Tips from the Natives (Charlotte, Raleigh: loft, chapel, vacation home)

[fern33]

Hey y'all!

I thought I'd start a thread on some of our favorites here (towns, shops, restaurants etc) to recommend to the newcomers. Plus a few interesting tidbits and stuff. Hope this is helpful and entertaining! If not then please just ignore.

Natives: Hop on in and add your own! Feel free to add new categories too.

Newcomers: If you have any questions just ask.

~~~~~~~~


Some of my fave Restaurants:

Southern/down-home grub - Mama Dips (Chapel Hill)

Magnolia Grill (Durham) - Chef Ben lived next door to my grandmother when he was a little boy.

Steaks- My fave place closed down so please add to this one!

Seafood - Sanitary Restaurant - (Morehead City)
Back Porch (Ocracoke)- great crab burgers! (met the lead singer of Abba there once)

Bar-B-Q - Wilburs (Goldsboro)

Pizza - Sbarro - Four Seasons Town Centre (Greensboro)

Thai - Taste of Thai (Raleigh NC)

Subs - Jersey Mikes (franchise found everywhere)

Gyros- New Hope Commons (Chapel Hill) - can't remember name of the place!

Misc. - Ram's Head Rathskeller (Chapel Hill) - the kids like the cave room.

Hotdogs - Zacks (Burlington) You have NOT had a hotdog till you've had a Zack dog!

Fast food burgers - Wendys

Fast food breakfast - Bisquitville & Bojangles


Some of my faves stores/shops:

A Southern Season (Chapel Hill) HUGE store filled with gourmet foods (YOU WILL thank me!)

Rose Furniture (High Point) HUGE store! LOVE IT!!!!!!

Neuse Sport Shop (Kinston) Pets welcome.

Replacements Ltd (Greensboro) "World's largest selection of old & new dinnerware", China, Cystal, Silver etc.


Books, newspapers, etc:


A Coach's Life by Dean E. Smith

Look Homeward, Angel by Thomas Wolfe

Cold Mountain: A Novel by Charles Frazier

Coasting the Mountains: A Guide to Western North Carolina by Judy Barnes

Blackbeard's Cup and Stories of the Outer Banks by Charles Harry Whedbee (love his books on NC legends! I recommend all of them)

Pirates, Ghosts, and Coastal Lore: The Best of Judge Whedbee

The Legend of Nance Dude by Maurice Stanley (unbelievable true story)

Just As I Am: The Autobiography of Billy Graham



Favorite places to Visit in the NC Mountains:

The Churches of the Frescoes (Jefferson)

Cherokee (would add Maggie Valley but lots of the local attractions closed down due to the bad economy - What a shame too! )


Favorite Places to Visit at the NC Coast:

Beaufort - be sure & check out the old burying ground!

Ocracoke

Nags Head


Best place to sit back with a drink and just chill:

The Dock House (Beaufort)

The Jolly Roger (Ocracoke)


Fave Music:

Thelonious Monk with John Coltrane

The Catalinas: Reunion: Live at the Cellar


Fave Quotes:

"The great popular heart is not now and never has been in this war. It was a revolution of the politicians, not the people."

-N.C. Civil War-time governor Zebulon Vance


Worst place for mosquitoes:

Ocracoke & my backyard!


Misc. Tidbits:

Be prepared for some serious crowds if you venture near Banner Elk during the local Wooly Worm Festival. (learned this the hard way! )

South Carolinians are RICE eaters

North Carolinians are POTATO eaters

[Missing LI]

Just so you know, Rose Furniture went belly up and has closed down...just like that. Thank god I got all my furniture just in time. Sorry to break the bad news but thanks for your tips as I am a newcomer!

[I LOVE NORTH CAROLINA]

fern33, I'm going to Maggie Valley in Jan (I've been there a lot) do you know of good places to eat in that area?

[Niki]

Okay, my favorites.


Southern food/Country cookin' - Dan'l Boone Inn Restaurant in Boone. Love them country ham biscuits!

Seafood - Ship's Chandler in Southport. I think I read somewhere that they changed their name to Cape Fear Restaurant. It's easy to find. Right on the river front.

Italian - Olive Garden on High Point Rd. and Bianca's (authentic) on the corner of Chapman and Spring Garden here in Greensboro.

Pizza - Long Island Pizza in Surf City. Delicious! It's authentic NY pizza and is owned and operated by native New Yorkers. Ever since eating there for the first time this past June, no other pizza has tasted good to me. lol

Mexican - Monterrey's on Battleground Ave. here in Greensboro.


For shopping, I like Four Seasons Mall and Friendly Center here in Greensboro. There are some new shops pretty much next door to Friendly Center that I haven't been to yet. I'd like to check it out some time.

As for specific stores, my favorites are Macy's, Dillard's, Ann Taylor Loft (Friendly Center), Target on Wendover Ave. and Bridford Parkway, Stein Mart on Battleground Ave. and Talbot's. Borders on High Point Rd. is good for killing time. There's a Barnes and Noble at Friendly Center if anyone prefers them.


My favorite places in the mountains are Boone, Grandfather Mountain, Blowing Rock, Asheville (especially Biltmore), the Parkway, heck, the whole area pretty much. lol


My favorite places on the coast are Southport and Oak Island. Kure Beach, Ft. Fisher, the Outer Banks, and Topsail Island are pretty nice too. As is Wilmington. Lots to do there.


Local radio stations I like are 107.5 for rock/pop/whatever and 1510 AM and 1400 AM for black gospel. Once in awhile I'll turn it to 98.7. They play 80s and 90s music. Maybe even music from earlier decades. Not sure.


Favorite quotes are:

"North Carolina is my home, Home far beyond all praise, Goodliest home under heaven's dome, Here I shall spend my days." - Charles Kuralt


"The goodliest land under the cope of heaven." - Don't know who said it. It's quite old though.


"I like calling North Carolina home." Any other NC natives remember those commercials? I was just a little girl when those were on TV. I don't remember the images, I just remember that little jingle.


Well, that's mine for now.

[StereoGuy316]

Hey Guys, I will be spending my first week in my new vacation home this week in Murphy (Cherokee county). Does anyone have any recommendations for that area. Within an hour drive of the area is OK. I will be there for my anniversary with my wife and would like to know the best restaurant in the area. Thanks again!!!

[happeemtnchik]

Hi! I live in Murphy and one of the things we are sorely lacking on is good places to eat. There is Shoebooties and Doyle's in town. They even serve wine there. If you're feeling adventerous and want to drive to Hiwassee,Ga there are several restaurants there, Fieldstone and Enrico's. There's also a fairly new place in Andrews named "The Coal House".

Hope this helps! And welcome to the neighborhood! If you need directions or more specific info, just let me know!

[fern33]

"Just so you know, Rose Furniture went belly up and has closed down...just like that."

Oh no...tell me it isn't sooooo! How I loved that place!


"North Carolina is my home, Home far beyond all praise, Goodliest home under heaven's dome, Here I shall spend my days." - Charles Kuralt

I can't believe I left Charles Kuralt off my list. Man I'm getting old. lol

[Beffrey2]

I can't ingnore this

Wilburs in Goldsboro???? Yuck.....

Wilson has the best BBQ....everyone knows that. Bills and Parkers in Wilson has the best in the state. I mean...it's a landslide

Dicks hotdogs-Wilson, the place is famous

[friendnc]

If you're in Charlotte, you've GOT to go try out the new U.S. National Whitewater Center (off I-85 on the Catawba River). It's awesome! It's the largest and most advanced center of its kind in the world. They can adjust the rapids to any skill level. They have the largest rock climbing wall in the nation. Also has miles of biking/hiking trails. This is heaven to anyone who loves the outdoors.

[anonymous]

Originally Posted by fern33

South Carolinians are RICE eaters

North Carolinians are POTATO eaters

haha, this is a new one to me. what do you mean?

I'm a South Carolinian, and now that I think about it, I have eaten a very large amount of rice in my lifetime. Probably more than potatoes. But I find this comment kinda funny, where'd you come up with this?