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Next question: what are the best suburbs for schools plus great housing deals?
Actually, the reason I posted this question to start with is that I read some very negative comments about Charlotte having no personality or culture on another forum. I can see that is not true.
Hmmm... just got back from hanging with 3 other moms (2 are soccer moms) in NoDa. The kids love to walk around there, get a treat at Smelly Cat and just generally goof around.
And we may have discussed a book or two. And we weren't stoned. Only one of us was wearing Birkenstocks - does that count for or against your stereotype?
NoDa stands for North Davidson; the "heart" of the area is N. Davidson St. & 36th, but it extends further than that, to at least Amelie's French Bakery (great place to meet people!) at 2424 N. Davidson. Galleries, restaurants, book stores, and lots of great people - a very nice diverse area.
But I thought we were talking about places to live.Would you live there?
Hmmm... just got back from hanging with 3 other moms (2 are soccer moms) in NoDa. The kids love to walk around there, get a treat at Smelly Cat and just generally goof around.
And we may have discussed a book or two. And we weren't stoned. Only one of us was wearing Birkenstocks - does that count for or against your stereotype?
NoDa stands for North Davidson; the "heart" of the area is N. Davidson St. & 36th, but it extends further than that, to at least Amelie's French Bakery (great place to meet people!) at 2424 N. Davidson. Galleries, restaurants, book stores, and lots of great people - a very nice diverse area.
We're talking about places to live. You are talking about "hanging" in NoDa. There is a difference. Who wants to have to escort their kids all the time because potentially deviant characters are hanging around? I used to take my son to NYC and we would go to great places. I sure wouldn't have wanted him playing around the streets without my watchful eye. I know that part of town. Can be pretty shakey. Diverse?? Pretty funny, however intellectual white collar executives are not to be found there. I am not knocking the place. If I were 22, I would want to live there too. It is sort of like a microscopic Greenwich Village.
I am only pointing out that the OP doesn't seem to fit the model of the person that lives in NoDa. It is not a bad place, it is just has that "Bohemian" atmosphere that the OP is obviously not seeking. There is a huge difference in walking around NoDa during daylight hours and 11:00pm.
Next question: what are the best suburbs for schools plus great housing deals?
Actually, the reason I posted this question to start with is that I read some very negative comments about Charlotte having no personality or culture on another forum. I can see that is not true.
It depends on where you work, but basically look in South Charlotte, area 5. Some people will probably also suggest areas 4 & 6. But I would stick with area 5. Or, if you want to be further out, go to Union Couty - Weddington area. Housing deals abound all over Charlotte. Look in established neighborhoods.
Next question: what are the best suburbs for schools plus great housing deals?
Actually, the reason I posted this question to start with is that I read some very negative comments about Charlotte having no personality or culture on another forum. I can see that is not true.
It seems that if the culture or personality of a place isn't what one is accustomed to, it doesn't exist. Your seriously should consider Davidson for your relocation. It is a quaint college town close to anything you need or want and a 20 drive to downtown (uptown) Charlotte.
Lucy, just read another of your posts and saw that you work for the Archdiocese of Chicago. Will your children not go to Catholic school? just wondering for location purposes. I know many people on here can help you out w/ school advice!
When moving to Charlotte it is important to know where you are working before deciding where to live, unless commute time is not important to you. For example, if you live in S.Charlotte (area 5), but work uptown, in SW or W Charlotte, or University area, you are looking at a 45min-1hour commute time each way. Some people are willing to trade off depending on what is important to them in their area/neighborhood. Do you know where you will be working yet?
But I thought we were talking about places to live.Would you live there?
I have lived there, and moved only because at the time there weren't enough kids around. You're right, it wouldn't fit the OP's needs, but the picture painted by vindaloo is far from the reality of the area - had to speak up!
I have lived there, and moved only because at the time there weren't enough kids around. You're right, it wouldn't fit the OP's needs, but the picture painted by vindaloo is far from the reality of the area - had to speak up!
Yes- I haven't been to NoDA but DH went the neighborhood theatre there and had a meal before.It sounded a good place to wander and drink coffee etc.I can drink coffee anytime (as long as I can taste the coffee!)
Next question: what are the best suburbs for schools plus great housing deals?
Actually, the reason I posted this question to start with is that I read some very negative comments about Charlotte having no personality or culture on another forum. I can see that is not true.
Well having come from Chicago I would say that I somewhat agree with Charlotte not having much culture or personality. I know I will get flamed for this, but please hear me out! I'm not saying that the PEOPLE of Charlotte aren't cultured, educated, or interesting... more so just that (so far as I've found, in the year I've been here) there aren't many centralized areas that cater to that particular "nerd" crowd.
I haven't found many (any?) book clubs that read exclusively classics or philosophical works. I haven't found any bookstores that can really compare to Seminary Co-Op in IL. No clubs like the Green Mill for good jazz, poetry, and fabulous drinks. However, there are plenty of people I've met here that, whatever level of education they may have, are more than happy to discuss books, politics, poetry, history, etc. It's just that there aren't centralized intellectual hot spots so "culture" is more dispersed and harder to track down.
Plus, this area is a banking center and that is reflected in a lot of the people I meet here. Many of my fellow grad students are returning to school after a 5-10 years working in banking, so the people I've met in humanities and social science departments are very different from those I met in Chicago. Both students and professors are more likely to have spent time in corporate America as opposed to having been holed up in a coffee shop reading Derrida since they were 20 years old.
If you're looking for a thriving intellectual community that is easy to find and join I'd look elsewhere. If you like a diversity of opinions and backgrounds and don't mind having to be more proactive in finding nerdy enclaves then I'm sure you'd be happy in many neighborhoods here. Hell, I live in Kannapolis where hardly anyone has advanced degrees but I've been friendly to people and gotten to have some nice conversations and learned a lot along the way!
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I know that part of town. Can be pretty shakey. Diverse?? Pretty funny
, however intellectual white collar executives are not to be found there. I am not knocking the place. If I were 22, I would want to live there too. It is sort of like a microscopic Greenwich Village.
