lubbock). Some of our quirks include an occasionally appearing green jello dish made with cottage cheese and crushed pineapple, and pumpkin pie which I usually serve with Cool Whip (just as good as the real stuff to me, and a lot easier). We usually stress over who's going to make the gravy, because nobody feels confident about it.

Now I'd like to hear some of your family Thanksgiving quirks - and please specify where you grew up. There are probably commonplace dishes and traditions in other parts of the country that I - and fellow Southerners - haven't heard of. And everyone out there, please have a happy and safe holiday!

Is Charlotte less safe than other cities?

2007-11-16T11:36:00.000-05:00

I am so accustomed to talking with newcomers who are thrilled to be in Charlotte that my recent conversation with a Manhattan transplant shocked me.

“I have felt more unsafe here than anywhere I’ve ever lived,” she said. “I think Charlotte has a dark underbelly that not many people talk about.”

The conversation was triggered by discussion of the mysterious case of Kyle Fleischmann, who left an uptown bar alone, without any money, and vanished. His story has resonated because most people I know have a story involving drinking a little too much and losing track of one or two of the friends we went out with. His disappearance has many of us imagining the worst.

There are other reasons my friend feels unsafe. A frightening spate of random robberies has been making news. Women walking alone uptown or in center-city neighborhoods are often bothered by aggressive panhandlers. Crime rates have seesawed here.

But this is my home, and I have always felt fundamentally safe, so long as I took common-sense precautions. I don’t walk alone at night unless I’m in a well-lit, highly-populated area. I use my burglar alarm consistently. I always make sure my cell phone is charged before I go out and I make sure someone knows where I am.

Charlotte isn’t much more dangerous than similar-sized cities. Most violent crimes here, as with most other places, occur between people who know each other. The crime I am most likely to become a victim of is a car break-in. (Please, don’t leave stuff out visibly in your car!)

I also believe that as far as the center city goes, things will get much better – and soon. As each new condo tower opens, it sends a new batch of people out to walk the streets at all hours. So the chances of finding yourself in a frightening situation will diminish.

Last night I was at the Police concert. It was a thrilling feeling to be among the 15,000 people leaving Bobcats Arena all at once – all pumped up from a great show, filling uptown streets. Many of us poured into nearby bars and restaurants – I ended up at Brixx – for a post-show snack and drink.

This scene is repeated anytime there’s a big show at the arena, but I’m hoping that our uptown is developing enough that those kinds of crowds will be commonplace whether or not a special event has brought them there.

Transplants, do you agree with my friend or do you feel safer here than other places? What can be done to improve Charlotte’s sense of safety?

Light-rail etiquette tips?

2007-11-14T12:52:00.000-05:00

OK, you Charlotte-area transplants from other cities with rail systems: I need your input.

The light-rail line through south Charlotte opens the weekend after Thanksgiving. There’s a group of Charlotteans out there who may be setting foot on a light-rail train for the first time. Given the volume of complaints I hear about Charlotte drivers, I imagine there will be a fair number of complaints about rail-riding etiquette.

For those with rail-riding experience, what are your tips? Hopefully most people will know the basics like “let everyone who’s getting off the train out before you try to go in the doors” and “for Pete’s sake, be careful when you’ve got your iPod on full blast.” But perhaps there are more subtle tips you can offer for avoiding annoying your fellow passengers and getting the most trouble-free ride possible.

(And for all you haters out there, this entry is not a referendum on the merits of light rail – you got your chance to weigh in on that during last week’s election. And it’s not a referendum on the merits of Charlotte, either. Please keep your comments on topic).

Personally, I’ve ridden trains in Washington DC, New York City, Chicago, Portland, London and Frankfurt. Each city's system had its own quirks. I’m eager to learn what Charlotte’s quirks will be, and how people will navigate them. In the meantime, I look forward to hearing your advice – and I hope to write an article for the paper, so e-mail me if you’re willing to be quoted by name!

Taken any good road trips lately?

2007-11-12T15:31:00.000-05:00

We live in a great place for road trips, and this past weekend brought me ample opportunity to be reminded of that.

First, I headed to Durham – home of my alma mater, Duke – for an event for alumni of the university’s student newspaper. The highway was filled with cars displaying flags for the ACC football teams playing on Saturday, including UNC Chapel Hill and N.C. State (my beloved Blue Devils have never been a football powerhouse, alas).

The afternoon was so crisp and clear, I envied those who got to spend it outside watching football. Newcomers should put road-tripping to one of our ACC schools for a football or basketball game on their to-do lists.

From there, I headed west on I-40 to the Asheville area, which was hosting the city’s annual film festival. Perhaps I had the drought to thank for the brilliant red-and-gold leaf display along the way, unusually bright for mid-November.

The fest has a tradition of honoring a film actor each year, and this year’s guest was Tess Harper, star of “Crimes of the Heart,” “Tender Mercies” and the N.C.-filmed “Loggerheads.” North Carolinian actors Andie MacDowell and Robby Benson also made appearances. I caught two pretty good flicks, a documentary about Nazi hunter Simon Wiesenthal (“I Have Never Forgotten You”) and a feature about illegal immigration (“Under the Same Moon”). As always, I appreciated the chance to bypass typical popcorn fare for some thought-provoking movies I wouldn’t have otherwise been able to see.

I’m glad to see Charlotte nurturing its own fledgling film festival scene, and I’d love to see the local Charlotte and/or Cackalacky film festivals follow suit with bringing in a headlining actor and/or director to highlight, which would help boost the festivals’ profiles and ticket sales.

In the meantime, I’m grateful I live in a state that has several enjoyable film festivals, along with a lot of other great attractions, just an easy interstate drive away.

Need your input: Transit tax, and Thanksgiving plans

2007-11-08T08:32:00.000-05:00

Did newcomers make the difference in the vote to keep Mecklenburg's transit tax?

They certainly had the power to, as I previously reported. A majority of Mecklenburg's voters registered after the transit tax was first approved in 1998. The half-cent sales tax has paid for expanding bus service and starting a light-rail system.

I heard from colleagues who were out interviewing voters on Tuesday. Many voters who moved here from areas where rail systems are prevalent said they favored keeping the tax. In the Northeast, for example, paying to maintain a rail system is routine for many residents, and New York is the No. 1 state of origin for this region's transplants.

I'm interested in talking with transplants who voted on the transit tax. Please e-mail me with your contact information, and let me know where you moved from and when, and why you voted the way you did.

---

I'm also looking for transplants willing to talk about their Thanksgiving plans. Are you leaving Charlotte to go "back home" for Thanksgiving, or are you staying because Charlotte is "home" now? If you're willing to be interviewed for a Thanksgiving article, you know the drill: E-mail me with contact information, where you moved from and when.

Newcomers: How do you decide how to vote?

2007-11-05T15:37:00.000-05:00

Does the length of time you’ve lived in this area influence how you’ll vote on local issues? Should it?

I pondered this while working on today’s article reporting the fact that more than half of Mecklenburg County’s voters – 51 percent – are people who registered after 1998. The bulk of them moved here from other counties or states.

That’s significant because 1998 is the year Mecklenburg voters first approved a half-cent sales tax to pay for mass transit, and one result of that tax – the south Charlotte light-rail line – is set to open in November.

Tomorrow’s ballot includes a measure to repeal that half-cent sales tax, which could potentially force city leaders to radically alter transportation policy. I found it interesting that, depending on turnout, the vote could rest entirely in the hands of relative newcomers who have no memories of the initial debate that led to Charlotte’s light-rail transit plan.

In my article, experts say there’s no telling how these transplants will lean. Some moved from cities where they’re accustomed to light rail. But newcomers in general are less likely to vote on local issues.

Tomorrow’s ballot includes several other key local issues, including a school bond and races for mayor and city council.

So, I’m interested in hearing from newcomers in particular – if you plan to vote tomorrow, or you’ve early-voted, what factors do you use to evaluate your vote when you’re new to the community?

Follow-up: Halloween ghost tour

2007-11-01T13:03:00.001-05:00

When it’s a dark Halloween night at one of Mecklenburg County’s oldest surviving properties, everything takes on a certain spookiness.

A breeze through trees sounds like whispering. A cat pouncing in dry leaves causes a start. Darkened windows at Historic Rosedale plantation, built in 1815, convey a feeling that perhaps someone inside is watching.

After writing about local ghost stories, I couldn’t resist attending Rosedale’s Halloween ghost tour last night. I’d heard that Rosedale has a reputation among Charlotte’s historic community as one of the most haunted properties in the region – and executive director Deborah Hunter shared many tales of eerie happenings with me and about 20 other attendees.

The house was occupied by descendants of its original family until 1986. “A lot of their spirits still linger here,” Hunter told the group. “There is a lot of family energy in this house.”

In its plantation days, Rosedale was home to 24 enslaved people. One was a root healer named Cherry, whose plantings of arrowroot and other herbs remain in the woods. She was a nursemaid for many of the plantation’s children, and “she is still here,” Hunter said.

About once a month, Hunter and education director Camille Smith smell smoke outside their offices in the house – which smells exactly like the rabbit tobacco Cherry used to smoke. When they first noticed it, they called the Charlotte Fire Department – and only two of the firefighters could smell it. No cause was identified. Now, they accept the occurrences as part of working in the house.

A small cabinet is built into a post on the back porch. It’s not easy to tug open, but many mornings, workers arrive to find it popped open. One of the home’s servants used to keep shaving equipment for a disabled homeowner there; observers assume the servant periodically visits to give his master a shave. “We do have a raccoon out here, but he does not have a crowbar,” Hunter said.

Sometimes, Rosedale employees, volunteers and board members lead nighttime tours with “intuitives,” or psychics. Many have picked up on impressions of former residents of the house. Everyone – intuitive or not – feels sadness and gets headaches when visiting the top floor of the house, where it is believed a former tutor experienced much personal misery about her reduced economic circumstances, and may have punished her pupils by locking them in a closet.

Hunter once saw a ghostly arm cross a doorway in front of her in the house. Recently on a nighttime tour, she felt a tug on her sleeve while nobody was standing nearby – an intuitive told her it was the spirit of a child. Neither incident has fazed her.

“I think we have multiple people that visit and look after us and look after the house,” Hunter said.

Many presences, both happy and sad, have been detected in the kitchen in the house’s basement. That’s where Cherry is believed to reside. Last night it was difficult to detect anything spooky with 20 other people crowded into the brightly lit room, but I did get the sense I was in a room where much activity had occurred over many years.

And there was one strange thing: Bundles of dried herbs hang from the ceiling in one corner. They aren’t near any obvious drafts, and yet one bundle of rosemary – apart from all the others – rotated slowly in a circle while I stood nearby.

A local ghost story for Halloween

2007-10-31T08:50:00.000-05:00

Whether you're among the 34 percent of us who believe in ghosts, I hope you find local ghost stories as interesting as I do.

For one opportunity, you can visit Historic Rosedale, a plantation home just north of uptown on North Tryon Street, tonight - they're conducting ghost tours at 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. (click here for details). Many say its basement is haunted by a former slave named Cherry who cared for children there; other presences have been felt in the home's upper floors and on its grounds.

Meantime, I'll share this ghost story from The Duke Mansion, a historic inn and meeting spot at 400 Hermitage Road in Myers Park, which they sent out in one of their e-newsletters:

"Some time ago, a journalist was invited to write about guests attending a dinner party at White Oaks (former name of Duke Mansion). At the party she met a man. In fact, as the story goes, ...he was the most handsome man I had ever seen...dark curly hair with a distinguished hint of gray, expressive blue-green eyes and a dazzling smile.

"The two hit it off, not just that evening but at many other White Oaks parties at which they met throughout the summer. The only thing that precluded a relationship beyond all those parties was the fact that he had a wife who was in a sanatorium.

"After some time, the journalist realized that the relationship would never work. At an August evening party she told him that they could no longer see each other. He agreed, but insisted that they meet near one of the fountains in the White Oaks gardens at midnight, one year from that August evening and every year thereafter. He made her promise to meet him, dead or alive.

"And so, the story goes, they did meet, every year, until one year when the journalist had become engaged. She decided she would go one more time to tell the handsome man of her impending nuptials. She did not want to attend this rendezvous alone, given the news she needed to deliver, so she took a girlfriend with her.

"They arrived at the fountain shortly before midnight. She saw the handsome man walking toward her from a distance. As he got closer, she realized he was dressed in formal evening attire. Just as he seemed about to walk past her, she extended her arms as if to embrace him. He then proceeded to walk right through her arms, whispering the words, 'Dead or alive!' She and her girlfriend, who had watched the scene from afar, hurried home.

"The next day she called someone in his family on some other pretext. Eventually the conversation turned to him. She was informed that he had died three days earlier. His last words were, 'Dead or alive - will I get there?' And so goes the ghost story of White Oaks."

The story is told in the book "Haunted Houses - Tales from 30 American Homes," by Nancy Roberts, published by The Globe Pequot Press.

Happy Halloween!

What you can learn about the South from movies

2007-10-30T15:04:00.000-05:00

Hollywood has loved portraying the South from its beginning, but the only problem is that many of Hollywood’s ideas about this region are wrong.

That was the message from Bob Mondello, arts critic for National Public Radio, who visited Charlotte Monday evening to give a talk at ImaginOn entitled “Everything I Know About the South I Learned from Movies.” (Click here to read my earlier Q&A with him).

Among the things he learned, he said during his talk:

–Southern belles are a combination of hopeless incompetents and steel magnolias. Examples range from Buster Keaton’s hoop-skirted girlfriend in the Civil War-set “The General,” a 1927 silent film that screened following Mondello’s talk, to Scarlett O’Hara, to Sally Field’s Oscar-winning turn in 1984’s “Places in the Heart.”

–Southern beaux are rebellious nonconformists, a la Rhett Butler.

–The “Old South” was a paradise on earth, as shown in the controversially racist 1915 film “Birth of a Nation.” It was seen in its day by more people than saw “Star Wars,” and many other early films followed its example.

–Racial justice in the South requires the intervention of a Northerner, as learned by Sidney Poitier’s character from 1967’s “In the Heat of the Night” and many injustice-themed films afterward.

–The major themes in the South are conflict, race, alcohol, sex and depravity (i.e. “Deliverance,” “Smokey and the Bandit,” etc.).

The truth, of course, is nowhere near as stereotypical as these images, Mondello said. And later films have touched on many of the positive features of the South, such as the importance of family, strong community and attachment to the land.

Perhaps, he suggested, Hollywood – and the South itself – will wean itself of the negative aspects of these stereotypes and embrace the positive traditions. Perhaps, much like going to see a Western, filmgoers will someday talk of going to see a “Southern.”

What’s your favorite or least-favorite Southern film?

Are homeless people bums?

2007-10-29T15:41:00.000-05:00

Are the homeless people you see in uptown Charlotte “bums”?

Some commenters on an earlier post on this blog used the term freely when referring to the people who panhandle and sit on benches in uptown. I got a chance to consider a different viewpoint on the term this weekend.

Saturday was Hands on Charlotte Day, a big annual event that encourages thousands of locals to pitch in and volunteer to help dozens of local charities.

As an active Hands on Charlotte volunteer, I scanned the list of available projects and chose the Urban Ministry soup kitchen. I was interested in learning more about an agency I hadn’t volunteered with before.

When I pulled up to the facility on North College Street just north of uptown, I saw men and women waiting all around the property. Most appeared to be single and kept to themselves; a few small knots of people chatted with each other. They come to Urban Ministry to shower, do laundry, check possessions into and out of lockers, eat the daily soup kitchen lunch, or enroll in programs including art, photography and soccer. The facility offers a variety of services and referrals to homeless people, but is not a shelter. There are shelters nearby, but many of Urban Ministry’s clients sleep in woods or under bridges.

A man named Tommy who works with a group called “Homeless Helping Homeless” spoke to our group of volunteers. He told the story of how he became homeless for a time – he was struck by a debilitating neurological disorder that caused him to lose two former jobs; he couldn’t find a new one, and couldn’t cut through red tape to get disability payments. He stayed in the Uptown Men’s Shelter for a while but said he “felt like the walls were closing in,” so he put himself onto the streets. Frequently, he said, he’d take a bus to the airport and stay there overnight, pretending to be a stranded traveler. He said he’s sometimes asked why he chose to leave a shelter, and he said he doesn’t quite know. “I guess God wanted me to go through this,” he said.

Eventually, he got his condition under control with medication, got a job and received a grant to get an apartment. Now he speaks to many local groups to put a face on homelessness, he said. I was surprised to meet someone who was educated, not mentally ill and not a substance abuser who ended up homeless.

His advice for dealing with panhandlers: Don’t give them money. There are a lot of places around Charlotte for homeless people to find food and services. If they truly appear hungry, you can offer to buy them food – and their reaction will tell you whether they intended to use the money for food or enable an addiction.

As for the other people I saw at the agency, most took the time to smile, nod and express appreciation for the volunteers. We spent the day weeding, spreading mulch and generally tending to a garden that provides food for the soup kitchen. A couple of clients pitched in and pulled a few weeds with us. One walked by and said hello, then said: “I’m on day 11 out here. The nights are really cold.” I didn’t quite know what to say back, but I returned his greeting.

Personally, I won’t be quick to call anyone I see on the streets a bum. I won’t give them money, but I’m happy to support the agencies that can help them get back on their feet the way Tommy did.

Do you honk and yell at other drivers?

2007-10-24T14:35:00.000-05:00

If you’re one of the Charlotte drivers who likes to honk, yell and gesture at other drivers, I have a question for you:

Does it make you feel better?

I was somewhat amused last month when I wrote a blog post about whether a tendency to honk comes from the Northeast. It posed the question, should drivers here observe Southern driving styles and restrain their use of horns?

More than 40 comments failed to resolve the issue – they reinforced the idea that there are widely diverging driving styles here and many of them clash, hence the near-universal complaints about Charlotte drivers.

Not long ago, though, I had some personal experiences that got me wondering about this topic. In one case, I turned out from the driveway of the Manor Theater on Providence Road and cut it too close with an oncoming car, which had to brake. The woman driving it started gesturing and mouthing something at me. When we pulled up to the next stoplight she was still at it. I thought something was wrong, so I rolled down my window. She just wanted to make good and sure I knew she was yelling at me for my turn.

Then last weekend, I was driving at night to visit my sister-in-law in Mint Hill. Even though I grew up in Charlotte, Mint Hill has never been one of my regular haunts, and I find some of its roads confusing – especially the ones that are unlit at night. I missed a turn and slowed to find a place to turn around. When I turned onto a side street, the car behind me let loose with a long horn blast, apparently offended by my slow driving.

For all that driver knew, I could be a newcomer driving in Mint Hill for the first time. It wouldn’t have exactly been a welcome consistent with Southern hospitality. Every day we have newcomers trying to find places in our region for the first time; I hope they don’t all get honked at when they’re uncertain about their turns.

I freely admit I’m not the best driver around. In both cases, I made mistakes. But the yelling and honking from the other drivers did nothing to make anything better. All they did was upset me, and I can’t help but wonder what they did for the other drivers.

So, I’ll ask the question again: Shouldn’t we all try to restrain our honking?

Newcomers: Know much Charlotte history?

2007-10-22T15:19:00.000-05:00

Do you have to be from Charlotte to be interested in Charlotte’s history?

Not if you work at the Charlotte Museum of History, home to the Hezekiah Alexander Homesite, which dates to 1774 and is Mecklenburg’s oldest surviving residence.

When I visited recently to write today’s column about ghost tours at local historic sites, I met with three newcomers who joined the museum’s staff shortly after moving here from other cities.

Anne Raman, a Philadelphia native, moved here in May 2006 from Columbia. Her background is in the arts and culture – she’s been a curator and gallery director – so she looked for a job that had a sense of place when her husband’s job brought her to the Charlotte area. She became the museum’s community relations manager.

“It just seemed to be such a natural fit to work with Charlotte’s history,” she said. And she was particularly interested to learn that this area’s early settlers originally traveled down the Great Wagon Road from her native Pennsylvania.

“I like to say I took my own great wagon road here,” she said with a laugh.

Also recently joining the staff was Christy Williams, a Chicago native who arrived here in July. Her job as the museum’s executive assistant and special events coordinator fit with her background from her previous job, working for Walt Disney World in Florida, but it was Charlotte’s present more than its past that lured her here.

“I really love the South. I love the weather. Charlotte seems to have it all,” she said.

The most recent arrival is Jan McCormick, the director of education, who moved here Sept. 15. The native of the Lake Placid area of New York has a masters in history, so it’s not surprising that she ended up at the museum.

“Everywhere I move,” she said, “the history is fascinating.”

If you’re a transplant, have you had a chance to learn much about this area’s history? What do you find interesting, and what would you like to know more about?

Biggest unmet local needs

2007-10-17T16:18:00.000-05:00

Where should you direct your charitable efforts?

Last night, a panel of philanthropy experts received a great question from the audience I sat in. If someone has a limited amount of time, energy and money to give to local nonprofits, where should they try to get involved first?

I often hear from newcomers who want to get involved in volunteering fairly soon after they move here. It’s a great way to meet new people and learn about the community – in addition to helping causes you’re passionate about.

Last night’s discussion was part of a program I’m enrolled in, the Impact Fund for Emerging Philanthropists at the Foundation for the Carolinas. Young professionals who want to get involved in philanthropy apply to be a member of this fund for a year. We agree to make a personal donation; go through the process of assessing community needs; seek grant applications from targeted agencies and learn how to give out the group’s pooled money where it will do the most good.

Last night’s panel was aimed at helping members of this group learn other ways to stay involved after this program ends in December. The greatest local needs, according to the panelists, include environmental causes; organizations that help small businesses; and social issues, defined broadly as the “haves” helping the “have-nots.”

If you’re looking to get involved somewhere, check the Web sites of the Foundation for the Carolinas, the United Way of Central Carolinas and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Arts & Science Council for some ideas. Both of the latter groups have their own similar programs for getting young professionals involved in local nonprofits (called, respectively, the Cultural Leadership Training program and Leading the Way). A good way for newcomers to get started is with Hands on Charlotte, which works with a lot of local agencies to supply volunteers to a wide range of causes; they’re especially looking for volunteers for Hands on Charlotte Day, coming up Oct. 27.

Meanwhile, I’m curious to know your thoughts on some more specific needs that aren’t being sufficiently met in this community, and some suggestions of charitable agencies that need more volunteers or donated dollars.

Excited about the new Target store?

2007-10-15T11:16:00.000-05:00

Seen the new uptown Target yet?

Word raced through our newsroom last week, before Sunday's official grand opening, that the store's doors were open early for a "soft opening." So I went by one evening after work, and was thrilled by the experience of walking through a brand-new, clean, nearly-empty store with fully stocked shelves, eagerly beaming employees and nothing out of place.

It's funny to get excited about a Target, when there are so many around the region, but I know I wasn't alone. And when Wal-Mart opened its store on Wilkinson Boulevard not long ago - bringing some much-needed retail to an underserved area - it was mobbed by excited throngs too.

For me, the thrill isn't so much about the mass chain merchandise, but about seeing us finally get some "big-box" stores constructed for an urban setting. The Wal-Mart on Wilkinson is concealing its ugly sea of asphalt with a row of more-attractive outparcel stores on the street edge of its parking lot. Meanwhile, the new Target at the Metropolitan development, site of the former Midtown Square on Charlottetowne Avenue, is actually a two-story building. The first level is the Home Depot Expo Design Center, scheduled to open this Thursday. Instead of an unsightly giant asphalt parking lot, the stores adjoin a more compact parking deck.

Many of Charlotte's big-box retailers abandoned corridors such as Independence Boulevard and Albemarle Road to move further out into the suburbs in the last two decades. They left their empty carcasses behind, and many of them have yet to be replaced. I'm hoping that these newer urban-style developments - along with the new Lowe's store under construction on South Boulevard as part of a mixed-use block - won't meet a similar fate.

Have you had a chance to check any of these spots out? If so, what do you think?

What's the ideal driving tour of Charlotte?

2007-10-11T11:02:00.000-05:00

If you’ve got just a few hours to give someone a driving tour of the Charlotte region, what sights should be included?

Thanks to Drew for e-mailing me this question. He lives in Ballantyne:

“I’m curious as to what you would suggest as a route. I’ve tried to hit the following things: a nice view of the skyline; Trade and Tryon where they can see the tree-lined streets and character of uptown; Bank of America Stadium is visible from just about anywhere so that’s easy to point out; since we have young kids, I like driving by Discovery Place, the library, and perhaps ImaginOn; and I somehow snake down to Myers Park and the older homes. I know I’m missing a bunch of things on that drive and I sometimes find myself taking a less than beautiful detour.”

I suggested that while he’s uptown, he should swing through the Fourth Ward neighborhood bounded by Trade, Tryon, Graham and 11th streets to see some of Charlotte’s most historic Victorian-style homes. While there, he could perhaps bring his guests to neighborhood joint Alexander Michael’s on 9th Street for a drink or some fried dill pickles.

I also suggested that from uptown, he could travel to his tree-shaded Myers Park drive by way of Third Street, which changes into Providence and leads to the famously confusing intersection of Providence, Providence, Queens and Queens.

But there’s certainly a lot more of this region to see, from all points of the compass. Where else would you go?

Newcomers: I-485 confusing enough for you?

2007-10-09T10:20:00.000-05:00

My heart goes out to newcomers who have to use Interstate 485.

I’m a near-native who was in high school here when work began on the outerbelt in the late 1980s, and I still made a whopper of a mistake while driving it yesterday. I can only imagine how confusing it must be for first-time-drivers from other cities.

I was supposed to meet someone off the outerbelt’s exit 44, in the Union County community of Fairview. I had no idea where that particular exit was and just figured I couldn’t be too far off if I headed down 77, started in Pineville and worked my way east.

Wrong. I entered the outerbelt at exit 67- a full 23 miles away from my destination exit. I had to sheepishly call my appointment and say I’d be 25 minutes late. Since I was coming from near uptown, I would’ve been far better off heading to the loop via Independence Boulevard.

What makes me feel even more foolish is that as editor of the Living Here magazine, I oversaw the creation of an exit-by-exit map of the outerbelt (find it on page 101 of the magazine or click here for an interactive online version). I won’t be heading to any more unfamiliar destinations without checking it first.

Last week, when I met with a newcomer group, several members asked me about the confusing "inner" and "outer" designations for the directions on 485. Since it’s a loop, you can’t keep things straight if you try to use north, south, east and west, so you have to think of it like the face of a clock – "inner" is the clockwise direction, the lanes closest to uptown. It’s the way you’d go from University City to Matthews, for example. "Outer" is the counterclockwise direction, the lanes furthest from uptown, which you’d take from Steele Creek to Mint Hill for example.

Drivers, I’d like to hear from you. What do you think is the most confusing part of the 485 outerbelt? What’s your pet peeve about driving it (other than the rush-hour backups, of course)? What do you think should be done to improve it?

Stink at bowling? Not a problem for making new friends

2007-10-05T09:39:00.000-05:00

I've got a new tip for those seeking ways to meet new people: A bowling league through Sports Connection.

I should hasten to say that I really, truly, stink at bowling. I did not officially join a league, but a group of my friends did, and they asked if I would be one of their alternates. This is a co-ed league, so they need to have two women and two men willing to show up each week.

Turns out, you can stink and still do well in this league. Standings are calculated by the percentage of times your team's total beats the total of the team you're bowling against each night. So if you're the weak link and the opposite team has an equally weak link, you'll still win. Or if the other team has a no-show, that helps too. So, after three weeks - two of which I bowled as an alternate - my team is tied for first in the league. My highest score: 102. Lowest: 68. (Hence the stinking).

The alley is packed every night for this league, and opportunities abound to meet new people at the jukebox, in the beer line or in the lane next to you.

Click here (http://sportsconnectionnc.com/adult_bowling.html) to see the info. about Sports Connection adult bowling leagues - another one starts Nov. 29. And if bowling isn't your thing, Sports Connection has leagues for soccer, flag football, kickball, softball, volleyball, basketball and more, in addition to many other social activities.

This is just one of the groups mentioned in the recent listings that appeared in Living Here magazine (click here and here to see them), our annual guide to the Charlotte region.

My blogging friend Deirdre McGruder has started a discussion on activities specifically for singles on her blog We Can Relate: http://wecanrelate.blogspot.com/2007/10/singles-lets-help-each-other.html

Anyone else out there have tips that can help other newcomers - not necessarily singles only - meet new people?

Should all of Spirit Square be saved?

2007-10-03T16:05:00.000-05:00

Perhaps you’ve heard there’s been a flurry of attention around Spirit Square, the arts venue based in a historic former Baptist church in uptown Charlotte.

Originally, most of its structure save for the historic church sanctuary was slated for redevelopment and likely demolition as part of the complicated land-swap deal for an uptown baseball stadium. That plan was put on hold after a public outcry, but city and county leaders persist in trying to reap the benefits of the valuable land it sits upon, along with the Main Library next door. Expect to hear about changes to that block in the coming months.

Yesterday, a member of the task force studying what to do with the complex gave an update to members of Historic Charlotte, accompanied by local historian Tom Hanchett.

As a near-native (I was born outside Charlotte but grew up here from age 6), I’ve been aware of Spirit Square’s significance to the uptown landscape since it opened in the 1970s. Most of my affection was directed toward domed First Baptist Church sanctuary, the creation of architect J.M. McMichael.

But what I didn’t realize until last night is that the rest of the structure, even though it seems to be a hodgepodge that’s ugly in spots, is also historically significant.

The original church building opened in 1908, replacing a structure that had been erected there in 1884. In 1922 came the gallery in the rear, originally a printing plant and now home to the main gallery of local film and photography museum The Light Factory, with a distinctive sawtooth roofline. In 1923, the neighboring education building – now home to a number of local arts groups – opened. In 1952, a second educational building – the one facing Seventh Street, with a WFAE radio studio visible through its ground-floor window – joined the complex. It’s one of the only surviving examples of international-style architecture in the center city, Hanchett said.

Renovations in the 1980s added the new lobby entrance adjacent to the sanctuary on Tryon Street and a new rear entrance facing College Street.
Architect David Wagner, the task force member who led last night’s discussion, noted that Spirit Square has already evolved several times from its original use. The current question, he said, is "what is its next iteration?"

The task force, he said, is "trying to figure out what this building needs to be for the next 15-20 years."

There are already plans to put a soaring condo tower atop another nearby historic structure – the Carolina Theatre. It’s difficult to imagine that either Spirit Square or the Main Library could retain their character and charm if they were dwarfed by condos above them. What happens to the arts groups that use the buildings if the block is redeveloped? And from a historical perspective, does Spirit Square retain its full historic value if any of the structures around the sanctuary are torn down?

What’s your vote – would you keep all the current uses at Spirit Square and Main Library and just develop the parking lot portion of the block, or would you rather see a different use for more of that area? E-mail me or post here.

Great local resource: Discovery Place

2007-10-01T10:55:00.000-05:00

Discovery Place was an uptown Charlotte pioneer when it opened in the early 1980s, and it has continued to be an asset to this community. Recently, it extended its run of the popular Body Worlds exhibit through early January. And, this week, there's a unique opportunity to hear from a famous astronomer, John Dobson, and to see the stars during a free "star party" on the roof of the parking deck this Saturday night.

I interviewed Dobson last week, and he was a hoot - many of his comments were spicy and unprintable, but he clearly has a passion for bringing the stars closer to people and increasing our awareness of the universe around us. I promised readers of today's paper an extended version of my interview, so here goes the printable parts (please don't forget the newcomer-related discussions in previous blog entries, which have led to some lively discussion, so scroll down if you're not interested in astronomy!)

Q. How did you get so fascinated with looking at the heavens?
When I looked through a 12-incher at the third-quarter moon, I was shocked. I had no idea the moon looked as though I was about to come in for a landing. I thought, ‘My God, everybody has got to see this."
That’s what the sidewalk astronomers do, we try to make it possible for the people who live in this world to see where the hell they live.

Q. To see their place in the universe?
Yes. Most people don’t notice that they’re in the universe. They think they’re in Carolina or wherever. That’s as far as it goes. They think the sun and the moon are about 200 miles up there. And it’s really not like that at all.

Q. Are you still teaching classes?
Yes, I still teach cosmology classes and telescope making classes.
My mission is to bring people to the universe. I was not particularly interested in pushing these types of telescopes, except that they’re easier to use, and we could manage them cheaply, you see, so that’s why we do it that way. I didn’t mean to start a revolution. That was not my intention at all.

Q. But you did, didn’t you.
Well yes. That’s what they blame me for.
I’ve become a cult hero, you see, because of that. I’ll tell you why. In the 60s, when you adults were using their telescopes, they were little tiny telescopes, maybe 4 inches across the glass, and they weren’t anything to look through anyway. They were set up for taking pictures. They were not really any good for seeing galaxies and things. You need a much bigger glass for seeing those things. So while they were running those things, we were running a 24-incher that sleeps three in the tube.

Q. Has interest remained strong today in amateur astronomy?
There was almost no interest in amateur astronomy when sidewalk astronomers started in the 60s. There was no such thing as a star party. Their telescopes were too small. What we do now with star parties with a whole lot of people there and a whole lot of telescopes, that was not going on in the 60s. They blame that all on me.

Q. Has light pollution in cities affected what you do?
Those dim fuzzies, we call them, galaxies and things, you can’t see them, they’re too far away you see, if you have a lot of lights around. We do that in our national parks with our 24-incher. When we’re in the national parks, we usually don’t have a lot of light pollution.
That’s one problem. But letting people see the planets and the moon in the cities. They’re lit by the sun for crying out loud, they’re not intimidated by the stupid lights from a city.

But one time in Los Angeles, the lights were so bright we could hardly find Jupiter with our bare eyes. That wasn’t a good night.
We give them a slideshow first. Show them pictures, so they have some idea what the hell’s going on out there you see. Then I get up on the ladder and explain what’s seeing. And then I tell them when you’re finished looking, you can get right back in line, and then when you get up to me again, you can tell me ‘I’ve already seen those dumb stars,’ and I’ll get you something else.

One time at the Grand Canyon, after we’d closed down at midnight, the Australian astronomers stayed up the whole rest of the night sketching galaxies with the 24-incher, galaxies that they can’t see in Australia, they don’t come over the horizon in Australia. And they spent the whole rest of the night sketching those galaxies.

Q. Why is it important to look through telescopes? What would you say to someone who never has?
I just tell them to come and look. Most people just walk by, they’re not about to look. Most people think they already know all they need to know. I know perfectly well that they don’t. And so many of them are shocked when they look through, at Jupiter or Saturn or any of these things. They’re shocked. They had no idea you could see anything like that. No idea the moon looks as though you could walk on it. What I often say nowadays is that if we can walk on the moon, we can understand this universe. And we have walked on the moon. So the universe is an understandable affair. So let’s just attack it.

You can make a telescope in about a week and you can see these things yourself. But understanding what we’re seeing, we’ve been working at it for several thousand years, and we haven’t got it finished.

Q. Anything to add?
Keep your eyes open.

Stop the honking!

2007-09-28T10:28:00.000-05:00

Today I heard from Carla Parks, a transplant who was distressed by a burst of honking she heard in traffic this morning.

She and her husband moved to Myers Park last year after 25 years in Connecticut. Here’s what she wrote:

"I’m a little upset by what I heard this morning at the corner of Selwyn and Queens Road West.

Someone was making a left turn in their black SUV, blocking the ‘thru’ lane on Selwyn, thus stopping traffic in a lane that should be allowed to flow. These things happen, and as I have noted in the past, many people in Charlotte exhibit the patience to wait until the traffic moves again WITHOUT blowing the horn in their car.

As a transplant from the NY Tri-State area, horn blowing was a common occurrence. Drivers blow their horns for the least little thing, and that is the way of life....THERE.

However, I feel that transplants should be reminded that it is NOT the norm in the Charlotte area to be quick on the horn and that local, albeit ‘Southern’ customs should be respected and upheld.

Yes, one of the best things about moving to Charlotte is that there are so many transplants here. However, it is my opinion that transplants need to adopt the charming/patient ways of this new community they have moved into."

It’s interesting that she wrote me with this point today, because I have been working for several weeks now on an article on a related subject that will run in this Sunday’s paper.

I’ve crunched the latest numbers that came out this month from the U.S. Census, and perhaps nobody will be surprised to know that in many parts of this region, transplants outnumber the natives. Thus, the resulting mixture of driving habits, food preferences and accents from all over the country, and the world.

So, what are the implications for our culture? Are we still the South? And what does it mean to be the South these days anyway?

Big questions – I asked newcomers, natives and experts for their views, and even after all that research I’m not sure it’s possible to give a definitive answer. You’ll see my take on Sunday, in conjunction with the publication of Living Here magazine. Meanwhile, I welcome you to post some thoughts here or get in touch.

SUNDAY UPDATE: My article about the changes to our culture published today; Click here to see it. And Living Here magazine is on the streets - its content will be available year-round at www.charlotte.com/livinghere.

Latino newcomers: Myths vs. Facts

2007-09-26T10:35:00.000-05:00

Everyone in this region has to cope with myths.

Northeasterners who move here have to battle stereotypes about their accents, food preferences and driving habits.

Southerners – well, they have to deal with different stereotypes about the same things.

And if you’re Latino, you have a whole other batch of myths to contend with.

I gained a new perspective on this issue this week when I attended a brownbag lunch organized by Tom Hanchett at Levine Museum of the New South. Heather Smith, an associate professor of geography at UNC Charlotte, presented findings from research she did with colleague Owen Furuseth to contribute a chapter to the recent book "Latinos in the New South: Transformations of Place" (Ashgate Publishing).

Charlotte is ranked fourth among the nation’s fastest-growing Hispanic communities – 932 percent growth from 1980 to 2000. Census numbers are notoriously unreliable for counting, but it’s estimated about 100,000 Latinos are in Charlotte now, and tens of thousands more around the region.

Here are some of the myths they’ve faced:

MYTH: Charlotte had no Latino population before 1990.
FACT: Charlotte’s community of Cuban, Puerto Rican and South American residents was booming by the 1970s.

MYTH: Charlotte’s Latino immigrants are overwhelmingly young, male Mexicans.
FACT: The immigrants are 41 percent Mexican, 17 percent Central American, 9 percent South American and 33 percent other ancestry. And while the majority are male, females and complete families make up make up the fastest-growing categories of immigrants.

MYTH: Latinos are primarily undocumented.
FACT: Forty-three percent of Charlotte’s Latino residents are U.S. citizens and an unknown additional number are legally documented residents moving from other areas of the U.S.

I’m not presenting this to get into an immigration debate. I’m doing it to show that the facts about newcomers often challenge or contradict stereotypes.

We’re a region increasingly dominated by transplants all drawn here for the same reasons: A good economy, good weather, a good quality of life. As this blog has shown, sometimes there are tensions as our diverse newcomers learn how to get along with each other – and the natives.

If you’re a transplant, what do you think are some of the predominant stereotypes about where you’re from – and which ones are unfair?

Hard to keep up with Charlotte's changes

2007-09-21T11:08:00.000-05:00

A short drive is all it takes to see how much Charlotte is changing.

This week, I took one with Bobby Sisk of WCNC, the Observer’s news partner, to tape a report that will air Monday on the 5 a.m. and 11 a.m. newscasts (UPDATE: To see the video, click here.).

We started by the construction site of the NASCAR Hall of Fame, a pile of red dirt at College and Stonewall streets uptown that will be a major tourist attraction with national draw when it opens, as planned, in 2010.

A few blocks away, we drove past the construction site of the Metropolitan condo tower, Target store and Home Depot rising at the site of the former Midtown Square. It’s bringing a pedestrian-friendly, greenway-oriented development to the spot that once held Charlotte’s first enclosed shopping center.

We turned south and drove for a while along the light-rail line, set to open along South Boulevard this November. It’ll give commuters a new option for getting to work, and it’s sparking major new development along the corridor.

Then we swung a little to the west, to the site where the former Charlotte Coliseum was imploded in June to make way for a development of townhomes, retail and more called City Park. It’s part of the revitalization of westside Charlotte, formerly a mostly-abandoned side of town. But given its easy proximity to uptown, major highways and Lake Wylie, developers have definitely discovered it.

We then returned to the WCNC station off Billy Graham Parkway, beside the new home of the Billy Graham Library, which opened this spring. It’s home to the definitive history of the nation’s most famous evangelist, who’s also a Charlotte native.

And that was just one small circuit. We didn’t even venture out to the new developments taking place at Lake Norman, Cabarrus and Union counties, Ballantyne and further south. All of the area’s changes can be hard to keep up with sometimes, which is why the Observer annually publishes the Living Here magazine – a complete guide to the region.

You may have seen that the magazine will publish soon – next Sunday, Sept. 30 – in most home-delivered Observers, newspaper racks in Mecklenburg and Union counties and on Charlotte.com. I’ll be posting updates here and you can see more information next week in the Observer and on WCNC.

What are some of the biggest changes you’ve seen taking place around Charlotte, and what are their best or worst aspects?

Want to learn more Charlotte history?

2007-09-20T10:30:00.000-05:00

Ever wonder who’s behind the names of Charlotte places like Myers Park, Wilkinson Boulevard or Brevard Street?

There’s a place in Charlotte where you can go to find out who nearly all of the city’s important early residents were and when they lived.

It’s Elmwood/Pinewood Cemetery, open since 1853 in uptown Charlotte, with an entrance off Sixth Street. I promise this place isn’t creepy – it has the peaceful, hushed feel of a park. Joggers, bicyclists and dog-walkers frequent its pathways. I went there this week on a guided tour led by Historic Charlotte, to write a column that will run in this Saturday’s paper.

Incongruously, it’s surrounded on all sides by "new Charlotte" – bank towers, Interstate 77, and Gateway Village peep through the trees. A little further off, the tower of Biddle Hall at Johnson C. Smith University is visible.

The 100-plus acres consists of Elmwood, the 9th Street Pinewood Cemetery – a segregated resting spot for black residents until a wall between the two was torn down in 1969 – and Potter’s Field, a pauper’s cemetery. Though all plots have been sold since 1947, there’s room for 5,000 more burials to take place.

If you explore, you can find tombstones telling the story of local soldiers who fought in the Spanish-American War, the Civil War, both World Wars and more. In the Pinewood section, you can see the graves of early Charlotte black leaders such as W.W. Smith, architect of the Mecklenburg Investment Co. building at Third and Brevard streets uptown. You can also see the sad evidence of vandals, damage from lawnmowers and neglect that has toppled some valuable tombstones.

For more info, contact Historic Charlotte for a brochure with a map and guide to some of the historic tombstones, 704-375-6145, or e-mail local expert Lynn Weis to set up a guided tour: weis@carolina.rr.com.

Many people – myself included – have lamented that Charlotte has obliterated much of its history, but if you look around, you’ll know it isn’t gone yet. Are there any aspects of Charlotte history you’ve been curious about? Get in touch and I’ll try to get the answers for you.

Charlotte vs. Portland: A comparison

2007-09-17T13:54:00.000-05:00

Charlotte and Portland, OR are frequently compared to one another, thanks to their similar populations and demographics. Also, both are experiencing a boom in high-rise condo construction in their center cities.

This past weekend, while visiting friends who moved there from North Carolina, I found myself pondering those factors that comprise a city’s "quality of life," the factor that keeps newcomers pouring into Charlotte in droves – much faster, in fact, than they’re flowing into Portland, according to Census statistics. Some thoughts:

--Scenery. Both cities are blessed with great natural beauty. Within 20 miles of Portland, we visited the Columbia River Gorge, with stunning vistas and waterfalls easily accessible from the highway. On clear days, Mt. Hood and Mt. Saint Helens are visible on the horizons. It takes a bit longer to drive to the N.C. mountains, but the Oregon mountains don’t have the same fall leaf-viewing season we do because so many of their trees are evergreens, my friends tell me.

--Public transportation. Portland’s system is much more extensive, with a combination of buses, light rail and streetcars. It’s also extremely bicycle-friendly. My Portland friends bike or take trains most places. The transit system is well-used there, probably due to a combination of dense development and a high environmental consciousness among residents.

It remains to be seen how well-used Charlotte’s first light-rail line will be when it opens as expected this fall along South Boulevard, but it’s hard to imagine this city will be anywhere near as bicycle-friendly as Portland anytime soon.

--Weather. Most of the weekend was gray and cool – typical, I’m told, for Portland. There’s no doubt the Charlotte area gets more sunshine – but we also get more extreme temperatures, particularly our summer heat.

--Greenery. Both cities have formidable tree canopies. I was particularly impressed by how many Portland houses had elaborate flower gardens in their front yards. Charlotte is also blessed with a long and abundant gardening season, but I don’t see as many front-yard gardens greeting the passers-by here.

--Fashion. It was a far cry from the buttoned-down bankers-and-churchgoers that dominate much of the public scene around Charlotte. I saw lots of T-shirts, fleeces, jeans, shorts and sandals or flip-flops – and plenty of body art too.

--Food. While Charlotte probably has a similar range of choices now, they’re more scattered about and a bit harder to find. On my final night in Portland, my hostesses and I pondered whether we’d prefer Cuban or Lebanese food – both easily accessible and reasonably priced. I could find both of those in Charlotte but I’d have to drive a lot further. (We went with the Cuban and it was amazing).

Portland also had many great breakfast restaurants, which I enjoyed partaking, but the biscuits were terrible. I’m also told that in Portland you can’t find pork barbecue or any places where macaroni and cheese and banana pudding are considered vegetables. I loved my visit, but I was also perfectly happy to get back home and drink some sweet ice tea.

Charlotte is also frequently compared to Nashville, Raleigh and Austin. Anyone out there have some thoughts on comparisons between Charlotte and these or similar cities?

A Russian group's impressions of Charlotte

2007-09-13T13:21:00.000-05:00

Talk about newcomers. What would it be like to spend a few days in Charlotte if you grew up in Russia?

I had lunch today with a group of women from Russia who are spending a week visiting here. It’s a program teaming Charlotte Sister Cities with the Open World Leadership Center. They’re from several different parts of the country, including the Moscow area, near St. Petersburg and Siberia. Naturally, I wanted to hear their impressions.

How does Charlotte compare to Moscow, I asked Natalia Maslova, who is traveling with the group and acting as a translator.

"Moscow is a very, very big city, and it is easier to compare Moscow with New York City," she said. "Life in Charlotte is a little bit slower and maybe more relaxed. I have seen some traffic jams, but not as bad as in Moscow."

Like newcomers from elsewhere in the U.S., the group commented repeatedly on the friendliness and hospitality they’d encountered here. Group members said they were pleased to see Charlotte’s high number of churches and the importance of worship – something that is also very important for them back home, they said.

For Svetlana Largina, who lives in the town of Dubna outside Moscow, Charlotte’s affluence was obvious. "What we can see is a very high level of living here," she said through an interpreter.

Olga Kovalevskaya, from the Siberian town of Seversk, was surprised to learn Charlotte has nuclear power stations nearby – it’s difficult in Russia to build nuclear stations close to highly developed areas, she said.

She and a Siberian travel companion also said Charlotte’s architecture is different from what they’re accustomed to in their colder climate – there are more big glass windows on buildings here and the interiors are lighter, they said.

Other differences? They are not accustomed to being offered so much cold water with ice at mealtimes. Women in Russia wear higher-heeled shoes than women here. Hot tea is more popular than ice tea in Russia. And one pleasant surprise?

"They had a stereotype about American food that it is not tasty," said Maslova. "Here, they can see the food is very varied."

To other newcomers out there, what else in Charlotte has surprised you since you got here?

Uptown condo boom: All good news?

2007-09-11T14:58:00.000-05:00

What do you think of Charlotte's boom in building uptown condos?

I posed that question to readers after Monday’s article and WCNC report from the top of the TradeMark, the second high-rise tower to open to residents in uptown. It’s among 20 high-rise condo projects planned or underway inside the 277 loop.

Respondents had mixed views of just how positive the trend is. Examples:

---Jimmy Jordan: "It is amazing that a market the size of Charlotte can support the seemingly ‘sudden’ and ‘overnight’ construction of 20 new residential high rise condominium towers in the (center city). I believe it says a lot about desire of America to return to the heartbeat of its greatest cities. Very exciting!"

---Bob Ellis: "Years from now the view could be the seventeenth floor of the next tower. Give me my view of my trees from my deck."

--Marcos: "Charlotte has plenty of jobs available so far. However, we have to stop building so many condos because this growth is unsustainable for the next three years."

Now it’s your turn to weigh in!

Provocative questions at Charlotte filmfest

2007-09-10T09:43:00.000-05:00

What does it mean to be a Southerner? And what is our place in the larger world?

I had the chance to reflect on these questions over the weekend after watching the Charlotte Film Festival selections "Moving Midway" and "Facing Sudan."

The first, "Midway," is a documentary about a Raleigh man examining his family's history as plantation owners. His cousin, who inherited a plantation home held in the family since before the Civil War, recently responded to encroaching development by deciding to sell his land, pick up the plantation home and move it via an elaborate system of steel beams, cables and trucks to an undisturbed tract a few miles away.

Much of my family hails from the South. So for me the film was an occasionally painful experience. It examines why Southerners proudly consider themselves, as UNC-Charlotte professor Owen Furuseth recently said in my article about Southern stereoypes, "somehow different from the rest of the country," yet feel compelled to rationalize the South's shameful role in perpetuating slavery. It examines the "plantation myth," a la "Gone With the Wind," which portrays the tracts as places where only genteel traditions were practiced and of course every slave was treated kindly. And it explains why, even today, developers have no qualms about including the word "plantation" in the name of a shopping center or neighborhood.

A newcomer once told me of her shock about that practice when she learned of the Providence Plantation neighborhood in Charlotte. And the shopping center built where the titular Midway once stood in Raleigh now bears the name "Shoppes at Midway Plantation." Until I spoke to that newcomer, it had never struck me as strange - the word "plantation" in my mind primarily evoked images of white-columned homes and magnolia trees. Now, it evokes conflicting feelings to know that plantations are part of my family's heritage.

Sunday, the festival wrapped up with the documentary "Facing Sudan." It was a harsh - yet occasionally hopeful - look of the genocide that has torn apart Africa's largest country, generating mostly indifference from the rest of the world. It left me reeling to learn the conflict there has cost more lives than Bosnia, Kosovo, Rwanda and Somalia combined, yet has generated comparatively little public attention. It left me wondering how people can be so inhuman to one another.

It also proposed solutions, such as investing in charities that are building wells in Sudan and giving its tribal people some much-needed safety and stability. And it gave an inspiring look at those who participate in the work of Doctors Without Borders, bringing medical care to those who so desperately need it.

I am grateful to the organizers of the festival for bringing works that provoke such thought, reflection and desire for change. While I enjoy the occasional brainless Hollywood film as much as the next person, I'm glad that some filmmakers take their roles more seriously and I'm glad for the chance to see works I wouldn't see otherwise. There's another film festival coming up soon in Charlotte, the Cackalacky Film Festival, Oct. 18-21, http://www.cackalackyfilmfest.com/. Festivals like these are a chance to provide some much-needed support for independent film.

Did anyone else out there make it to the filmfest? If so, what did you think?

Got weekend plans?

2007-09-06T15:47:00.001-05:00

What are you doing this weekend?

All I can say is, your answer had better not be "nothing." There’ll be no better time to get out to see what Charlotte has to offer.

"September is a wonderful month in Charlotte," said Michael Smith, head of Charlotte Center City Partners, at Wednesday’s official kickoff of Charlotte Shout!

Shout is a festival stretching through Sept. 29 that includes more than 200 performances and events at 40 venues around town.

Even if you’re one of those who views the "Shout!" identity as a somewhat meaningless way to package arts events that would most likely be occurring in September anyway, why complain about that?

Take this weekend for starters. Your choices include the Charlotte Film Festival, the Charlotte Dance Festival, the Greek Festival, and Saturday’s "cultural free-for-all" in which nearly every attraction in town has free admission.

Participants: Carolina Raptor Center (10am - Noon), Charlotte Museum of History (10am - 5pm), Discovery Place (9am-11am), Historic Latta Plantation (10am - 5pm), Historic Rosedale (1:30pm - 4:30pm), Levine Museum of the New South (10am - 6pm), McColl Center for Visual Art (11am - 4pm), The Light Factory (9am - 6pm), Wing Haven Gardens & Bird Sanctuary (10am - 5pm) and Mint Hill Arts (10am - 2pm).

And at SouthPark mall, you can catch free music performances all day Saturday: Carolina Voices (11:30am), Chamber Music at St. Peter's (12:05pm), Community School of the Arts (12:35pm), Charlotte Philharmonic Orchestra Musician (1:10pm), Afro-American Cultural Center (1:45pm), Charlotte Symphony Quartet (2:20pm), The Gold Standard Chorus (2:55 pm), Charlotte Civic Orchestra (3:30pm) and Martha Connerton/KineticWorks (4:05pm).

Click on www.charlotteshout.com to get details on all these events plus options for the rest of the month.

If you're planning to go out and try something you've never seen here before, please write me and let me know what you think.

Should every local specialty go national?

2007-09-04T09:53:00.001-05:00

Most of the bigger names in the retail and restaurant business want to open new locations here in Charlotte. But some businesses popular in other parts of the country are destined to keep their reach small for the forseeable future.

One of those is In-N-Out burger, a chain with a hungrily cultish following in California, Nevada and Arizona. It started in 1948 as the nation’s first drive-through hamburger stand. After I invited readers to name their favorite businesses missing from Charlotte, many former Westerners sang the burger company’s praises.

"The most wonderful burgers in the world are from In-N-Out Burger. If they ever expanded out this far east, people in Charlotte would become addicted," wrote Sara Stevens, a Charlottean who spent six months living in California.

"My wife, kids and I just moved here last year from southern California (L.A.). We love it, but do miss a couple of the fast food places over there. One is In-N-Out burger. Nothing else is on the menu except burgers and fries, and they are both the best," added John Nasir.

I called the company last week while I was working on last Sunday’s article about Charlotte’s most-requested missing retailers, and didn’t hear back in time for my deadline. But this morning, I had an answer from them waiting in my inbox:

"We're quite flattered that many of your readers mentioned us in your survey. We don't have any plans to expand to the east coast in the near future. We make all our hamburger patties ourselves and deliver them fresh to all of our stores. We don't have a freezer in any of our restaurants. Our freshness standards have a great deal to do with our growth plans. While we do hope to be on the east coast someday, it's still a ways off in the future."--Carl Van Fleet, V.P. Planning and Development, In-N-Out Burger.

My question is, is this necessarily a bad thing? Regional specialties like distinctive burgers or pastries or old-time hardware stores are part of what makes each city fun to visit or live in. I wouldn’t want to see Bill Spoon’s Barbecue franchised – would you? What are some other examples of local specialties that are better off remaning local?

Charlotte better for tourists than Nashville?

2007-08-30T18:10:00.001-05:00

Charlotte a better tourist destination than Nashville?

A recent national ranking that named Charlotte the 26th most-visited city in the nation, ahead of Nashville, was part of the buzz this afternoon at the general meeting of the Greater Charlotte Hospitality & Tourism Alliance.

That’s the folks who run local hotels, restaurants and tourist attractions, and those who do business with them.

Some are surprised to hear that news, given Nashville’s national draw as the home of country music.

The hospitality and tourism industry generated $3 billion in economic impact in Mecklenburg last year and aims to increase that total to $4 billion by 2010, said the group’s leader, Mohammad Jenatian.

Among the ways they’re aiming to do that:

--Bringing minor-league baseball to uptown Charlotte with a complicated land swap. The deal as planned should also result in the redevelopment of Second Ward, currently the government sector of uptown, and a new park in Third Ward near Bank of America Stadium. Charlotte Center City Partners honcho Michael Smith told the group land should start changing hands by Sept. 30, another swap is planned by Oct. 15 and the Mecklenburg County Commissioners should vote on the deal Oct. 16.

--Participating in the campaign opposing the repeal of the county’s 1/2-cent sales tax that goes toward mass transit. If the county’s bus and light rail system are cut back as a result of repealing the tax, many hospitality workers might have trouble getting to work in early mornings or late nights, Jenatian said. (An anti-tax petition got a measure to repeal the tax onto the Nov. 6 election ballot).

--Getting more people to go rafting at the U.S. National Whitewater Center. As recently reported in the Observer, visitor traffic is ahead of projections, but not enough of the visitors are actually going rafting, center director Jeff Wise said. "A lot of people are intimidated by the activities out there," he said. So the new focus is getting the message out that the whitewater isn’t just for Olympic-caliber athletes – it’s for beginners too. The center is also reaching out to meeting planners to hold corporate retreats there.

--And finally, the much-hyped NASCAR Hall of Fame, scheduled to open in uptown Charlotte by 2010. Tim Newman, who heads the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority, told the crowd the hall’s design is done, schematics for the museum exhibits and public art on the outdoor plaza will take another six months or so, and it’s on schedule – so far. After discovering the ground it’s on at Stonewall and Brevard streets is less rocky and softer than anticipated, the city recently approved adding a basement to the building for storage and exibit space, bringing the price tag from $154.5 million to $157 million.

What else could we do to make Charlotte more appealing as a tourist destination?

New guide to the Charlotte region coming soon!

2007-08-29T11:17:00.000-05:00

It's time to talk about the next Living Here magazine!

The Observer will publish its 11th annual guide to the Charlotte region at the end of September (edited by yours truly).

It will have 184 pages of information on food, neighborhoods, schools, sports, arts, nightlife, business and everything else you need to know to have fun around here. (For those keeping track, that's up from 160 pages of info in the last edition).

It’s especially helpful for newcomers, but the information is aimed at being useful to everyone. All the content from the 2006-07 Living Here is still available at this link: Click here.

Look for the magazine in most home-delivered papers on Sept. 30, and in racks around Mecklenburg and Union counties. Also watch for the debut of the new content on Charlotte.com on that date, and for special newcomer reports on Observer news partner WCNC during that week. If you’d like to order extra copies in advance, click here for a link to the order form.

All year long, I visit newcomer groups, bring them copies of the magazine and try to help answer their questions about the community. If you know of a group I should stop by, please get in touch.

'Charlotte's boring': Outdated reputation?

2007-08-27T10:35:00.000-05:00

How can Charlotte improve its reputation for fun?

Twice within the past week, I heard stories of people who’d visited Charlotte – one for a business meeting, the other for a Panthers game – and weren’t even planning to try to go out to have fun afterward. Charlotte is boring, conservative, a bank town, both people said. What could I possibly be missing?

That reputation may have been fair a couple of decades ago, but I’d argue it isn’t today. This past weekend offered opportunities including Friday’s Panthers game and all the revelry in uptown streets both before and afterward; live music in NoDa, where a band called "Los Loose Lugnuts" played old-time country tunes in the wine bar La Dolce Vita; the rousing closing performances of "Hedwig and the Angry Inch" at Actors’ Theatre; and a film festival celebrating the career of pioneering filmmaker Charles Burnett, with Burnett himself in attendance at each screening. And yes, I sampled all of those activities myself this weekend. I didn’t have time for a minute of boredom.

If these events hadn’t presented themselves to me, I’m certain I would have found dozens more without looking very hard.

So, how do those of us who consider Charlotte a pretty fun place to live get the word out to others who have an outdated image of this place?

Care about Charlotte? Learn about John Belk

2007-08-20T17:21:00.000-05:00

Many people reading this may know of John Belk only because they’ve shopped in one of the department stores that bear his father’s name. But anyone who cares at all about Charlotte should know a lot more than that about the imprint this imposing, colorful, gregarious man left on this community.

Just before Belk’s memorial service this afternoon, I heard someone question whether Charlotte truly has a "culture" of its own, or whether we’ve become so overrun by transplants that we are a hodgepodge of other cultures and influences.

I’d argue that John Belk is one of the many things that make Charlotte’s culture unique.

As mayor from 1969 to 1977, he oversaw a period of sweeping change, including shifting racial dynamics, airport expansion and construction of the city’s first convention center. Afterward, he remained a vital part of the local business and philanthropic community.

You’ve likely driven on the John Belk Freeway, attended a show at the Belk theater of the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center or perhaps seen one of the buildings that bears his name at Davidson, UNC-Charlotte or other schools.

We remain the corporate headquarters of the retailer he expanded into the largest privately held department store company in the United States, and we benefit from being its employment center and from the lively retail competition that its presence brings. (There’d be no Nordstrom or Neiman Marcus at SouthPark without the flagship Belk store that came first). Click here to read more about his legacy.

My favorite part of Belk’s role in our history is his colorful use of language – see my colleague Jim Morrill’s blog for some examples of classic "Belkisms." I experienced several of them myself when I covered retail for the Observer from September 2001, through Belk’s retirement from the company’s chairmanship, and until I began this newcomers job last year.

At his retirement in 2004, he told me: "While I can still chew gum and talk, I want to get out of the way."

When asked how he plans to spend his time in retirement, he replied: "I haven’t thought about it. But there’s always more to do than I could handle."

Then he added: "The world’s going on, and it’s a good thing it does."

When I spotted him a few months later at a public function and asked how retirement was going, his answer: "Life is like a roll of toilet paper. It goes a lot faster at the end."

I enjoyed a personal connection with him, too: My late great-grandfather, Edward Jones Erwin, taught Shakespeare, Tennyson and Browning at Davidson College, and Belk was one of his students. Belk told me he had fond memories of the classes. When I had the chance to chat with retired Bank of America CEO Hugh McColl after today’s memorial service and shared the connection, McColl quipped: "I’m surprised John ever took an English class."

It is fitting that the memorial service for a man who approached his life with such humor was filled with laughter. I’ll conclude with one more joke from John Belk, which his friend Bishop George Battle shared during his eulogy:

"What do you say to a man who has two black eyes?
Nothing – he’s already been told twice."

Best spots for taking out-of-town visitors?

2007-08-20T08:40:00.000-05:00

This weekend, I had the chance to put some of my own advice to the test when I hosted two friends from out of town. One of the most frequent questions I get from newcomers is where they should take out-of-town visitors. Here's my itinerary - please feel free to critique it. I might get some more ideas for next time!

Thursday evening: Friends arrive hungry, but with no particular preference for dinner. I decided to take them to Dish, 1220 Thomas Ave., for an "only in Charlotte" dining experience. Southern food but with a very updated vibe - and lots of selections for my vegetarian friend. Everyone came away happy, but I did notice it was so loud we had trouble hearing each other at times.

Friday: After a lazy morning, we headed out to Ballantyne Village (at Johnston Road and Ballantyne Commons Parkway) for lunch at Village Bistro. Everyone enjoyed the food there, and we topped it off with a visit to the center's new Kilwin's Chocolates and Ice Cream Shoppe for dessert. Then we headed to Ballantyne Resort across the street for some massages and a facial in the spa. Afterward, we decided that a couple of hours in air conditioning sounded good, so we headed back to the Ballantyne Village Theatre to catch an indie film ("Becoming Jane," which we generally gave a thumbs-up to). From there, we stuck around for dinner at Table, where we had a unique dinner with attentive service.

Saturday: We headed to the U.S. National Whitewater Center on Charlotte's westside. My friends weren't interested in whitewater rafting, but they enjoyed seeing the center, which was extremely busy with rafters and kayakers. We ate lunch in the restaurant, The Eddy, and enjoyed the food despite slow service. We took a walk around the whitewater course - one circuit was all we could handle in the heat. Afterward, we considered a tour of Lowe's Motor Speedway (just $5, every hour from 9:30 to 3:30 most days), but both friends had seen it before. So we headed instead to Birkdale Village at Interstate 77's exit 25 in Huntersville for some shopping, another movie (more air conditioning! - "No Reservations," which left us hungry) and dinner at Brixx. We capped off the evening with a trip to the Charlotte Knights baseball game, where we enjoyed the post-game fireworks. Sunday was their heading-back-out day.

I could've brought them to many other attractions, but the heat held us back from most of the area's outdoor offerings. Where else would you suggest we should have gone?

Favorite road trips from Charlotte

2007-08-15T09:11:00.000-05:00

One of the reasons so many people are moving to Charlotte, newcomers tell me, is they like being close to both mountains and the beach.

I experienced this advantage for myself last week when I visited Isle of Palms, a beach just outside of Charleston about a 3.5-hour drive from Charlotte. (This helps explain my long gap in postings – sorry about that). I had a great time there with family, even after sharks provoked a scare by biting two swimmers within a few hours, prompting a temporary beach closure.

If you haven’t been yet, you should add this to your list of road trips. (I promise, shark bites are extremely rare). So long as you dodge hurricane warnings, this destination will only get better as the summer days wind down (I had a great time there once in November). When you go, here are some recommended stops:

--Windjammers. A bar you get to right after you cross onto the Isle of Palms, it always has interesting live music and a generally friendly crowd.

--The Boat House and the Sea Biscuit. Two popular restaurants on the island; Boat House is a dinner stop and Sea Biscuit is great for breakfast. Both easy to find once you’re on the island.

--Shem Creek. This inlet between Sullivan’s Island and Charleston is home to many pleasant restaurants. I particularly enjoyed R.B.’s.

--And, of course, you have to go into Charleston for shopping and sightseeing. The kids will enjoy a visit to the S.C. Aquarium; I enjoyed roaming the historic Market, where I purchased pottery directly from the potter who made it.

The Isle of Palms Web site is www.isle-of-palms.sc.us. And click here for more information on Charleston and other popular coastal destinations from the Observer’s Road Trips guide.

What’s your favorite road trip from Charlotte? Post here or e-mail me.

Your vote: Favorite local discovery?

2007-08-02T11:36:00.001-05:00

What’s your favorite local discovery since moving here?

I asked that question to a group of 16 newcomers who visited the newsroom recently for a newcomer forum. I hold these discussion groups periodically; if you’re a transplant who’s lived here less than two years and you’re interested in participating in a future group, e-mail me and I’ll keep your name on the list.

I was surprised at the popularity of one of the answers: Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden. I’ve been aware of this beautiful spot in Belmont, just over the Gaston/Mecklenburg county line, since it rose to prominence in the late 1990s. But, up until now I haven’t given it a lot of love in my newcomer suggestions.

I visited this week to film my newcomer report with Bobby Sisk of WCNC. You can see it Monday on the 5 a.m. or 11 a.m. newscasts, and see my column about it in this Monday’s paper (and links to both will be at www.charlotte.com/living, of course). I agreed with the newcomers: It’s a must-see.

For other recent reports, I’ve visited local attractions including the Carolina Raptor Center, Historic Brattonsville, Carolinas Aviation Museum, Reed Gold Mine and the U.S. National Whitewater Center. I’d also include those on the list of spots newcomers should check out.

Now I’d like to hear your suggestions – please post here or e-mail me.

Newcomers vs. Natives: Why so much tension?

2007-07-24T08:04:00.000-05:00

Many times, readers write things to me I couldn’t have said better myself.
Today’s entry comes from Katie:

"So many times, your blog covers what I feel are pretty benign topics, yet near-Civil Wars will break out in your blog commenting area. Many a time it's turned a helpful discussion into a negative free-for-all. So, basically, what gives? Why do you think people feel compelled to hate on newcomers/natives alike?"

Here’s part of the reply I sent her:

"I think in general, people take advantage of the anonymity of blog comments to say things they would never say in polite company. Mine is certainly not the only blog where this happens. I also think that with the issue of newcomers in particular, there are a lot of tensions ‘under the surface’ in Charlotte as a result of tremendous change/growth we're undergoing. People don’t express those tensions in public because of our culture of ‘Southern politeness,’ so my blog becomes one of the few places where they can do that."

I try to be strict about deleting excessively rude, off-topic, obscene or potentially libelous comments, while still allowing for robust - even heated - debate at times.

So far, my most-commented blog entries have been: Where to get the best New York-style pizza in this region (Click here); whether the term "Yankee" is an insult (Click here); and my most recent topic, the tendency of Southerners to ask "Where do you go to church?" when meeting newcomers. (Click here).

If you still have comments on those three subjects, please, by all means follow my links to those entries and post there. For this entry, I’m interested in hearing your answer to Katie’s question: Why is so much tension between newcomers and natives expressed on this blog?

And what can we do to make things better?

Faith: Public or Private?

2007-07-22T06:07:00.000-05:00

The question of how public one's faith should be touches off deep feelings around these parts. I know this from my work on an article that appears in today's paper. (Click here to see it.) It's about newcomers' feelings about being asked where they go to church.

In the South, public expressions of faith are still more common than they are in most other parts of the country. It makes some transplants uncomfortable.

Here's a link to my first blog entry that generated debate on this topic: Click here

And here's a link to my follow-up entry: Click here

If you have some more thoughts to express in response to today's story, please post here!

Bakery recommendations

2007-07-20T16:34:00.000-05:00

Finding a good bakery is important to many newcomers, as I learned from writing about the topic recently. Here’s a complete list of bakeries recommended by readers, plus the initial list from last week:

--Marguerite’s French Pastries in NoDa, 2424 N. Davidson St.

--Nova’s in Plaza-Midwood, 1511 Central Ave.

-- Nona’s Sweets in University City, 9601 N. Tryon St.

--Great Harvest Bakery at 901 S. Kings Drive; www.greatharvestcharlotte.com

--Decadent Designs Bakery, 11914 Elm Lane, Suite. 140; www.decadentdesignsbakery.com

--Jimmie’s Sweets, 131 Matthews Station St., Matthews.

--Suarez Bakery in the Park Road Shopping Center, 4245 Park Road.

--Panera Bread Bakery-Cafes, various locations, www.panerabread.com

--Also, be aware that the two Jersey Girl Bakery locations mentioned last week have recently closed.

Got any more recommendations? Post ‘em here.

Do you like Southern food?

2007-07-17T14:09:00.001-05:00

If you’re a transplant, do you spend more time getting to know the new foods where you live, or missing the foods from back home?

My guess is that more transplants do the latter. A reader named Russell emailed recently:

"I was at a 4th of July cookout with a lot of newcomers to Charlotte and listening to some talk about the lack of ‘good delis,’ no good places to get ‘fresh-cut meat,’ no ‘good bagels.’ I wondered how we have made it so long. Finally, a newcomer lady said, ‘We just need to learn about and try the foods of the South.’ A gentleman from Chicago looked at his wife and said, ‘That's what I have been trying to tell you.’ Everything must not be wrong .... People keep coming and staying."

If you’re new to the South, what foods have you tried here that you liked? Maybe a biscuit or some great pimento cheese or barbecue? Click here for a link to some Southern food ideas from Living Here magazine.

Post here or e-mail me.

On cartoons and the South

2007-07-11T14:45:00.000-05:00

The Levine Museum of the New South, a great resource for newcomers and oldtimers alike, is handing out flyers for its big new exhibit opening next month. On them is a cartoon of a large Southern man, with denim overalls, red-and-white checked shirt, a ballcap with the brim pulled low, a stalk of wheat clenched in his mouth. A stereotypical Southern "Bubba," holding up a mirror to himself.

The name of the exhibit: "Comic Stripped: A Revealing Look at Southern Stereotypes in Cartoons." (Click here to see more).

The illustration is special not just because it shows the upcoming exhibit’s themes perfectly. It was drawn especially for the museum by Doug Marlette, the Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist who was killed in a car crash yesterday.

Marlette, who once worked for the Observer, has been integrally involved in the development of the exhibit and contributed artwork to it. Tom Hanchett, the museum historian, was too shocked to talk much about it when I saw him yesterday.

I didn’t overlap with Marlette at the Observer, though I was growing up in Charlotte when he worked here and I vividly remember his attention-getting cartoons about the scandal involving the former PTL empire headed by Jim and Tammy Bakker. I have seen him speak several times. And I have been well aware over the years of the strong respect my colleagues who worked with him still hold for him.

If you aren’t familiar with the man and his work, you might enjoy reading about him and seeing his cartoons (click here and here for links).

And I hope you’ll mark your calendars for the museum exhibit, which runs Aug. 31 through April 6, 2008. I’m sure I’ll find a lot to write about it because it will evoke the themes of what makes us Southern and how our identity is changing as newcomers transform this area. Sept. 8 is a community day, with free admission, food, music, crafts and more from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. I hope to see you there.

Newcomer questions about Charlotte

2007-07-10T07:13:00.001-05:00

Most days, I receive up to a half-dozen questions from newcomers who want to know more about Charlotte. Some I can answer off the top of my head. Others, I’ll research and answer in my columns in the paper.

Today’s questions include:

--Kenny D. wanted to know where he should take his two kids, ages 11 and 13, when he takes a couple of days off later this week. They don’t like Carowinds, he said, but they like music.

I suggested he take them rafting at the U.S. National Whitewater Center; investigate a free outdoor music performance from my earlier list; and try Birkdale Village in Huntersville, a favorite hangout for both teens and families.

If they don't get uptown much, they might also enjoy a walk down Tryon Street with stops at Discovery Place (especially if they're mature enough for the Body Worlds exhibit) and the Mint Museum of Craft + Design.

--B.W. wrote to ask how to get involved in ballroom dancing in Charlotte. I referred him to the Highlighter’s Singles Dance Club, which is for singles over 40 and meets every first and third Friday for dancing with live music. Turns out B.W. isn’t single, but the club was able to refer him to local ballroom dancing resources. If you want to know more about the club, e-mail HighlightersClub@aol.com.

--And for a follow-up from an earlier reader’s question about where to find gifts that say “Charlotte” for out-of-town friends and relatives, a member of the Mecklenburg Historical Association e-mailed to let me know the association has a limited supply of Queen Charlotte Christmas ornaments, patterned after the statue of our city’s namesake in uptown Charlotte. They’re 7 inches tall, made of blown glass and come boxed with a brief history of Charlotte. They cost $35 and proceeds go to the historical group. E-mail me if you want the contact info.

What other questions do you have about this place?

More free concerts, bargain movies

2007-07-06T14:48:00.000-05:00

Here’s a new free outdoor concert series:

There’s soft jazz and acoustic music every Saturday night from 6-9 p.m. around the fountains at The Fountains Shopping Center, at the corner of Ardrey Kell and Tom Short Roads in south Charlotte. (I’ll add some contact info as soon as I get it from them).

This adds to my earlier list. (And here’s the last update). If you’re using these lists, check the dates – they were compiled back in May.

One of the great things about the Charlotte region is the fact that our balmy climate allows us to have free outdoor events for most of the year. Live music is available outdoors virtually every week between April and October.

If music isn’t your thing, we’ve got plenty of free movie spots too. Check out this link for them, and scroll down here for one more update.

Another bargain movie tidbit for Harry Potter fans: the folks at AMC Concord Mills 24 theater got in touch to let me know they’re running the two most recent Potter films, "Prisoner of Azkaban" and "Goblet of Fire," through Tuesday July 10. Admission is $6 all day (compared to $9 for regular adult admission). If you’re planning to line up Tuesday for the premiere of the latest, "Order of the Phoenix," you can buy tickets for a mini-marathon of "Azkaban" at 5:55, "Goblet" at 8:50 and the "Phoenix" premiere at 12:01 a.m.

And if those aren’t highbrow enough, here’s a link to our earlier list of other free museums and cultural events.

As I’ve said before, you’ve got no excuse to say you’re bored around here – if you are, you just aren’t trying!

Have you been asked "The Question?"

2007-07-03T07:07:00.001-05:00

What do you think of “The Question?”

As in: You’re new to town and meeting someone for the first time, and they ask, “Where do you go to church?”

An earlier post on this blog sparked a lengthy discussion of whether that question is rude. Or, is it something newcomers must learn to expect when they move to the South?

In my year of covering newcomers, I’ve heard from lots who come from areas where this isn’t a customary question, and find themselves repressing a reaction along the lines of “That’s none of your business.”

But from my years growing up here in Charlotte, I understand that for many people, it’s a conversation-starter much like “What neighborhood do you live in?” or “Where do you go to school?” It can be a way of learning whether you might know people in common.

And yes, for some, it’s an evangelical way of reaching out and attempting to proselytize. I understand that might be offensive to some people, but I’m certain this isn’t the only area of the country where that takes place (I know people who’ve met some very enthusiastic Mormons in Salt Lake City, for example). Most people could probably benefit from coming up with a graceful way to respond to that.

In the meantime, I’ve found myself offering advice to newcomers who tell me they’re having trouble meeting people and making friends. I often suggest finding a house of worship, whatever your beliefs. The fact remains that a lot of people’s social lives revolve around them, and they often will have newcomer groups with many people in the same boat. The places of worship here represent a wide variety of beliefs, so most people should be able to find one they agree with.

I want to write an article about this debate, and I want to talk to both newcomers who’ve been asked The Question and Southerners who’ve asked it. If you’re willing to be interviewed, please e-mail me at Ldyer@charlotteobserver.com.

Charlotte: Top City

2007-06-30T21:23:00.000-05:00

Whether or not you’re a follower of those “top cities” lists - the magazines and firms that rank the best cities for living, working, dating or eating - you might be interested in knowing how many of those lists Charlotte has been making it onto lately.

I detailed many of them in Sunday’s paper, but you’re probably wondering who ranked No. 1 in each category Charlotte was mentioned in. Read on for the info:

--City for African Americans: Washington D.C. was No. 1 in Black Enterprise Magazine. Charlotte ranked No. 7.

--Most Fun Cities: Minneapolis-St. Paul was tops, according to board game maker Cranium. Charlotte was 29th.

--Most Adventurous Cities: San Francisco topped the list in a ranking from Zest; Charlotte was 9th.

--Top 100 Ideal Cities to Grill In: Propane tank company Blue Rhino says Sacramento, CA is best and tied us for 49th.

--Rich Bachelors: San Francisco is the best large city for finding them. Citytowninfo says we’re No. 7.

--But not young singles? We failed to make Kiplinger Personal Finance Magazine’s list of best cities for young singles, while Raleigh hit No. 4.

--Walking City: Prevention Magazine gave Madison, WI the crown, and we were No. 4.

--Sizzling Restaurants: Nation’s Restaurant News named “Top 50 Cities that Sizzle,” but printed them in alphabetical order instead of ranking them. Click here and scroll down.

--Dangerous cities: Local police rejected the validity of our ranking as the No. 8 most dangerous large city in America, as did those in the No. 1 city, St. Louis, Mo.

--Bad Drivers: We hovered near the worst rating at 93rd out of 100 cities in Men’s Health Magazine, but another Carolinas city claimed the dubious honor of worst of the worst: Columbia, S.C.

Which rankings do you agree or disagree with the most?

Fun at the Bobcats draft party

2007-06-29T10:38:00.000-05:00

If you didn't stop by Bobcats Arena in uptown Charlotte last night, you missed a fun draft party.

As I walked past ImaginOn on my way to the party Thursday evening, I saw a huge line of people snaking around one side of the arena. It was the line just to walk into the plaza - and to claim one of the T-shirts offered to the first 2,500 fans to arrive.

Once inside the free event, everyone walked around sampling live music, food (hot dogs were the main choice), putt-putt games, wall climbing and a chance to preview Charlotte's light-rail train, which will have a prime hub in front of the arena (if the upcoming transit referendum doesn't kill it). Giveaways were plentiful - "I got so much free stuff I had to make a trip to my car to drop some of it off," one friend told me.

I'm no sportswriter - I was there because many of the Bobcats management, staff and fans are newcomers. But it was a thrill to hang out with the sports journalists and watch the suspense as the draft proceeded and the trade of Brandan Wright for Jason Richardson unfolded. When Michael Jordan came out to talk with reporters, his eyes were reddened from the fatigue of tense negotiations but his manner was easygoing.

The event wasn't just for hardcore season ticket holders - I saw plenty of casual fans, and the all-ages crowd was well-behaved. Even if you're one of those who resents how the arena was built - following a referendum in which voters turned it down - it's there now, so you might as well enjoy it.

As a Charlotte native who remembers when that area was a wasteland where you'd want to clutch your pepper spray tightly if you found yourself walking in it, it was nice to see so much life and fun going on there, and to see so many diverse people united to root for the same team.

Idea: Charlotte movie tour

2007-06-26T10:40:00.000-05:00

I've got an idea for Charlotte: A movie tour.

You'd pay a fee, board a bus, and see sights associated with the many movies that have been filmed in and around Charlotte. The stops would include:

--The triangular Government Center building uptown. It doubled as the hospital that housed Jodie Foster in 1994's "Nell," which featured Mayor Pat McCrory as an extra.

--Freedom Park. It's where Jack Black saw the lovely Gwyneth Paltrow while his friends saw a much-heavier version of her in the 2001 Farrelly Brothers film "Shallow Hal."

--Memorial Stadium at Central Piedmont Community College. Later this year, George Clooney and Renee Zellwegger's "Leatherheads" will bring it to movie screens as the site of some 1920s football games.

--Lowe's Motor Speedway - Take your pick. It's where Tom Cruise met Nicole Kidman while filming 1990's "Days of Thunder," leading to their ill-fated marriage; the ESPN biopic of Dale Earnhardt was filmed there; and more recently, Will Ferrell visited for last year's "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby." If your tour guide is super-generous, he or she might mention that Burt Reynolds and Loni Anderson visited for 1983's "Stroker Ace."

--Perhaps extended versions of the tour could take visitors with lots of patience out to the South Carolina fields where 2000 Revolutionary War pic "The Patriot" brought Mel Gibson for filming, or the countryside in Anson County that served as the single N.C. shot in 2003's "Cold Mountain," which provoked outrage when producers made the much-cheaper Romania double as the film's North Carolina setting.

This idea struck me last weekend while visiting friends in Boston and taking the Boston Movie Tour, which visits sites associated with such memorable Boston films as "The Departed," "Mystic River" and "The Verdict," along with TV shows including "Ally McBeal" and "Boston Legal" (hey, we've got local sites from teen TV faves "Dawson's Creek" and "One Tree Hill" too!). The tour guide played DVD scenes from the movies as we passed the actual locations. We stopped mid-tour to knock back a pint in the L Street Tavern, home of scenes from "Good Will Hunting," and concluded at the bar that served as the exterior shot for TV show "Cheers."

Those who've followed this blog are probably aware I'm a movie geek, so this tour was perfect
for me. It seemed to do pretty good business in Beantown. North Carolina's status as the third-most-popular state for filmmaking behind California and New York provides us with plenty of opportunities to create a similar tour here. Click here to see a list of movies filmed in this region.

What do you think? Would you pay to take this tour?

Info on joining a social club

2007-06-22T06:42:00.000-05:00

When you're trying to meet new people - especially when you're single - a popular option in Charlotte is joining a social club.

The clubs organize activities that could include meeting in a bar for a few drinks, catching a movie or cultural event, going river rafting or getting out of town for the weekend.

In Saturday's New Home section, I'll be writing about one of the very few clubs in town that's free, Go Social Club (better check them out quick - the organizer may start charging fees later this summer). There are others that range from about $20 a month to a few hundred dollars per month.

The Observer's annual Living Here magazine contains a listing of both outdoors-themed social clubs and those specifically targeting singles and dating activities. Click here to see it. (One important change since that article was written: Events & Adventures has changed to Venture - click here for the new site).

If you haven't seen the Living Here magazine, copies are still available if you call 800-532-5350. And I'm currently working on a new issue, which will be out Sept. 30. If you have ideas for information that should be included in it to give people a proper introduction to this region, please get in touch.

A freebie worth checking out

2007-06-19T07:19:00.000-05:00

Before computer-generated special effects, before the dawn of the summer blockbuster, before Technicolor, movies could be just as captivating as they are today - or more so.

That was the lesson of my visit Sunday to the Public Library’s summer film series at ImaginOn, the library/children’s theatre in uptown Charlotte.

I mentioned the series in Monday’s column about places to see free movies in the region this summer, and both that list and the video report I did with WCNC might have left the impression that the only free movies in town are for kids.

Not so - be sure to check out the remaining lineup of this Public Library series. From this Sunday through July 29, the Wachovia Playhouse theater at ImaginOn will be home to notable films of Joseph Mankiewicz, from “The Ghost and Mrs. Muir” to “All About Eve” and “Suddenly, Last Summer.”

Last Sunday marked the second and final chance to see a classic silent film - in my case, Buster Keaton’s “Our Hospitality.” Local pianist Eytan Uslan provided live musical accompaniment during the 74-minute film, and I found his blend of popular tunes from the 1920s, classical music and improvisation flawless.

I knew of Keaton’s legendary reputation for physical comedy, and had seen clips of his films before, but never a full movie. I was pleased to see the theater was nearly full on Sunday, with a diverse all-ages crowd. They gave Uslan's playing a standing ovation.

Sam Shapiro, manager of the Main Library’s Music & Movies Room, gave an introduction with such intriguing details as the fact that Keaton did all of his own stunts - including one that led to his near-drowning, captured on film and included in the finished movie. I wished there’d been a chance for a Q&A afterwards.

Parking is simple - you can park under the ImaginOn building by entering from Sixth Street, or at the neighboring Seventh Street Station parking deck, and get your ticket validated. And surely you don’t have something pressing to do every Sunday at 2 p.m. from now through July.

So, I’d encourage you - especially if you’re a newcomer - to come check out this great free opportunity.

I’ve written several times before about free things to do in Charlotte. What other freebies do you like participating in?

Causes of culture shock for newcomers

2007-06-18T08:26:00.000-05:00

What are the main differences between the Charlotte area and other parts of the country? Plenty, I learned after I asked people to describe what caused them culture shock when they moved here. Some more examples from transplants:

“For culture shock, lack of places to eat was one. The number one was bakeries. We were used to going and getting rolls, etc., and there was only one bakery in town and they only made cakes and cookies and were CLOSED ON WEEKENDS.

The next (big change) really was how nice people were and their willingness to talk to you anywhere and be helpful just out of habit. One example - a woman came up to me and put her hand on my shoulder and said at a Blockbuster Video, ‘We rented that last week and you will love it.’ In New Jersey, A) no one is that nice in public, B) people don’t talk to you if they don’t know you and C) they definitely don’t touch you.” Jim Fritz, now of Charlotte, first moved to Concord in 1990

“We met more of our new neighbors in the first week (met two in the first day) than we met in our old neighborhood in four years in Michigan.” Sherry Swett, moved to Concord in October

“When my husband and I moved here from the San Francisco Bay Area, we experienced plenty of culture shock. We love it here because it is so different! Some of the things we noticed:

-There are few privacy fences between houses. You can drive around neighborhoods, and see through to the next block!
-No one is offended by terms like sweetie, hun’ or darlin’ when used by a stranger!
-There are churches everywhere you go - little one-room churches, huge community churches, old churches, new churches - and their members will invite you to come sit with them on Sunday as comfortably as if they were inviting you to a barbecue.
-There is a commute hour instead of a commute three hours.
My husband says that California is a good place to be from, and North Carolina is a great place to live.” Heather Rodeman, moved to Concord in 2004

“Culture shock: Incredibly warm and friendly people. I love total strangers waving to me as I run, sharing smiles and greetings, and not trying to run me off the road - unlike South Floridians. Yes, drivers here may be aggressive on the road, but they do share and are nicer about it than those in south Florida.
-TREES.. so many beautiful trees. And flowers. South Florida is a palm-tree-and-concrete jungle.
-NO HURRICANE SHUTTERS. (Only a Floridian could truly appreciate this.) We would spend weeks, sometimes months living with our windows covered by heavy metal shutters.
-Porch rockers in the airport - this was one of the first wonders of the city that I noticed - and I still smile at the image of them in my mind.
-The lovely Southern twang.
-Getting lost. I had a good sense of direction until I moved here (of course living in grid zones with bodies of water on both sides helps immensely.) I keep a map of the city in my car at all times and am still trying to find even one road that goes in a straight line.
-Car and state taxes. They don't exist in Florida. But we pay them, just so happy to live here.”
--Mindy and Ed Amster, moved from south Florida in April 2006 to Berewick in southwest Charlotte

And I like this stream-of-consciousness entry: “Wildflowers like the daffodils on the side of the road (485), incredibly irresponsible drivers, ready with the horn and using the shoulder to PASS! Friendly, smiling talkative clerks making running errands so pleasant, WAVING, everyone walking, biking and driving through our neighborhood, strip malls so beautifully constructed, unfortunately costly groceries, (not the competitive market I'm used to), $4 for milk???!.” --Colleen Oakes from Michigan

A tip for this weekend

2007-06-14T16:14:00.000-05:00

The Charlotte Symphony’s Summer Pops season is nearing its halfway mark, and it’s one of my favorite summer events around here.

I haven’t had a chance to catch a show yet this month, but I hope to head out this weekend. If you’ve never been before but you’re planning to go, here are a couple of tips (and keep in mind there are other shows around the region besides those at SouthPark):

--At SouthPark, the first thing to know is to arrive early. Hard-core fans get there around 8 a.m. on Sundays, spread a blanket to mark their spots and then return closer to the concert time. Don’t try to leave blankets earlier than that, though, or they’ll be removed – and don’t use tent stakes or gravel from the walkways to weigh them down. Mosquito-repellent candles make nice weights.

--Make sure you’re using low beach chairs so you won’t block those behind you. Don’t bring large umbrellas, pets or open flame cookers. And for heaven’s sake, turn off your cell phone.

--Go all-out with your picnic. Bring an elaborate basket, and then sneak peeks at all your neighbors to see who went to the most trouble.

More info: http://www.charlottesymphony.org/summer.htm

Glad to be home

2007-06-13T15:12:00.000-05:00

I recently returned to Charlotte after 10 days out of the country – hence the long recent blog gap.

Travel is a passion of mine – I take any excuse to visit friends or family in other cities, and try to plan at least one longer vacation a year.

But I always feel comforted to return to Charlotte. It’s home.

True, it’s difficult here to find food as exciting or historic monuments as interesting as they can be in the world’s larger cities.

But some of the things I can find here that I can't find elsewhere include:

--Our skyline, almost impossibly new, with construction cranes adding more to it daily. And our uptown is considerably cleaner than most.

--The Penguin, The Cajun Queen, Mert’s Heart & Soul, Hawthorne’s NY Pizza and other locally-owned restaurants where I always feel welcome.

--The beautiful scenery of Independence Park, Freedom Park and the other neighborhood parks scattered around the "streetcar suburbs" that ring our uptown.

--Most importantly, the people. Most of my family and many dear friends live here. I also feel more comfortable walking down streets here than many other places, relatively certain that I’ll receive a friendly smile and wave from strangers.

What about you? What makes you glad to return home to Charlotte after you’ve been away?

Body Worlds marks new era for Discovery Place

2007-06-12T11:57:00.000-05:00

The opening of the Body Worlds exhibit on Wednesday means many newcomers might soon be visiting Discovery Place, the science center that anchors uptown’s museum district, for the first time.

In my newcomer coverage, I have mentioned Discovery Place several times as a family-friendly resource for new arrivals. Growing up here, I remember that it was considered a national leader in science education for kids after it opened in the early 1980s. Leaders of other cities visited it to research how to create their own science centers. It was also a pioneer in the effort to bring life to uptown Charlotte’s streets.

But by the late 1990s, it had grown a bit tired. Paint was peeling. Exhibits were aging. Attendance was dropping. An effort to fund a $30 million renovation and expansion in 2001 failed when it was put before voters as part of a $342 million sports and cultural package that included a basketball arena. As any Bobcats fan knows, the city later built the arena anyway. Now leaders have crafted a plan to get $158.5 million in tax money for a cultural package that includes new museums on South Tryon street and $16 million to renovate Discovery Place.

But Discovery Place, under the leadership of president John Mackay, hasn’t waited for an infusion of new tax money to seek improvements, as the Body Worlds exhibit and last year’s exhibit of the Dead Sea Scrolls show.

"Those exhibits presage a new level of thinking for the organization," Mackay told me this morning at a media preview for Body Worlds. He’s seeking to bring Discovery Place back to being national leader among science museums, by developing its own exhibits that are high-caliber enough to go on tour to other cities. (Discovery Place developed the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit itself; Body Worlds has been on tour for a while, but Charlotte marks its only stop in the Southeastern U.S.)

As far as Body Worlds goes, I’m squeamish and I didn’t particularly enjoy the experience of seeing exposed muscles, bones, tendons and organs. However, I noticed I grew more comfortable with them the longer I stayed in the room. Parents should consider whether their kids under age 13 are ready for the experience. If they are, they’ll probably come away with more knowledge about how the human body works – and perhaps some positive messages about the harm that obesity, smoking and substance abuse can do.

Mackay said he believes the exhibit, running through Oct. 28, will top the performance of the Dead Sea Scrolls, which brought in more than 222,000 people in its 102-day run.

So if you go, and you explore the rest of the museum, don’t judge too harshly if you notice a somewhat dated layout or an area that could stand to see physical improvements. Full renovations should come within the next two years if everything goes according to plan, and an expansion is still in the museum’s long-term future, Mackay said.

In the meantime, this spot on North Tryon Street offers plenty for this city to be proud of.

For those who’ve had a chance to explore some of Charlotte’s museums, what’s your favorite museum experience here? Or what should we be aiming to add to our cultural scene? Post here or e-mail me.

More NASCAR observations

2007-05-28T15:58:00.001-05:00

For the second weekend in a row, I found myself at Lowe’s Motor Speedway for a major race. A freelance assignment brought me to the track Sunday during the Coca-Cola 600.

First of all: Wow. I thought the crowd was impressive last weekend for the Nextel All-Star Challenge. Turns out that’s somewhat small potatoes compared to the estimated 180,000 on hand for the 600.

Last week, I marveled at how easy the traffic flow was around the speedway before the race. Not so for the 600. Who knew that by aiming for arrival around 2:30 p.m. before the 5:30 race, I’d be hitting peak traffic time? I allowed 90 minutes for a drive that’s normally 20, but it took nearly 2 hours.

I did learn that it pays off to study your map and learn a "back way" so you don’t need to rely on two exits off Interstate 85 as your only options. I cut over to Highway 49 and came in via Morehead Road, which seemed marginally quicker than the stop-and-go traffic on U.S. 29.

Also, I had the chance to observe from the infield. I can see why people shell out for the passes that allow them to wander around the Pit Row area. You get nice up-close views of the drivers and crews as they walk by – and feel sympathy at seeing the fireproof suits they have to wear in the Carolina heat. (I saw Dale Earnhardt Jr. reject adult autograph-seekers but sign his name for children; I also saw Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory chatting with team owner Rick Hendrick).

Another advantage to the infield: It’s not nearly as loud there as it is when the engine roars echo up into the stands.

It was difficult from there to properly observe the much-touted aerial stunt in honor of the "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer" movie – but I did get nice up-close views of the four stars, including Jessica Alba and my personal fave, Ioan Gruffudd. (Never heard of the Welshman? Click here to see his accomplishments).

Though I didn’t have the endurance to stick it out for the entire race, I considered it a great day and an experience I was glad to have. I continue to recommend Lowe’s Motor Speedway as a must-visit place for newcomers who want to understand what this area is all about.

If any newcomers out there attended their first NASCAR race during the past two weeks, I'd love to hear your impressions - post here or e-mail me.

Tips for NASCAR newbies

2007-05-25T16:05:00.001-05:00

Growing up in Charlotte, I didn’t consider myself a diehard NASCAR fan, but I was always aware of our gigantic speedway to the northeast and the crowds of fans that would gather there for races. Names like Earnhardt and Petty were always in my consciousness, but I’d never seen them race.

Now, I can finally say I’ve seen a race – last weekend’s NASCAR Nextel All-Star Challenge.

And I can share some impressions that might help other racing newbies heading out this weekend:

--Traffic flow was great going both in and out. My friend and I planned to arrive about an hour before the start of the race, and we realized all the NASCAR diehards had arrived long before that to make a full day of it. So we didn’t have to fight any traffic going in. And parking was free!

--It’s worth it to shell out for tickets facing pit row. Watching the pit stops is clearly part of the excitement of the race.

--If your seats are good enough, they’ll come with a wristband granting admittance to the Speedway Club building. My friend and I enjoyed wandering around exploring features including a clothing boutique and gourmet candy store, but we found it extremely confusing to navigate – and be warned, you’ll have trouble getting in and out if you’re carrying a beer or other alcoholic beverage.

--Earplugs are a must. Bring them or be ready to buy them immediately.

--Watch out for drunken fans. I saw plenty, but they were mostly good-natured.

--Don’t know what’s going on? Turn and ask someone sitting nearby. I found everyone more than happy to help explain the action.

--Food and beverage concession stands are plentiful, but fans are permitted – expected – to bring their own coolers. What other sporting venue passes up the chance to make you pay $4 for bottled water?

Gotta love it.

Hey Gen Xers: You might want to check this show out

2007-05-23T11:50:00.000-05:00

I just loved one Charlotte couple’s idea for celebrating their 41st wedding anniversary yesterday: Going out to a free screening of ‘80s teen siren Molly Ringwald’s greatest film hits, "Sixteen Candles" and "The Breakfast Club."

The crowd at Spirit Square’s McGlohon Theatre cheered the anniversary couple last night while celebrating all things ‘80s. It was a special event in honor of Ringwald’s upcoming visit to Charlotte to perform in "Sweet Charity" (the Broadway Lights show plays here June 5-10).

I went with our theatre critic, Julie York Coppens, because I consider "The Breakfast Club" the most significant movie of my teenage years – in my mind, John Hughes was the first filmmaker to accurately capture how teenagers relate to each other. It was fun to see it on the big screen and hear the crowd reactions to lines like "neo-maxie-zoon-dweebie."

Most Gen Xers I know have a "Breakfast Club" character they identify with the most. For me, it’s Anthony Michael Hall’s brainy dork. I spent my high school years with a none-too-glamorous wardrobe, an obsession with my grades and memberships in various academic clubs that were "demented and sad, but social."

Ringwald embodied the spoiled teen princess well, and I’m glad to see she still has a thriving career in Broadway shows. Click here to see Julie’s advance story on the show.

When "Sweet Charity" rolls through town, I look forward to being there in the audience to watch Ringwald play another "lovable redhead with guy trouble," reminisce about my favorite Molly moments ("What about prom, Blane?"), and to appreciate her memorable contributions to pop culture.

Summing up Charlotte

2007-05-21T13:49:00.000-05:00

I thought summing up Charlotte in a minute or less would be a challenge, but I was surprised at the number of thoughtful people who wanted to give it a try.

Here are some responses that I didn’t have room for in my recent column on this subject:

"Charlotte is a New Economy, white collar town, with a highly educated population, that is adding residents from other states every day.

The person you talk to may be one whose family has lived here for generations – or one who has been here less than you.

It's a good place to raise a family. If you're single, it's better than it used to be, with all the housing and nightspots recently built close to uptown.
If you want to get a good idea of what Charlotte is REALLY all about, visit the Levine Museum of the New South. That should be the first stop for anyone new to the area." --Stephen Gilmore

"Charlotte has FOUR seasons. Yet, mild seasons! Charlotte is about the weather. People who move here from the North are going to be pleased with the mild winter and the Floridians should relish the beautiful fall foliage!!!! Charlotte is such a wonderful place to live. There is a long list of great things about the Queen City!" --Blithesome in Ballantyne

"I've only lived in Charlotte since 1986, but I've had the opportunity to meet countless folks who've lived here much longer than that. And I've learned that Charlotte is all about its people. Good people who will take the time to get to know newcomers and accept them, regardless of where they are from or what they do. Charlotte is a city that fosters community involvement. But even more than that, Charlotte is a city where ‘who you are’ is what matters most." --Jay Ahuja

"We have lived here for a year and a half after relocating from New York City. Positive: 1) Low cost of housing, 2) Low cost auto insurance, 3) Good customer service (i.e. retail, physicians' offices).

Negative: 1) Taxes - Government will always find a way to tax whatever you are doing (tax on groceries, absolutely ridiculous, never heard of from anyone we know in other states; annual automobile tax, totally ridiculous.)

2) Driving – Tailgaters: We never knew so many people are so desperate to get ahead of us while we are driving the speed limit; Stop sign ‘Jumpers:’ We never knew in NYC that you can actually stop well after a stop sign as they do here in the Charlotte area; Drunken drivers.

Miscellaneous: If you’re sick in the evening or on weekends, heaven forbid a doctor's office is open past 5PM Monday-Friday or the staff give up their TWO HOUR lunch break in which the office is closed.

Crime - Never mind watching CSI or Law & Order - the local news is so full of crime statistics that it makes a big city like NYC look like paradise.

CMS starting times - Most Elementary schools start at 7:30AM. It is a ‘joy’ to wake up 5-10 year olds at 5:15AM in order for them to make it to their school bus pick up on time at 6:15AM!" --Lorna and James Denton

And finally, I have an update from the man whose inquiry started this whole discussion – Mitch Ganz, who’s moving to Charlotte from Florida. He's the one who asked me to sum up the city in a minute:

"Well I just wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed my exploratory visit to the Queen City! I covered a lot of ground in just four short days and talked with a great number of individuals. I found Charlotte to be a very pretty place and the people were absolutely wonderful (extremely friendly and helpful)!

I am looking forward to relocating to Charlotte this upcoming August and making it my home and community.

Take care,
Mitch Ganz"

Only in Charlotte: Our history and sister cities

2007-05-18T14:38:00.001-05:00

Here’s something you don’t see every day: Revolutionary War soldiers shooting a cannon down Tryon Street during the busy uptown lunch hour.

The ground-shaking booms, which re-enactors set off shortly after noon today, were part of the community’s festivities in honor of the signing of the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence and the accompanying Mecklenburg Resolves in May 1775. There are still some free events available this weekend for people who want to learn more about this aspect of our local history - see www.may20thsociety.org.

It was stirring to hear a reading of the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence (though its validity has been disputed, copies of the reconstructed document exist), watch a re-enactment of the document’s departure for Philadelphia on horseback, and see Mayor Pat McCrory declare "We never want to forget (the signers’) courage and we never want to take for granted the freedom we have today."

People frequently complain that Charlotte has bulldozed too much of its history, but this is one aspect I’m glad to see people want to celebrate.

---

Earlier this morning I attended another only-in-Charlotte event: A breakfast with visitors from Krefeld, Germany, Charlotte’s sister city. I stopped by because I visited Krefeld in 2005 while on a journalism fellowship. I found it a warmly accommodating place, with many similarities to Charlotte – and many differences too.

During breakfast, I sat at a table with Krefeld architects, a banker, an economics teacher and an ice cream shop owner. They were much like any assemblage you might find in an uptown Charlotte conference room – with slightly different accents.

They commented on Charlotte’s growth, its beauty and its NASCAR (they had visited Lowe’s Motor Speedway). I recall when I visited their city, I was impressed by their plentiful green parks, their shop-filled uptown streets and their devotion to the sports of hockey and soccer.

Krefeld has been our sister city for 22 years, and was the second one we adopted after Arequipa, Peru. Our others include Baoding, China; Voronezh, Russia; Limoges, France; Wroclaw, Poland and Kumani, Ghana.

"In Krefeld, it’s considered good form to have visited Charlotte at least once," that city’s mayor, Gregor Kathstede, said during breakfast.

Wouldn’t it be great if the same was true for Charlotteans? That sister cities list sounds like it’d make a fascinating travel itinerary.

Have you ever visited one of Charlotte’s sister cities? If so, post your impressions here or e-mail me.

David McCullough's Charlotte visit

2007-05-17T14:29:00.000-05:00

This morning I caught up with David McCullough, one of the nation’s premier historians, during his visit through Charlotte today. It was great to see throngs of teen-agers, from 8th grade through high school, who were excited to see him.

He stopped by ImaginOn to mingle with the students – and tonight he’s at the Charlotte City Club for a $150-per-ticket event honoring the anniversary of the signing of the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence on May 20, 1775 (click here to read more about it).

When I interviewed McCullough Wednesday, he said he always makes it a priority to meet with young people when he makes public appearances.

"Something I care very deeply about is that we are raising generations of Americans who are historically illiterate. It’s not just that young people, say, in North Carolina don’t know about Mecklenburg, but they don’t know much about anything concerning the Revolutionary War, and it’s our fault. We can’t blame them for not knowing what they haven’t been taught," he said.

"I think it’s of the utmost importance that parents and leaders in all fields of a community take part in the processes of education and not just leave it to teachers and schools."

From the looks of things, McCullough didn’t need to worry about the hundreds of kids packing into the auditorium at ImaginOn. They were chosen to attend because of their interest in American history, and a hand-picked group of about 16 got to meet privately with McCullough before his speech.

Laporcha Ingram, a 12th grader at Harding University High School, was among them. "I’m very honored to meet him," she said afterward.

Why, I asked her, should a 17-year-old care about what happened in the 1770s?

"Because," she replied, "if you don’t know your history, how do you know where you’re going?"

A wise 17-year-old indeed.

One soon-to-be-ex-New Yorker's story

2007-05-15T12:59:00.000-05:00

This e-mail arrived in my inbox today, and it nicely sums up the migration trend that has resulted in so many New Yorkers moving here.

"Hello Ms. Dyer,

I read your article on Charlotte.com and wanted to drop you a note. We currently live in Cortland, NY, 30 miles south of Syracuse. Our home is on the market and we are looking to relocate to Ft. Mill, SC over the summer. Though the Finger Lakes area of NY is, indeed, beautiful, there is an 'exodus' from NY. (Though you already know that.)

Taxes are outrageous! We purchased the home we are in now in 2000. Since then our taxes have doubled. For our 1900sf home on a third of an acre we are paying $8,000 a year for property and school taxes.

My husband is self-employed and NY is not friendly to self-employed individuals. Why would one want to begin a business here when the State will take so much of what you bring in?

Jobs are difficult to come by. Several years ago Smith Corona (remember the typewriters?) left Cortland for Mexico. Rubbermaid and Marietta are gone. Cortland County, last I heard, has the highest poverty rate... in the state.

Ithaca with Cornell University and Ithaca College, Syracuse with SU and LeMoyne, are each thirty miles in opposite directions. With gas here in Cortland County at $3.17 a gallon, it is tough to rationalize the commute for minimally paying jobs. Cornell is known for great benefits and low pay.

With our oldest two daughters in college, even the in-state tuition and costs run approx. $17,000/yr. Our younger two children are currently in 7th and 5th grades. If we are to relocate, this is the time so they can get established.

In terms of 'adapting' to the South.... A co-worker of mine lived in Charlotte for several years and only returned to NY because of her husband's family being here. When I told her of our looking to relocate to the Charlotte area she told me to 'go and don't look back!' She also told me to make every attempt to adapt to the Southern ways and not expect the Southerners to adapt to us. Makes sense.....

In a nutshell,... if (my husband's) new venture does not work out, there are jobs to be had, unlike NY. Taxes are less, MUCH less. The schools are good. The lack of 120 inches of snow is an added benefit though my son pines at the thought of not having his yearly snow fort next to the mailbox.

I look forward to meeting new people--ones who I hear are friendly. And let it be known that I do very much realize that it it we who are entering their 'world' and we must to it graciously and thankfully."

I'm omitting the writer's name until she gives me her OK. I'm guessing that with this positive attitude, she won't have much problem being warmly welcomed here - even by some of my more ornery blog posters. Do you agree?

More free outdoor concerts!

2007-05-11T15:41:00.000-05:00

As some of my recent columns have shown, there’s a lot of free fun stuff going on around this region if you know where to look.

We recently published our second annual list of free outdoor summer concerts around the region. They happen in parks, plazas and shopping centers. They’re so plentiful that they’re one of the reasons I can’t accept hearing "There’s nothing to do around Charlotte." If you feel that way, you’re just not looking.

Since my list ran last Monday, I’ve gotten word of additional events. In addition to the four new ones listed below, I’m told there will be regular concerts at NoDa in north Charlotte and Baxter in Fort Mill, just across the S.C. state line in York County, but they haven’t sent me details yet. If you know of more, keep sending them and I’ll keep updating this list.

Mecklenburg County:
Blakeney, Live Music on the Village Green, 7-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday nights at the shopping center at Rea and Ardrey Kell roads in southern Mecklenburg. (No contact information available, but see info about the center at www.shopblakeney.com).

Burke County:
Valdese, Family Friday Nights, 7 p.m. Fridays through August 31. Town parking lot next to Wachovia bank. 828-879-2129, www.visitvaldese.com

Gaston County:
Belmont, Concerts in the Park. Every Saturday night in June at 7 p.m., Stowe Park, 24 South Main St. www.belmontparksandrec.com, 704-825-8191.

Stanly County
Albemarle, Thursdays at the Station. May 17-Aug. 30, 8 p.m. at Market Station on West Main Street. www.stanlyarts.org, 704-982-8118.

What a difference a decade makes

2007-05-10T13:32:00.000-05:00

A former colleague who worked at the Observer in the mid-1990s before moving up North visited our newsroom today, and she couldn’t stop talking about how much Charlotte has changed in the last 10 years. "The growth is blowing me away," she said.

When she left, there were no high-rise condos in uptown Charlotte, and no Hearst Tower skyscraper; no Bobcats Arena; no Ballantyne Village with its spaceship-style movie theater; no Northlake mall; no Nordstrom or Neiman Marcus at SouthPark.

And those are just some of the immediately visible changes. The region’s been growing at the rate of 50,000 people a year, and those newcomers are bringing with them new accents, food preferences, driving habits and cultures from around the U.S. and the world.

For me, the biggest change Charlotte has undergone in the past decade is the livability and attractiveness of uptown Charlotte. I love seeing our skyline grow crowded with all the high-rise condos under construction, and new entertaintment and cultural opportunities rising along with them at places like the EpiCentre development and the Wachovia complex underway on South Tryon.

I get out to the suburbs a fair amount, thanks to this job, but I’ll bet the people in Union County, Mooresville, Belmont and Fort Mill can tell me more about some of the newer happenings in their areas too.

E-mail me or post here what, in your opinion, are some of the most significant changes the Charlotte region has seen in the last decade. I’ll share highlights with our newcomers in an upcoming column.

What's important to know about Charlotte?

2007-05-08T12:08:00.000-05:00

"What’s the most important thing to know about Charlotte?"

While I was out of town recently for a friend’s wedding, a friend from Boston who’d never visited Charlotte asked me that question.

My quick answer was something that I know is on many newcomers’ minds: "It’s important to know that many of the roads change names, so you shouldn’t panic when it happens – you’re still going the right direction."

Practical advice, yes. But it doesn’t tell anyone a whole lot about what this city is really like – the people and places that make it different from anywhere else.

Perhaps I should have told him about the importance of our bank headquarters and their influence on our arts, culture and development. Maybe I should’ve mentioned the rampant growth we’re experiencing and the accompanying traffic headaches. Or, I should’ve said anyone who spends any length of time here needs to know some of the finer points of NASCAR and have a position on the question of Eastern vs. Western style barbecue.

What do you think, Charlotteans? How would you answer that question? Post here or e-mail me.

Want to learn more about these parts?

2007-05-04T16:26:00.000-05:00

Here’s a headsup on a few events coming up that are useful for anyone who wants to know more about these parts:

--Sunday at 3 p.m., learn more about the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence – which local tradition holds was signed by patriots more than a full year before the actual Declaration of Independence – at a free discussion session at the Duke Mansion, 400 Hermitage Road, 704-714-4448. Look for lots of local events commemorating the document coming up around May 20, known as "MeckDec Day."

--Then, set your DVRs for the Food Network show "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives." This Monday at 10 p.m., it’ll have a segment on Plaza-Midwood diner The Penguin, which is known for its fried dill pickles. And at 10 p.m. on May 28, see a segment on legendary local drive-in Bar-B-Q King.

Want to try ‘em in person? The Penguin is at 1921 Commonwealth Ave., 704-375-6959; Bar-B-Q King is 2900 Wilkinson Blvd., 704-399-8344.

--And looking ahead to Mother’s Day, it’s a great chance to visit a unique local attraction, the McGill Rose Garden. It holds a free open house next Sunday, May 13, 1-5 p.m. with music and local artists. 940 N. Davidson St. 704-333-6497. To get a peek at the garden, see my newcomer report with news partner WCNC by clicking here.

The Big O Awards!

2007-04-25T22:25:00.000-05:00

The votes are in, and it's time to name the winners.

The Observer’s critics have combined their expertise to pick what are in our opinions some of the best dining, shopping, entertainment and personalities this region has to offer. I’ve culled through hundreds of readers’ opinions, too.

The results are our “Big O Awards” (for the unfamiliar, “The Big O” is a common Observer nickname). They’re publishing this Friday as a special insert in the Observer's E&T section.

They’ll also be available for a while online at www.charlotte.com/entertainment. We’re already posting winners online this week - here are links to the food & drink and shopping sections.

The goal, of course, was to give readers a useful guide to some things in this region they might not know about, or might not have tried yet. We also wanted to have a little fun. We hope you’ll pull out the section and keep it year-round.

But I know many people won’t agree with everything selected. So, feel free to send your reactions and suggestions my way (some of you are already doing that). I’ll probably get ideas of future places to write about from your feedback.

What do you think? What or who else should be winning “Big O” awards? Post here or e-mail me.

UPDATE: The entire section is now available online at this link (follow the links on the right side of that page to see all choices on food & drink, shopping, nightlife, entertainment and people). Or you could always pick up a copy of today's Observer to see it all in one place!

A sad chapter of N.C. history

2007-04-24T10:04:00.000-05:00

If you have HBO, you can learn about a sad chapter of North Carolina history at 8 p.m. this Thursday evening.

The cable net is showing "The Trials of Darryl Hunt," a documentary about a brutal rape-murder case that divided the city of Winston-Salem for two decades. It’s a tangled story that makes for fascinating viewing even if you know what happened.

In 1984, Deborah Sykes was abducted, robbed, raped and fatally stabbed on her way to work one morning. Darryl Hunt was arrested in the case.

Sykes, 25, had been a copy editor for the Winston-Salem Sentinel – a now-defunct afternoon newspaper once affiliated with the Winston-Salem Journal.

When I checked in on my first day as a reporter at the Winston-Salem Journal in 1992, my first job out of college, the human resources director told me to be careful in the parking lot in the mornings. I was startled to learn the reason why.

In Winston-Salem, many black people I knew believed Hunt was an innocent victim of a rush to judgment by racist investigators. Many white people who were around at the time of the case believed he was guilty. The case became a symbol of racial wounds in the city.

Hunt was convicted on the basis of testimony from eyewitnesses who placed him at or near the crime scene. He later appealed and won a new trial. He was convicted a second time. He steadfastly maintained his innocence.

I was covering courts for the Winston-Salem Journal in 1993 and 1994, after the second conviction, when Hunt’s defense won the right to perform DNA tests on semen recovered from the scene. The tests used DNA technology that hadn’t been available in the 1980s.

The tests ruled out Hunt as a source of the DNA. But they didn’t win him another new trial. A judge decided the new evidence likely wouldn’t have resulted in a different outcome at a trial. One reason: prosecutors had argued Hunt probably didn’t act alone. But the DNA tests also excluded two men suspected with being with Hunt at the time of the attack.

In 2003, prompted in part by an in-depth series in the Winston-Salem-Journal about the case, investigators finally linked the DNA evidence to another suspect. Willard Brown, who had no known association with Hunt, confessed and told investigators Hunt wasn’t involved. Hunt was exonerated in a 2004 court hearing after serving 19 years.

I drove to Winston-Salem on Saturday, along with Observer colleague Victoria Cherrie, another Winston-Salem Journal vet who had a hand in covering the case, to see the documentary when it screened as part of the RiverRun Film Festival (here’s Lawrence Toppman’s coverage of the festival). It’s an incredible story, and it’s still hard to understand how it all could have happened the way it did.

But one thing gave me hope as I watched the screen. Towards the end of this film, there’s a shot of supporters gathered in a Winston-Salem church to cheer for Hunt’s exoneration. The cameras pan across the jubilant faces – both black and white, celebrating together.

In defense of Charlotte

2007-04-18T14:50:00.000-05:00

Lots of people out there are quick to defend Charlotte whenever someone disparages it.

That happened last weekend when I published excerpts from an anti-Charlotte e-mail I’d received from a reader, Jim Domnick. His comments were representative of others that were either e-mailed or posted to this blog earlier. (He’s no longer answering e-mails from me and never provided a phone number, by the way).

Here’s a sampling of responses:

"If things are so awful here, why don’t all of these gripers go back home? I will buy them the gas to do it. Oh, that's right, they can't get jobs back home and the ground is still covered in snow there. Belly up to the bar, boys, and enjoy what you have here. Don't like it? Fix it with your time and talent, not your mouth." –Jeannie

"Seriously? There's nothing to do here? What is it that you want to do? Sports - We have professional, semi-professional, collegiate and amateur. Outdoors - We have the U.S. National Whitewater Center, lakes, parks, fishing, hiking, biking, hunting, nearby mountains and beaches. Cultural - We have museums, galleries, theatre, opera, dance and live music venues. Dining - We have restaurants for every taste and pocketbook. We also have special-interest clubs, service organizations, churches, the YMCA & YWCA, colleges (offering classes and cultural events), etc." --Elizabeth Williams

"Charlotte's citizens are some of the most generous and caring people I know of. There will always be people who love wealth and the wealthy, but they are the exception. From what I've seen, the wealthy here in Charlotte give abundantly to the community. As for racism, it exists everywhere in the world and I don't believe Charlotte is any worse than other places." --Marilyn Nasekos

"Why are we experiencing the population expansion in the Charlotte metro area if all these new folks are bored?" –Anonymous

"It seems to me that there is plenty to do. A good question for that particular reader who wrote those comments would be ‘What things to do (activities/events) would you like to see Charlotte offer that it doesn't already have?’" Karen Eckert

"I guess there is something wrong with me! I love it here!" Marion Loughran

"Sometimes when you move to a new city, it takes a little work to find the things you are used to doing." Linda Allen

"I know Charlotte and other Southern cities have a ways to go before they will be perfect for you Mr. Domnick, but have you checked the numbers of people of different races, religions, backgrounds, age groups, and cultures that are living here? People that retire here? People that relocate here for a better life?? How can a city that diversified not be on the right path to decrease racism and intolerance?" Anonymous

And, I heard from one writer with a lengthy list of reasons why she agrees with Mr. Domnick and wants to move away from Charlotte: "This place is terribly short on loving kindness and plays an interesting ‘us versus them’ insider/outsider game," she wrote.

In my experience, this city certainly could stand to improve, but clearly its defenders outnumber its detractors.

Mark your calendars for a unique event

2007-04-16T13:55:00.000-05:00

I blew it.

I missed an opportunity to write about a unique, treasured local institution that newcomers and longtimers alike should know about.

It’s called the Tosco Music Party. Three times a year, between 15 and 20 acoustic musical acts visit the stage of Central Piedmont Community College’s Halton Theater (1206 Elizabeth Avenue in Charlotte). They treat the audience to an eclectic blend of musical styles – anything from rock, soul and country to African-style drumming and a guy with an accordion singing "Edelweiss" from "The Sound of Music." Everybody plays just one or two songs, so if you don’t like one act, just wait and another will be up in minutes.

Tickets are cheap - $12 for adults – and cover only the expenses for the theater rental and program-printing. Performers play for free, with some driving in from Atlanta, New York or even further to share their passions with the audience. They make gentle sales pitches for their CDs, which are on sale during intermission and following the show. The all-ages audience gets a chance to hear music they may never have heard otherwise – and perhaps discover a new favorite to add to their iPods.

The tradition started in the 1980s in the living room of organizer John Tosco, and moved to successively larger venues before reaching the 1,000-seat Halton facility. With no advertising, the event has had no problems reaching sellout crowds through word of mouth.

Until this past Saturday. And there is where I blew it. I attended the event – my second time - after looking forward to it for months. And it was the first time in many years the event didn’t sell out – fewer than 700 tickets were sold, Tosco told the audience.

I like to think that if I had thought to put the event in one of my columns in the newspaper beforehand, a few more people would have ventured out to experience something new. And now, there won’t be another chance until Sept. 15, the date of the next music party.

But you can get a taste of what it’s like sooner. On the first Wednesday of every month, there’s a Tosco Music Party open mike night at the Evening Muse, 3227 North Davidson Street (in the NoDa neighborhood). And on May 12, many of the music party regulars will participate in a Beatles tribute night at Spirit Square. Find out more about the events at www.toscomusicparty.com.

And mark your calendars for September 15.

How should we fix Charlotte's flaws?

2007-04-13T11:16:00.000-05:00

When you suggest a discussion of people’s favorite things about where they live, inevitably you start hearing their least-favorite things about it too.

That’s what happened this week after I published some quotes from readers on their favorite aspects of Charlotte. (I'll have a follow-up in tomorrow's column in the New Home section of the Observer).

This is my hometown, and if I didn’t have positive feelings about it, I wouldn’t have applied for this job of educating newcomers on what’s available to them here. But I also recognize this city has room for improvement, and I’d like to hear your thoughts on how that might be accomplished.

Last night at a social event, I met someone from New York who isn’t wild about Charlotte. The only place she’s found where she feels comfortable, she said, is the Evening Muse in NoDa. (I’m a fan of the place myself). I started making suggestions – Ballantyne Village’s movie theater, finding a house of worship (even if her beliefs are nontraditional, there’s a wide variety here), etc. – and she said she doesn’t like to drive far from her home near the center city to find things she’s interested in.

Well, that’s one thing about Charlotte, for good or ill. While our options for entertainment near center city are expanding at the same rate as our skyline, we remain a spread-out, sprawling community. You’ve got to be willing to drive 20 or 30 minutes – or more - to get a full sense of what we have to offer.

I do have a basis for comparison – I have many family members and friends in Chicago, Washington D.C. and New York City, and I visit those cities frequently. I know Charlotte is very different from those places, but I also know we have enough amenities to be a pretty nice place to live or else we wouldn’t be growing at a rate of tens of thousands of people each year.

I know from the blog posts and e-mails I’ve gotten that lots of you believe this place has flaws – from bad driving to occasional shallowness and materialism. So, my question to you is, what will it take to fix them?

Are Southerners more sociable?

2007-04-09T08:23:00.000-05:00

Is there a regional difference in attitudes toward invitations and announcements for graduations, births, and other significant life events?

That issue came up in Friday's "Ask Amy," the Ann Landers-esque column the Observer runs. A letter-writer from New York City was offended at receiving a flurry of graduation announcements and baby shower invitations "from south of the Mason-Dixon Line" and assumed they were transparent grabs for monetary gifts.

Amy chastised the writer for an "ethnocentric" perspective and said "it is possible that Southerners are merely more sociable than you Northeastern city dwellers." Read the whole exchange here.

What do you think? Does this exchange come from a true difference in regional attitudes in the Northeast versus the South, or is this just one attitude among many?

Personally, I've never been offended at getting an invitation or announcement from someone who lives far away - and I've never assumed I was obligated to give a gift to someone I wasn't close to. But I've never tracked whether I've received more from acquaintances "south of the Mason-Dixon Line" than other regions of the country.

Post your thoughts here or send 'em my way.

What's your favorite thing about Charlotte?

2007-04-06T10:27:00.000-05:00

Last week, my colleagues in the Observer’s E&T section (our Friday section on "entertainment & things to do" – a great resource for newcomers) asked readers to describe their favorite thing about Charlotte.

Their only agenda was to be entered into a drawing for some free event tickets. Many submissions came from transplants. A sampling:

"I’m a skyscraper fanatic, and I love spending an afternoon every once in and a while in uptown checking out the progress of all the new towers and watching those cranes and construction workers do their business. Now on the other hand, if I lived in Charlotte, all the road construction, suburban sprawl, etc. might be a problem. But for me, I love the energy and positive vibe to be found in all the new Charlotte construction." Norman Cook, Hickory

"We have it all. Where else in the United States can you get to both the Great Smoky Mountains and the soft sand of the N.C. beaches in just a few hours? Where else can you get to NASCAR tracks like Darlington, Bristol, and Martinsville in just a few hours, and don’t forget our very own Lowes Motor Speedway? Where else can you visit over 90 percent of all the NASCAR race teams’ shops? Where else are you going to get famous N.C. barbecue? Where else are you going to (visit) the one-of-a-kind U.S. National Whitewater Center?" Steven Youngblood

"My favorite thing about Charlotte is the variety of things to do in and around this city and the nice weather to do them in." Paul Sanford

"When I first moved here and drove through Charlotte, I was amazed at what a clean, beautiful city it was. The sidewalks were clear of debris, the grass was cut, the people in traffic were so polite. It amazed me that there was such a big difference from Pennsylvania to N.C." Ashley Heller

"My favorite thing about Charlotte is the way it looks in the spring. I was born and raised here, and at the beginning of every spring memories come flooding back to me. It makes me realize why people would want to move here." Tim Williams

"I am originally from Colorado, where it is chilly and the temperament of the people is often a match for the temperature outdoors. I currently travel out of town weekly for my job, but what I love about Charlotte is... the fact that no one is ever in a hurry; the idea that Southern hospitality is still alive and well; that there are 30 different types of barbecue sauce; that I can get a sweet tea at any time of the day; that flowers bloom in March; and finally, that no matter where I am flying in from – I am always happy to come home." Jasmine Barnes

Reactions? Additional thoughts? Post here or send ’em my way.

A chapter of Charlotte's history

2007-04-04T13:32:00.000-05:00

Many longtime Charlotte residents remember that one of the city’s most revered residents around the turn of the century was Anna Morrison Jackson, the widow of legendary Civil War general Stonewall Jackson. Her funeral in 1915, with full military honors, was one of the largest Charlotte had ever seen.

Lesser known, perhaps, is the fact that she was one of six fascinating daughters born to Dr. Robert Hall Morrison, the first president of Davidson College, and his wife Mary between 1825 and 1840. The sisters, along with four brothers, grew up in Lincoln County. Several lived in Charlotte after the war.

One sister, Harriet Abigail, taught herself architecture because no schools at the time would teach the topic to a woman. She became the first woman to obtain an architectural patent. Other sisters were talented artists and writers.

Five of the six sisters married military officers prominent in the Confederacy, a fact commemorated in the book "They Married Confederate Officers: The Intimate Story of Anna Morrison, Wife of Stonewall Jackson and Her Five Sisters" by local author Kathy Neill Herran.

Herran was the guest speaker Tuesday at the Mecklenburg Historic Association Docents monthly meeting, where she shared snippets of each sister’s life.

Anna Morrison Jackson spent 53 years honoring her late husband’s memory after he was killed in battle. Treated with near-universal reverence, she received free passage on trains and free hotel lodging wherever she went – even in the North, Herran said.

Herran bemoaned the fact that all of the houses in Charlotte where the sisters lived have been torn down.

"This is local history, and we need to do what we can to keep it alive," she said, drawing applause.

I enjoy dropping in on the historic association docents’ meetings, because even as a near-native with deep roots in this community, I always learn something new. If you’re a newcomer, they can be a great way to learn about this city – and about historic sites to visit or volunteer for.

Meetings are free and open to the public the first Tuesday of each month in the fellowship hall at Sugaw Creek Presbyterian Church, 101 Sugar Creek Road. They begin at 9:30 with refreshments, a 10 a.m. business meeting and an 11 a.m. historic program. Click here for more info.

Readers: Favorite foods and family-friendly spots?

2007-04-02T13:42:00.000-05:00

This is the final installment in my quest for reader suggestions.

First question: What do you think are the best family activities in this region? What attractions or spots are your favorites?

Second question: Time to get back to talking about food (a perennial reader favorite). What’s your favorite unsung restaurant? Where is it, what type of food do they serve and why do you like the place? And let’s not forget about drinks – where do you find your favorite cup of coffee, milkshake, martini or other beverage?

Please e-mail me your suggestions. And if you’re willing, please attach a JPEG headshot photo I can use in my follow-up.

I’m still looking for suggestions from my previous queries, particularly your favorite personalities and hangouts.

And as always, please send me your questions and suggestions for newcomer-friendly topics to write about!

Driving habits, and more questions for readers

2007-03-30T10:35:00.000-05:00

Most readers who responded to my recent query about driving habits say drivers have gotten more rude here in recent years.

But there’s little agreement on whether it’s the locals or the newcomers who are to blame. Personally, I believe drivers can be good and bad anywhere in the country, and I suspect the main culprit here is more-crowded roads as the region grows.

Read on for a sampling of responses – an excerpt will also appear in my column in Saturday’s New Home section:

“Having spent most of my life driving in the Northeast, where I was regularly cut off, flipped off and crowded to the shoulder, I’m convinced the continuing migration of people from Northeast cities has more to do with the lack of road manners (here) than a simple increase in roads and traffic.” --Tom Strini, Mint Hill

“My husband and I moved to Mooresville in July 2005 from the Los Angeles area. It never ceases to amaze us how polite drivers are, and how patient! No matter how much traffic is on the now infamous Brawley School Road, without exception drivers will slow down to let you merge in from side streets.” --Diane Aurit, moved to Mooresville from L.A.

“I must say, North Carolinians are the nicest people I’ve ever met. Except on the roadways! But, I guess I can’t blame you sometimes as you’ve had to endure an influx of newcomers.” --David Andreotti, Indian Trail

“I have a geat concern about the drivers who speed, don’t signal and talk on the phone.” --Deanna Watts, Charlotte

“I am a native Californian and came to Charlotte via Idaho. I learned to drive in Southern California, and both there and in Idaho no one let others cut in front of them, ever.... After eight years of living here, I find myself waving people into the line in front of me.“ --Susan Green, Matthews

“Ungracious and aggressive drivers are not produced based on any prior geographical home state. There are &#$!&^%# in every state of the union. Sometimes it just seems like they have all clustered around you when you are out on the road.” --Mary, Waxhaw

“Charlotte drivers should look in the mirror before blaming newcomers to your city. I have been driving for many more years than the majority of those I encounter were born. Blame newcomers for being ‘new’ and trying to assimilate, especially on the highway. But those who have lived here for years should ask themselves if they are disproportionately adding to the problem.” --Jim Lovejoy, moved to Charlotte from Maine

---

As you head out for your weekend (drive safely!), here are some more questions to contemplete - e-mail me your responses with contact information and a JPEG photo if you're willing to be featured in a follow-up!

First: Who’s your favorite personality in town? Whether it’s a politician, business leader, athlete, artist, celebrity, TV/radio/print personality or some other category, I want to hear suggestions of your favorite people in the region, and why you like them.

Second: Where’s your favorite place to hang out? A restaurant, nightclub, park or somewhere else? Please tell me where it is and why you like it.

And on a final note, this is the 100th post on this blog since I started it last summer - thanks for reading!

Readers: Share your thoughts

2007-03-28T10:27:00.000-05:00

For newcomers and longtimers alike, I’ve got a query for you: Where are your favorite shopping spots?

I’d like to know what things you appreciate when you’re out shopping. Maybe you like a store because of its salesclerks, its decor, the type of merchandise it carries, its mom-and-pop atmosphere – or something else.
Please e-mail me with your favorites, tell me why they’re your favorites, and if you’re willing to be featured in an upcoming article, attach a JPEG headshot photo of yourself.

This is the first of a series of questions I’ll be asking in coming days about your favorite stores, sights and personalities in this region. Every time I ask readers for suggestions of their favorite spots, I love the feedback I receive. This time around, I’ll be using it in a more comprehensive follow-up in a few weeks.

Keep watching here and in my columns for more questions soon.

Why no stay-at-home dad group in Mecklenburg?

2007-03-27T09:19:00.000-05:00

Not long ago, I received an inquiry from a transplant looking for a group for stay-at-home dads in Charlotte.

No problem, I thought. I personally know four families here who have made the choice, either temporarily or long-term, for dads to be at-home caregivers for the children while the moms work outside the home. Surely this city has ample resources for caregiver dads.

Turns out, I was wrong. I visited the leading national online resources for dads, Slowlane.com and Athomedad.org. I searched the Observer’s archives. I Googled. I looked through the family resource guide for Charlotte Parent magazine. I turned up just one group in this region: York County Dads (www.geocities.com/yorkcountydads). The group, which organizes weekly playgroups and other activities, also serves dads in Mecklenburg and Union Counties. The group's leader said to me in an e-mail: "I am not sure why there are no groups in Charlotte. It would really be a no-brainer."

Charlotte Parent’s list, by the way, includes at least 20 local groups just for moms; see Charlotteparent.com.

There is a locally-based blogging site, Dadbloggers.com, that focuses on the male perspective on parenting, but it's not just for stay-at-home dads and it doesn't organize activities.

In a county with more than 800,000 residents, and with stats showing stay-at-home dads are on the rise, why isn’t there a Mecklenburg-based activity group? In this era when many women have earning power equal to or greater than men, why isn’t there more public acknowledgement that the choice of who becomes primary caregiver for children can - and should - go either way, depending on individual circumstances?

I realize that many men don’t have as much tendency to be "joiners" as women, and they may have needs different from those in the heavily-populated Charlottemommies.com network. But surely they, like every other category of newcomer I’ve met, hunger for more ways to form friendships and connections.

If you know of other resources for dads in this community I might have missed in my research, please drop me a line.

On new and old Charlotte

2007-03-23T11:56:00.000-05:00

If you’re new to the Charlotte area and you’re single or a part of a couple looking to make new friends, Charlotte Outdoor Adventures (CHOA) is one good way to meet people.

I checked out one of the group’s open houses this week – CHOA has them roughly once a month to give prospects a chance to get questions answered before joining. To participate in events, you have pay a membership fee starting with $20 for a one-month trial, or you can be the guest of a member for no charge. (If you go to an open house, you can get a year’s membership for $99). Watch the Web site at www.choa.com for the next one.

The group’s activities range from half-price martini nights to whitewater river rafting. Most days, there are two or three activities to choose from, and many activities draw more than 40 people to sign up. Organizers say their membership fluctuates between 1,200 and 2,000 people – most of whom are new to town. The membership is about 60 percent singles and 40 percent couples.

About 50 people showed up to the open house I attended on Tuesday, and I overheard many conversations involving newcomers. The group gathered in the bar of an uptown hotel, then sat in the hotel restaurant for a Q&A session.

One attendee, a teacher who recently moved from Ohio, commented that it can be tough to find a completely new group of friends in a new city – most people haven’t had experience with that since they were starting college at age 18. And at that age, it’s so much easier because you’re surrounded by peers with free time and common interests.

Finding ways to make new friends is one of the top requests I hear from newcomers – so I hope this can be one solution for them.

---

Also this week, I checked out the Historic Charlotte program on the history of the old Carolina Theatre, a 1927 building that remains at North Tryon and Sixth streets awaiting a long-delayed restoration plan.

More than 70 people crammed into a meeting room at the Dunhill Hotel to hear Charlie Clayton, a leader in the preservation effort, give an update. The Carolina Theatre Preservation Society is gearing up to launch a drive to raise $2 million to restore the building’s historic details, including curtains, lighting and stenciling on the walls.

Clayton detailed the history of the preservation efforts, which date to the theater’s 1978 closing. “We’ve been trying to save it from the wrecking ball for all these years,” he said. “This town doesn’t like history for some odd reason.”

Having grown up here, I have to agree with him. There is seldom much hesitation before tearing down old buildings. Nobody seems to be batting an eye at the prospect of developers tearing down Hall House on North Tryon Street. It’s currently used as public housing, but the building started in 1940 as a grand hotel – and still has some attractive architectural touches. Its 12-story brick silhouette isn’t like any of our beige skyscrapers.

And I still mourn every day on my way to work as I drive by the ugly parking lot that used to be the the famed all-night Athens Restaurant – it shuttered last fall for Central Piedmont Community College expansion after 45 years in business.

What do you think about Charlotte’s attitude about its history? Let me know.

Carolina Theatre and other history lessons

2007-03-19T09:05:00.000-05:00

Your chances to learn more about the old Carolina Theatre and other parts of Charlotte's history are coming up soon.

Click here for details on Historic Charlotte's programs, which begin Tuesday with a look inside the defunct theater building still standing at North Tryon and Sixth streets.

And click here to see my TV report on the building with news partner WCNC.

What other aspects of Charlotte's history are you curious to know more about? Post here or e-mail me.

The region's best diners, drive-ins and dives

2007-03-17T17:43:00.000-05:00

Today I was out with a crew from the Food Network, which brought host Guy Fieri to Charlotte to film segments for a new upcoming series called "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives." He was at Bar-B-Q King, a drive-in on Wilkinson Boulevard, and will be at The Penguin Sunday.

The series premieres April 23 and will air Mondays at 10 p.m., but producers haven't decided which date the Charlotte segments will air. I'll update here when I know more.

Today's experience got me thinking about the value of the mom-and-pop restaurants that make every city unique. Growing up in Charlotte, I drove by Bar-B-Q King probably thousands of times, but today was the first time I tried its yummy barbecued chicken, cherry-lemon Sprite and strawberry pie.

So I consulted with colleagues to come up with a list of diners, drive-ins and dives worth trying around the region. I'm sure I left off some favorites, so e-mail me or post other suggestions here.

Charlotte
Bar-B-Q King, 2900 Wilkinson Blvd. 704-399-8344. Try the onion rings.

South 21 Curb Service, 3631 South Blvd., 704-527-5530, and 3101 Independence Boulevard, 704-377-4509. Known for the Super Boy (a two-beef-patty sandwich).

The Penguin, 1921 Commonwealth Ave., 704-375-6959. Grab some fried dill pickles.

Price’s Chicken Coop, 1614 Camden Rd., 704-333-9866. Best deep-fried chicken in town.

UPDATE: A reader has pointed out that there are only four drive-ins inside Charlotte, and I left out one: Town & Country Drive-In, 2441 Wilkinson Boulevard, 704-333-0189. (It's right across the street from Bar-B-Q King). It's best known for burgers, barbecue and seafood.

Concord, Kannapolis, Mooresville and Mount Pleasant
What-a-Burger. 34 Church St. SE in Concord, 1256 Old Charlotte Rd. in Concord, 210 S. Main St. in Mooresville, 926 S. Main St. and 1510 N. Cannon Blvd. in Kannapolis, 8330 Franklin St. W. in Mount Pleasant. The name says it all.

Gastonia
R.O.’s Barbecue, 1318 Gaston Ave., 704-866-8143. Try the spicy reddish “slaw.”

Hickory
The Snack Bar, 1346 1st Ave. SW. 828-322-5432. Country fried steak, with banana pudding for dessert.

Shelby
Bridges Barbecue Lodge, 2000 E. Dixon Blvd., 704-482-8567. At least one local authority dubs it the region’s best pork barbecue.

Statesville
Keaton’s, Cool Springs/Woodleaf Road, Statesville; 704-278-1619. Must-have barbecue chicken.

York, S.C.
Palmetto Grill, 2910 Hwy 161 S., 803-684-6737. Try salt-and-pepper catfish, and frog legs.

Where to go for March Madness?

2007-03-15T13:46:00.000-05:00

Happy March Madness - and in honor of the launch of the NCAA tournament, here’s a follow-up on my earlier suggestions of good places to go watch the basketball games:

--Cherie, whose husband is a diehard Memphis fan, wrote to ask where the couple should go. Memphis has a Charlotte alumni group that meets sporadically at the uptown Fox & Hound (330 N. Tryon St., 704-333-4113).

--Bill wrote to tell me that Syracuse fans like to go to the Picasso’s Sports Cafe in University City, 1001 E. W.T. Harris Blvd., 704-595-9553. "Great large screen, and lots of Syracuse faithful," he wrote.

--Illinois fans should go to Jocks and Jills, 4109 Southstream Blvd, 704-423-0001, since local alumni plan to gather there.

--Tukuli, a University of Tennessee alum, wondered where to find UT fans. According to their alumni Web site, they like to gather at Hickory Tavern, 9010 Harris Corners Parkway, exit 18 off Interstate 77, 704-921-4466.

If you know of other spots around the region that attract specific schools’ fans, please post them here.

On McGill Rose Garden and Spirit Square

2007-03-13T10:19:00.000-05:00

While I was researching the life story of Henry McGill, who with his wife co-founded the McGill Rose Garden, I stumbled across an article in the Observer's archives that I had nearly forgotten I wrote.

Back in 2001, the rose garden was threatened with closure due to insufficient funding. In a compromise vote, the Charlotte City Council gave it enough money to stay open to the public, and it has survived under the management of a private foundation since.

The article stirred memories of meeting Mr. McGill the night he spoke to the council. I remember being impressed by how spry and lucid he was, considering he was close to 100 at the time. (Newcomers: If you haven't visited this garden yet, you should stop by. It's fascinating to see how an old industrial rail yard became a place of such beauty).

Reading that article gave me hope for the current debate about the future of Spirit Square, another treasured center city attraction. I grew up in Charlotte and remember the days before the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center and Belk Theater existed. Spirit Square's McGlohon Theatre was the only major venue in uptown, and its events were one of very few things that gave life to the center city and brought people in after working hours. I remember going with my family to see The Amazing Kreskin, a hypnotist, perform there in the mid-1980s. (Perhaps one could argue the theater's lineup has improved considerably since those days).

So far, all proposals for the sale of the property would preserve the historic church structure that houses McGlohon Theatre on North Tryon Street. I'm also a fan of events in the neighboring classrooms and galleries in Spirit Square - I've attended several events there put on by the Light Factory, the museum devoted to film and photography, and visited Mike Collins' adjoining WFAE studio. Whatever happens to the property, I hope all parties involved will recognize its importance to our local cultural scene and keep an eye toward preserving the things that make our city unique.

Bars and restaurants Charlotte needs

2007-03-12T06:24:00.000-05:00

Lots of people responded to my invitation last week for readers to vote for what types of bars and restaurants Charlotte needs, and where.

Here’s a sampling of responses:

“What it seems to me is lacking in Charlotte - all over town - are good places where married adults or couples, 30-40-50-year-olds, can go for an evening of dancing, where the dancing starts before 10:30 or 11:00 at night.” -Dick, Gastonia

“I think Charlotte could use a great vegetarian restaurant, something like The Laughing Seed in Asheville.” - Rob

“More vegetarian restaurants and martini bars.” - K

“The bottom line is that there are few, if any, restaurants located uptown that serve truly good and inventive food. I would travel anywhere for a great dinner, certainly uptown. A friend of mine once observed that Charlotte lacks a renowned restaurant. If someone you know is going to spend time here, there is no place where you will recommend that they ‘must go’ for a meal.” - Jim

“I would like to suggest a quiet bar/restaurant with adequate lighting and room between tables. Say something about $20-25 each for an entrée and glass of wine, maybe dessert. A place where friends can gather to enjoy a meal and good conversation in relative quiet.” - Cheri

“Diners, delis (uptown).” - Linda

“More mom-and-pop restaurants.” - BC

“A small uptown live music venue similar to the ones over in NoDa (www.noda.org).” -Bettie Ann

“Charlotte really needs a good French restaurant. Ever since Patou changed hands, it’s lost its quaint bistro charm.” - Josane and John

“How about a high-end bar with large flat screens and very nice billiard tables, smoke-free, either downtown or near SouthPark.” - Sarah

And some interesting thoughts on our sports bar dominance: “The 30 - 40 year olds do not go out enough to even be able to support one bar that would cater to them. This is a banking town (read: wine and cheese crowd). Once people here start hitting 25, they have to start saving their money to afford their future country club membership or fear being left behind by the Jones’. So, they have a tendency to go out less with each additional year. Therefore, the majority of the market is 20-23 year olds. Bar owners know this and cater to this clientele because they are the ones paying the bills. Nationally, sports bars are the largest growing and profitable segment in the bar business, so Charlotte isn’t out of the norm.

The only thing that Charlotte hasn’t picked up on is the trend of having a combination of sports bar and dance club in one.

Other thoughts: A 24 hour downtown restaurant would be good. And, a restaurant that is committed to serving only low-fat, low-carb meals with portion control.” - Anonymous

(Tonya Jameson, the Paid to Party columnist, has a similar query on her blog about what’s needed uptown for those who want to weigh in: Click here.)

Free lunch for newcomers?

2007-03-09T15:14:00.000-05:00

I’m holding a lunch forum for newcomers, and I have a few slots left.

It’s this coming Wednesday, March 14, at noon at the Observer building, 600 S. Tryon St. Lunch will be provided. Let me know if you're interested in attending.

I’m interested in hearing your overall newcomer impressions. I also plan to ask you about the topic of racial trust and diversity in this community, because I’m curious to hear your opinions – click here to see some background on that topic.

If you’re not available to participate in this forum, but you’re interested in being on my list for future meetings, let me know. E-mail me at Ldyer@charlotteobserver.com.