Charlotte- really that lame? (live, trendy, nightlife)

[Tarheelhombre]

As a single person who wants to remain that way forever, I want to live in a big city with lots of people with that perpetually single, young-minded attitude. DC, NYC, Chicago, Boston, Miami, Seattle, and San Francisco are places where being perpetually single or unmarried is the norm, and because it is, the culture is geared toward that mindset. In those big cities, clubs are open every night, teaming with hot people. THese cities have large gay sections of town that are valued by the larger region as cultural havens. Also, we tend to seek dense, thriving center cities and shopping/entertainment districts in which a diverse segment of people are partying, dining, and hanging out until the wee hours of morning, whether it's Time Square, Halsted, or Gallery Place. We like that street vibe wherein you have tons of people buzzing about at 2 am. In essence, we like the city that never sleeps vibe and the progressive, modernistic social climate that cities like Boston, NYC, and DC offer.

[Cc:Everyone I Know]

Hi. I moved to Charlotte from up north about four years ago. We moved here professional jobs.

To sum it up:
* There are many job opportunities here. Remember: no labor unions; right to work state
* The weather is nice.
* There are things to do, but don't expect to find anything going on after, like, ten pm; certainly, it is hard to find after hours clubs, 24 hour restaurants,etc. If you like a really full night life, I don't think that Charlotte is the place you would like to be.
* Charlotte doesn't touch other cities in the US with cultural activities and museums.
* Yes. It's true. From my first hand experience, crime is out of control in Charlotte. However, it is not in every corner of every neighborhood. The city is one of the fastest growing in the country; what should one expect?
* Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools are a cesspool. From my first-hand experience, I would not send my children to school in the system. Suggestion: Live outside of Meck. County; the surrounding areas have great schools.
* Something that many people do not want to admit: Charlotte has a very large minority population, African-American and Hispanic. This is not a problem for me, but I have heard many people complain about the number of minorites in the city. Get over it. If this is something that bothers you, I would NOT suggest moving here.
* Traffic is not a major problem. I think that the problem is that the city is growing so quickly, many roads are congested.

I am over Charlotte because it is not the place for me. I have learned a lot here, but I am ready to move on. You could be bored with Charlotte in, like, a year. However, to each his own. I think Charlotte is a love it or hate it kind of place. I think that people who love it here and want to stay here forever just really want something very different out of life than I do. If you're used to a major city and are looking for that type of enviornment, I am sorry to say that I can almost ensure that you will not be happy with Charlotte.

Someone on here compared Boston and San Diego to Charlotte as far as size, etc. Charlotte is NOT in the same class as these two cities. Charlotte is a country town trying to be a city.

[carolina_guy]

Originally Posted by BigJon3475

Uptown

What profession?

I refuse to say uptown. Must be the native in me....

[anthonym267]

Originally Posted by jdelre13

Now I am curious too as to why that person found my comments humorus.

That other person's comments that referred to Charlotte as a "town" with 750,000 people, now that's something you should be laughing at. Just to humor you, we can compare apples to apples. Just to name a few other "towns"

San Diego
Denver
Seattle
Austin
Dallas
Houston
Chicago
Boston

All of those cities kick Charlotte's a$$ too. .. .

Even all of my born and bred North Carolinian friends (bless their hearts) that love NC, are disgusted with Charlotte because of all the BS that is going on there.

Ive been to most all the major cities in the country and Charlotte is the only place I did'nt want to leave. Its economy is vibrant and as good as any and for banking, its knocking on New York's door.

San Deigo-wildfires
Denver-nice place if you like mountains, but nothing special
Seattle-great city but I would like to have some sunny days.
Austin-great growing city but I don't like Texas
Dallas-overrated
Houston-great city and possibly the next LA, but its like Detroit, it lives and dies by one industry
Chicago-great city but too expensive to live.
Boston-another great city but also too expensive and the RUDEST people of anywhere I've ever been.

I'll take Charlotte over any of those places.

[ncisgreat]

Originally Posted by Cc:Everyone I Know

* There are things to do, but don't expect to find anything going on after, like, ten pm; certainly, it is hard to find after hours clubs, 24 hour restaurants,etc. If you like a really full night life, I don't think that Charlotte is the place you would like to be.
* Charlotte doesn't touch other cities in the US with cultural activities and museums.
* Charlotte is NOT in the same class as these two cities. Charlotte is a country town trying to be a city.

This is pretty ridiculous. A country town? Idiotic. It's a MID-SIZE city with lots of wonderful things to do. You know, I lived in Denver, Co for 13 years and Denver is smaller than Charlotte in population now and IMO is less culturally relevant. Yet I never heard people beat down Denver like people come here and beat down Charlotte. You'll never hear someone say, "well Denver sucks compared to San Fran." I mean, seriously, what is wrong with you people? Don't compare apples to tomatoes. Sounds like you are out of the game and not up to speed with the real scene.

Originally Posted by carolina_guy

I refuse to say uptown. Must be the native in me....

Actually, an interesting piece of trivia is that it has been called "uptown" for generations because uptown is on the highest point in the city geographically so people used to say they were headed "up to town" shortened later to "uptown." This is not a new yuppie word we just made up for the center city.

[JakeDog]

It's all about personal preferences. Charlotte is a very attractive clean business oriented town. A lot of new pretty housing, lots of brick strip malls, lots of good jobs. Lots of chains. It doesn't feel as big as many cities with the same population b/c it reall isn't- it is very spread out and cities like Seattle have much larger greater metropolitan populations but simply did not annex as much land. Decent, not great weather. lots of bugs. A bit of a drive to get to the beach, but close enough for a weekend trip. You can take a day trip to the blue ridge. Once you are out of Charlotte proper, which is upscale and has a stepford wife vibe to it, you enter the south- lots of waffle houses, crackel-barrels, poverty, religious right churches. Personally I'd describe Charlotte as a good place for people that like subburbs but that are indifferent to a big city vibe.

[JakeDog]

Originally Posted by anthonym267

Ive been to most all the major cities in the country and Charlotte is the only place I did'nt want to leave. Its economy is vibrant and as good as any and for banking, its knocking on New York's door.

San Deigo-wildfires
Denver-nice place if you like mountains, but nothing special
Seattle-great city but I would like to have some sunny days.
Austin-great growing city but I don't like Texas
Dallas-overrated
Houston-great city and possibly the next LA, but its like Detroit, it lives and dies by one industry
Chicago-great city but too expensive to live.
Boston-another great city but also too expensive and the RUDEST people of anywhere I've ever been.

I'll take Charlotte over any of those places.

Sorry, but wow. I'd take San Deigo over Charlotte notwithstanding the wildfires. Denver is nothing special, but neither is Charlotte- but Denver DOES have the mountains. Seattle is a great city and that trumps the slightly above average weather in Charlotte. Austin is great. Houston is not a great city- it stinks. And Boston isn't rude.

[eccentricbeethoven]

i really don't understand why people beat down charlotte but i remember when the same happen to a city called atlanta in the 1970's and now look what happen

[JakeDog]

Originally Posted by eccentricbeethoven

i really don't understand why people beat down charlotte but i remember when the same happen to a city called atlanta in the 1970's and now look what happen

Yeah, now Atlanta is a sprawling nightmare with little soul. Not exactly a blueprint for success.

[ncisgreat]

Originally Posted by JakeDog

Sorry, but wow. I'd take San Deigo over Charlotte notwithstanding the wildfires.

HAHAHA, who wouldn't (and I love Charlotte but come on San Diego rocks). HOWEVER, I had a chance to move there 9 years ago and last year and decided I'd rather visit once a year rather than be too broke to go out and enjoy the city and live in a cracker box apartment thanks to the outrageous cost of living.

Of all of these cities, Charlotte is by far the best IMO. Denver too cold, Austin has too many huge bugs and last time I was there it was 15 minutes until I heard someone speaking English...Boston too cold and expensive, etc.