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I know it's nothing close to NYC and I'm not asking you to compare it to NYC.
But regardless of other cities, would you say that Charlotte has a some-what cosmopolitan atmosphere?
Yes, I would
From a post I made earlier this year (even though some of the info is old now, you'll get a sense of the things available here):
Here in Charlotte these are just a few things for you to look forward to:
Charlotte is a beautiful city with a big heart. It's not as sophistocated as some cities, but we are not totally void of culture. We have several wonderful museums, art gallaries in areas like NoDa and Southend, The NC Dance Theatre, Opera Carolina (currently performing Pagliacci & La Vid Breve - and yes I had to look that up to spell it!!! Pirates of Penzance is later this spring), The Charlotte Symphony (and the beautiful Blumenthal Performing Arts Center to enjoy them all, plus much more).
There's Ovens Auditorium for smaller shows, concerts or plays. There's Theatre Charlotte - the city's amateur troupe recently performing A Chorus Line. There are at least a half a dozen funky and up and coming amateur troups, some of whom perform at the very intimate and enjoyable Spirit Square stage. And lest I forget, the incredibly popular Children's Theater, and the Discovery Place Science Museum with Omnimax theater.
There are several movie theaters which play first run alternative films you won't find at the standard multiplexes (the ones with stadium seating which we also have all around town). The newest movie theater of this type is in Ballantyne and offers upscale food and drinks for your dining pleasure during the movie
I refer you to a post not long ago where a portuguese lady asked about portuguese bakeries and one of our city-data posters answered something to the effect of it was anywhere close to spanish, the word was "latin" (including i suppose portuguese, brazilian, italian, galician, argentinian, spaniard or spanish, or latin american in general) it would be confused into being mexican. not quite ready for prime time , i suppose.
Charlotte is a great place to raise kids and/or shop but honestly, I cannot say that it's cosmopolitan. I think, for me, the thing that differentiates it from cosmopolitan cities is that, while it has A LOT of money, the money is the point, not the experiences.... if you know what I mean. (From a reference point, I do really like Charlotte, but I've also lived in much larger cities.... Charlotte is really just a family town that happens to have a lot of money but really hasn't translated that into the arts, etc.)
I'll put it like this: there is much ethnic diversity in Charlotte, much more than really meets the eye. However, you don't see the high levels of ethnic integration in Charlotte like you'd see in NYC, LA, DC, etc. That should change in a few years with the children of those immigrants.
I'll put it like this: there is much ethnic diversity in Charlotte, much more than really meets the eye. However, you don't see the high levels of ethnic integration in Charlotte like you'd see in NYC, LA, DC, etc. That should change in a few years with the children of those immigrants.
that doesnt count. The diversity integration if accepted at the time of the first wave of immigration when everybody is all different and talking different languages and wearing different colors counts for something: once the chldren of those have them put through the school wringer and become all culturalized the same way , that hardly counts as integration.
Charlotte is a great place to raise kids and/or shop but honestly, I cannot say that it's cosmopolitan. I think, for me, the thing that differentiates it from cosmopolitan cities is that, while it has A LOT of money, the money is the point, not the experiences.... if you know what I mean. (From a reference point, I do really like Charlotte, but I've also lived in much larger cities.... Charlotte is really just a family town that happens to have a lot of money but really hasn't translated that into the arts, etc.)
Very well put. However, you will not hear many natives express this sentiment. I knew I was "missing something" b/f I lived elsewhere, but I really did not understand how much I was missing until I moved BACK here.
I am a native but have lived in other cities. Even when I lived here, I flew to NYC, Chicago, and drove to ATL for art exhibits, plays, etc.
While living here (grew up in nearby county, went to undergrad and grad school here, 18 years of career here) - I managed to find what I needed and enjoyed, but it was a very "pieced" approach. Maybe drive to Winston for one particular play, drive to Raleigh for an art show or Opera, fly to NYC for MOMA exhibit, Charlotte Symphony tickets, drive to Charleston to hear an author speak . . . forget trying to find a classy jazz club here, for example, but you can hear jazz at such places as college campuses if you keep up w/ college event calendars.
After living where these things were much more accessible and not so difficult to "put together" - I can truly say . . . my feeling about CLT is - if you can afford to belong to a Country Club . . . you will be able to experience a fairly cosmopolitan lifestyle, w/ upscale social events revolving around your club . . . Even then, you will have to make an effort to find out what is going on in nearby cities, or fly somewhere like CHI, NYC or drive to ATL - to really experience the arts, concerts, etc.
I am not saying there is never a concert here in CLT that I want to attend - but I have to really look and often find I have to go out of town. You can still have good a good time here, and especially so if you enjoy the Blue Ridge Mountains and/or the beach, and Golf. There is a lot of talent here . . . so you may have to settle for a community theatre production- but I have seen some great work at community theatres!
But no . . . this is not a cosmopolitan city. Just my opinion, of course. Things like a Dead Sea Scroll exhibition do not rate high on my list of "must do's", but a King Tut exhibit does as would a Frank Lloyd Wright exhibit and a Gaugin retrospective. Luckily, I was able to take advantage of the last three exhibits b/c I found out where they were . . . and made trips.
I stay amazed that people w/ the Big Bucks in this town seem mainly interested in promoting their own lifestyles, rather than contributing to the arts. Of course, there is altruism here, but not on the scale I would expect to see in a city w/ this many people making such high incomes.
I have a theory that a lot of the money goes to endowments at colleges, hospitals and for churches, rather than the arts. Of course, that is just a guess.
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No, it is not cosmopolitan
