Considering Moving To Charlotte or Raleigh from Los Angeles (neighborhoods, tax)

[hooligan]

Well, any city you can name will have its detractors and people who wouldn't live there.

I'm not single, but my wife and I don't have any children - we don't have any issues finding non-kid-centric things to do.

I'll agree that it's not the most cultural city, but we don't go to art galleries or stage productions much, so that doesn't bother me. If you have to have a huge local arts scene, Charlotte probably isn't the place for you.

My best suggestion would be to come and visit for at least a week and form your own opinions before ruling Charlotte in or out as a place to live. You'd be crazy to make a decision with less first-hand experience, honestly.

[westcoastbabe]

Originally Posted by hooligan

Well, any city you can name will have its detractors and people who wouldn't live there.

I'm not single, but my wife and I don't have any children - we don't have any issues finding non-kid-centric things to do.

I'll agree that it's not the most cultural city, but we don't go to art galleries or stage productions much, so that doesn't bother me. If you have to have a huge local arts scene, Charlotte probably isn't the place for you.

My best suggestion would be to come and visit for at least a week and form your own opinions before ruling Charlotte in or out as a place to live. You'd be crazy to make a decision with less first-hand experience, honestly.

When is the last time you seen a Smooth Jazz festival or a Reggae festival here.....and Lets face the taste of Charlotte is hardly like the "taste of Chicago, for whom it is modeled afterward... When was the last time Charlotte was on the list of cites to host a huge cultural/arts fest.....Face it ..not happening here.

[hooligan]

I haven't really seen any genre-specific music festivals here, honestly. Perhaps I'm just missing them, though?

I'm not much of a Smooth Jazz fan, so I'm the wrong person to ask about that specifically. However, there are LOTS of places to see live music around town and I'd be surprised if you couldn't find Jazz or Reggae. I know I've seen Reggae bands booked at the Neighborhood Theater in NoDa.

I'm agreeing with you about CLT not being a cultural/arts Mecca. For me, that's just not the be all and end all for what makes someplace a nice place to live. If it is for you, Charlotte may not be the right fit.

[urbancharlotte]

Originally Posted by westcoastbabe

Wanderer - Not Lost is right about Charlotte, NC.
Singles 30 Something....born and bred here..Culturally & Socially just not much to do here.....Having been to California/Arizona/Nevada to visit family..You just dont have the variety of things to do that you would in those other cities...Actually looking to relocate to one of those states in 2010...when economy is better...(KNOCK ON WOOD!!!) Just think that I have outgrown my home state and to look at setting roots elsewhere.

I'd have to agree with you on this one. I'd also like to say to the OP that Raleigh is worse than Charlotte when it comes to being "family oriented" (ie Raleigh is more family oriented).

Being that the OP is not that interested in the social scene (she has stated this much) I think our resident "Charlotte haters" are making toooooo big of a deal about Charlotte's social life. The OP clearly asked "Raleigh or Charlotte". She isn't dumb people. She knows there will be a change in pace and culture by moving from LA to ANYWHERE in NC. I hate to play MOD, but the bottom line is should she move to Charlotte or Raleigh? That is what she is asking. Nothing more, nothing less. The fact that some of you find Charlotte's social life "boring" would suggest that the OP lean heavier towards Charlotte (Raleigh's social scene is worse than Charlotte's IMO).

With that said, here are a few videos of Charlotte's night life scene Uptown (taken by someone that actually knows Charlotte well ).


YouTube - urban charlotteYouTube - urban charlotte

New Years in Uptown


YouTube - New Years Eve Uptown


YouTube - New Years Eve Uptown

Thanksgiving Day Parade


YouTube - Thanksgiving Day

Charlotte is by NO MEANS a LA, but it is BY FAR the best (by best I mean most exciting) option in NC for folks looking for the "big city". Take it from someone that has more than a two year history with Charlotte.

I am very familiar with how much (or better yet how little) a person that has been in Charlotte only two years knows. My wife has only been here two years, and she still can't get around without her GPS navigation. There is NO WAY in "you know where" a person that's been here two years can give an accurate description of what Charlotte is like. They (recent transplants) are probably only familiar with the corridor between their home and their job.

Not to get too far off topic, but I would strongly suggest to anyone that has just moved to Charlotte (or has been here only a couple of years) to *gasp!* park your car and take the bus (and train) around. That's right, on your next day off, do yourself a favor and ride at least 30% of Charlotte's mass transit routes. I promise you will see neighborhoods and a social side of Charlotte you NEVER thought existed. You might even gain a greater respect for Charlotte's social diversity as well.

[joanie55]

Originally Posted by anifani821

I see a lot more Mexican flags around town than American flags, LOL. Do I care? Nope. Does it reveal some coded message about how folks think here? Uh, no. I would assume folks who fly the Mexican flag are either natives of Mexico or they like Mexican culture and want to identify that they are into it.

Every time I hear someone say they are turned off by seeing a Rebel flag the first thing I think is - "oh, coded language for saying there are a lot of white trash who live here."

That's what the poster really meant. Same thing when someone mentions mobile homes. That is just code for "too many uneducated ignorant Southerners in the area."

Let's just be honest.

I really didn't get that message from her post at all. As someone who is not from the south, what I would think about seeing rebel flags is, "
Are these people still fighting the civil war?" When I visit Miss. that's how I feel. It speaks to prejudice, which in part stems from ignorance in my opinion but not white trash. I don't think white trash fits into that equation.

[anifani821]

Originally Posted by joanie55

I really didn't get that message from her post at all. As someone who is not from the south, what I would think about seeing rebel flags is, "
Are these people still fighting the civil war?" When I visit Miss. that's how I feel. It speaks to prejudice, which in part stems from ignorance in my opinion but not white trash. I don't think white trash fits into that equation.

Your use of the term "ignorance" is just as presumptive as classifying a group of folks as "white trash" and typically, the two go together when it comes to stereotypes of the South. What you mean is that you assume people flying the flags are racists.

The people who are flying those flags - be they Mexican flags or Southern flags - will explain to you they are doing so b/c it is their way of celebrating their own culture and heritage. It has nothing to do with "fighting the Civil War" but b/c that is the stereotype the rest of the country perpetuates about Southerners (that anyone who wants to preserve their culture is actually a racist) . . . that is the trap you immediately fall into.

There is only one group of people in this country that others feel they can malign and no one will say a thing about it - Southerners. Oh, and folks from West Virginia.

[joanie55]

My intent was not to malign southerners or anyone else. My use of the term ignorance I don't believe is presumptive or the same as calling someone white trash. I just have always believed that racism stems from ignorance, meaning lack of understanding. There are plenty of racist people among the upper class. I do think you are correct in that the perception of the confederate flag is different among southerners than those in other parts of the country. Those not from the south tend to view it as a symbol of racism. Southerners view it as part of their cultural heritage. Not being from the south, I was not aware of that fact. So, you see, I was IGNORANT as well. Anyway, I appreciate your input and did not mean to offend.

[anifani821]

Originally Posted by joanie55

My intent was not to malign southerners or anyone else. My use of the term ignorance I don't believe is presumptive or the same as calling someone white trash. I just have always believed that racism stems from ignorance, meaning lack of understanding. There are plenty of racist people among the upper class. I do think you are correct in that the perception of the confederate flag is different among southerners than those in other parts of the country. Those not from the south tend to view it as a symbol of racism. Southerners view it as part of their cultural heritage. Not being from the south, I was not aware of that fact. So, you see, I was IGNORANT as well. Anyway, I appreciate your input and did not mean to offend.

You didn't offend me as I am fully aware of all the stereotypes and assumptions that folks make about southerners, including that more racists exist here than in any other state of the union.

[joanie55]

Originally Posted by anifani821

You didn't offend me as I am fully aware of all the stereotypes and assumptions that folks make about southerners, including that more racists exist here than in any other state of the union.

I think you are paranoid. They have medications for that.

[sophialee]

Originally Posted by joanie55

I think you are paranoid. They have medications for that.

Fail.