Transplants please provide some wisdom (natives feel free to do so as well) (Charlotte: appointed, movers) - Page 3 - City-Data Forum

stmaarten · 03-05-2009, 07:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by queens85

stmaarten: this isnt the first time I have moved from NYC to somewhere else so I am not afraid of change oh to be perfectly clear I am from Queens completely different borough.....my POINT was to get the views of others that have made the move and their experiences living in Charlotte or the South period

Sorry, I did not mean to come off as rude. I must have misread your question. I was under the impression that you wanted to find out whether or not there would be an adjustment, moving from NYC to Charlotte...I thought that was kind of a "no brainer". NYC is in a category of it's own, hardly comparable to any other (smaller) city.
If you love the NYC pace/food/nightlife/etc., you will have to go through a period of adjustment. It all depends on your ability to have an open mind. The best advice would be NOT to compare NYC to Charlotte.
Good Luck to you.

southbound_295 · 03-05-2009, 07:28 AM

Check the grocery threads on the Charlotte forum. You'll have a good idea of what to bring, that matter to you.

HomeSweetHomeNY · 03-05-2009, 07:28 AM

you NEED your horn here! I won't start on the drivers though. Queens, me and my husband sorely sorely miss H&M!!!! Huge sacrifice indeed! We visit my family in NY often and it's one of our first shopping stops every time =] And we always bring back down bagels/pastries, just enough to get our fix, which is good for me anyway to only have them once in a blue moon - I can definitely afford to be without sugar & bread!

I do eat much less pasta and bread since being down here, lost some pounds lol. Well, no H&M, but at least there's forever 21.. which doesn't totally compare, but it's a start..

queens85 · 03-05-2009, 07:30 AM

STMARTEEN: Its cool I understood your point and yes NYC is a category on its own I learned not to compare it to anyplace when I went away for college. Thanks!

hooligan · 03-05-2009, 07:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by himain

Moving from Miami to up here is definitely a change of pace. I'm not a huge club goer anymore but when I want to, there's no place good to go up here. Plus there really isn't any local bars to go to that are worth anything, IMO.

Even though I really am happy to be out of Miami, I do miss the nightlife/social life options.

What kind of "local bar" are you looking for? I can think of 3 really good ones right off the top of my head -

The Red Lion (Ayrsley - 485 and S. Tryon www.theredlionnc.com )

Alexander Michael's (4th Ward - 9th and Pine www.almikestavern.com )

Tyber Creek Pub (South End - South Blvd and Tremont Ave www.tybercreek.com )

I'm sure there are lots of others...

Now if you're looking for a local bar with a Spanish/hispanic vibe, that might be a tall order.

anifani821 · 03-05-2009, 07:36 AM

Well, looks like you have gotten some consistent advice. Things are gonna change . . . and I personally would feel that Charlotte and surrounding area felt kinda rural compared to NYC. However, I like semi-rural just fine so that is okay with me.

Even tho I am a native, I lived in a different (more robust) metro for a chunk of my life, and even that was an adjustment with moving back here. I had to get used to there simply not being some things here that I wished were here (like a big museum). It took me longer to adjust to being here than I thought it would, mainly b/c I just assumed that since I have roots in this area, it would be no big deal to "come back home" - so I was somewhat in denial about the whole thing for a while. That only prolongs facing that yes, there are things I will always miss - and no, those things are not gonna be here. I learned to compromise by incorporating some travel into my schedule that would allow me to get my "fix" of whatever it is that I feel I am missing.

I think you will find that there are many others who are from your area and you will doubtless find them along the way - and that can help some, too - just being able to reminisce. In addition, if you come here w/ clear expectations that it is an adventure (wh/ is sounds like you are doing) - then I suspect you will make a smooth adjustment. It helped me to focus on the things I had missed while I was gone, such as the beautiful Blue Ridge mountains . . . and to reconnect with those things. So I would advise that you find the features of this area wh/ are different and wh/ you find really appealing - and try to focus on those things.

Good luck! I have a feeling you will be fine! And you can always hop on a plane or drive back to NYC when you need a "fix." Not like you are moving to another country, even if it might seem like it the first few months!!!

jenn02674 · 03-05-2009, 08:12 AM

Well Charlotte is very different from NYC, that is for sure but it is totally going to depend on you. There is a little bit of everything here just not on nearly as large a scale and not nearly as convenient.

Things are slower here compared to NYC or any major large city but the south in general isn't any slower than the rest of the country. Sometimes it can be annoying, like at the grocery store when you are in a hurry and the person in front of you is carrying on a conversation with the cashier

.

NCyank · 03-05-2009, 09:37 AM

If you have allergies you might want to be prepared for changes. Many people find that their allergies change when they move to a new area, maybe even get worse.

Ani is right that spring here is beautiful. Everything greens up around the same time, and I mean EVERYTHING...not only will the trees and bushes be green but the cars are green from pollen, the front porch is green, even the dog turns green if I leave him out all day...LOL. Just be prepared for your allergies to flare up as well.

CouponJack · 03-05-2009, 10:30 AM

There are some really good responses on this thread. I've been living here for about 2 yrs now (coming from NJ).

Sometimes I have the urge to use my horn on the road, however I think twice now because its a real sign of disrepect to the locals here. Up north, I wouldn't think twice about honking the horn or if someone made me mad enough, flip them the bird.

Food shopping is actually a pleasant experience here. I shop on sunday's and everyone is in church, so there are no lines to deal with. The prices are higher compared to ShopRite (old supermarket), however I try to shop at multiple stores to get the best prices.

The climate is great. The biggest difference here is that the SUN is out almost every day. Whereas in NJ, the winters were long and days were short. The gloomy weather really brought you down. It really helps that you can do a lot of outdoor activities.

Probably the biggest piece of advice I can give is that if you are moving here, YOU HAVE TO GIVE IT A CHANCE. What I mean is that don't come here w/a negative attitude because you will be miserable. Embrace what there is to offer. We all know that there isn't as much say arts or the amount of culture activities / museums etc..as there is up there, however you can find many things to do that are enjoyable...at least I have.

Good luck

BrianH1970 · 03-05-2009, 10:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CouponJack

Probably the biggest piece of advice I can give is that if you are moving here, YOU HAVE TO GIVE IT A CHANCE. What I mean is that don't come here w/a negative attitude because you will be miserable. Embrace what there is to offer. We all know that there isn't as much say arts or the amount of culture activities / museums etc..as there is up there, however you can find many things to do that are enjoyable...at least I have.

Best piece of advice here. There are enough substitutions for what you left, and more than enough new things to do that makes the transition a little easier, so long as you have an open mind.