Charlotte Day or Weekend Trips

Another advantage of living in Charlotte is the proximity to many recreational areas close enough for a day trip or a weekend getaway. We're near the mountains and not that far from the beach. Here is a small sample of what's nearby.

Within 4 hours:
Myrtle Beach - Great for kids with lots of things to do around the beach.
Charleston - History, fine dining, romance.
Hilton Head - Golf, golf, golf, beach, golf.
Savannah - A taste of the Old South with great restaurants, tours of historic homes and plenty of hospitality.
Atlanta - Culture, sports, history, traffic. Go catch a Braves or watch the Panthers beat the Falcons.
Asheville - Funky mountain town, home to the Biltmore Estate. Don't miss the galleries and restaurants in town too.
Grandfather Mountain - There are lots of great places to visit in the mountains along the Blue Ridge Parkway. This will get you started.
Gatlinburg, TN - Spectacular Smoky Mountain scenery, and the home to Dollywood.

A Bit Further Out:
The Outer Banks - Closer to 6 hours out of Charlotte, but worth the drive. Beautiful scenery and beaches, with lots of outdoor activities.
Nashville - Music City is home to more than just the Grand Ole Opry. Also about 6 hours by car.
Colonial Williamsburg - History galore and Busch Gardens too.

Buying Furniture in Charlotte

You’ll find lots of info out there on the Hickory Furniture Mart, just an hour outside of Charlotte that is home to many of the popular furniture manufacturers. Personally, I found it interesting for ideas, but too expensive. I kept hearing for years how this was the place to go and get everything, and when I finally get here it was a serious disappointment, and went home empty handed. Matt can vouch for the fact that I rarely come home with nothing.

Through word of mouth–which is how you find out about all the good stuff–I discovered Furniture Factory Outlet on Lancaster Highway in Waxhaw. The darned thing is is the middle of nowhere, but so worth the trip. For one, it’s huge. It is a former factory that now has nothing more than great quality finds at terrific prices, including mattresses. Want a grandfather clock for $500 bucks? It’s here. A whole bedroom set in burl wood with a poster bed? Hop on over.Some things can be ordered, but most stuff is straight off the floor (but in immaculate condition). The catch is that they pretty much don’t deliver (except for the ordered stuff), so people drive up with rented U-haul trucks or those $19 an hour Home Depot pick up trucks. If you’ve got a friend with access to a large vehicle or van, they you’re in luck.

Ashley Furniture and Value City are pretty inexpensive, but the quality reflects it. You’ll pay darn near the same thing as the place above, but it won’t be as good. If you need an inexpensive couch for $450 bucks and you don’t expect it to last more than 3 or 4 years, then this might very well be the place to go. Expect the couch arms will be made of particleboard and have fabric that will not be durable.

Honestly, you’d be better off heading to family-owned Tyndall Furniture or Efirds. There’s heaps crammed onto the floor, and you can also browse their books and purchase something specific that way. You can get a Rowe couch for just $650 (depending on the fabric), and it will be 8-way hand-tied and real wood–and it will last you 15 or more years. So, do your math and make sure that that $450 couch is really worth it. Some of the bigger furniture stores do have outlets, such as Boyle’s, who just opened a new one out on Highway 74.

Decor can be found in virtually every shopping center around Charlotte. Home Goods just opened two locations in Charlotte and is a mecca for inexpensive, but interesting goods. There are people that swear by the Black Lion, which has two locations and hosts small shops that are individually owned by regular folks like us who want a way to have their own business. I prefer the one in Pineville versus the one in the Concord Mills Mall.

Charlotte Interiors is a great web source for finding local places to shop for all your home, furniture and decorating needs.

I Love the Charlotte Natives

If there's one thing aside from terrific weather and a cheaper cost of living that is great about Charlotte, it's the lovely natives. These days, there seems to be few of 'em around since us transplants seem to have overrun the place. But you can't help but recognize a native when you see one. For one, they are super friendly. I'm always mesmerized by the fact that transplants say that the natives have been standoffish to them. I've yet to see an example of it in my 3 1/2 years here. If you don't act like a transplant ass, then the Charlotteans will assuredly be as sweet as tea to you.

Now, I don't blame some native locals for being a bit exasperated at us coming here and taking over their towns. 10 years ago, Ballantyne was nothing more than farm land, now it's a mini city in itself. I'm sure the natives get a tad restless over the changing landscape. Heck, I've been here a short while, and it irks me when I see a beautiful farm being bulldozed by a builder to make room for more new transplant homes.

I can only imagine what a Charlottean is thinking when they encounter a New Yorker pressing the horn at a red light to get everyone else going. In case you haven't noticed, people don't honk their horns here. It took me a while to get past this habit, but I know I'm a calmer and better person for it. I have only the natives to thank for this improvement in my personality. I've slowed down on the road quite a bit, actually. I am pretty conscious about driving in a safer and and more respectable manner. I'm sure that cop that nailed me on Ardrey Kell Road last year had something to do with it as well, but I consider it yet another native encounter that set me straight.

The native children are an absolute dream. They are well-behaved, and are taught to use their yes ma'am's and no sir's with enthusiasm. I think it's so great that I even encourage my older son to get with the program. I'm not saying every kid is perfect around here, but they're way more civilized then where I came from. Heck, they're more civilized than I was as a kid! My painter Wendell, a native, is at least 10 years older than me and always calls me "Miss Lisa." The man was clearly brought up right and with manners. I had a great treat when my 4-year old gently pulled on a man's sleeve and said "...excuse me, sir..." Now, that's my little southern gentleman in the making!

Walking into any store will earn you a broad smile and big hello from natives. Geez, these people really are unbelievably pleasant. In New Jersey you make every effort to stare at the ground if another pair of eyes comes in contact with your face. Here, I've become a welcome machine. If there's someone looking at me, I'm waving, saying hello and asking them how their day is. I'm engaged in all sorts of chit-chat with the woman at the supermarket register, and ask my mail carrier how her back feels when she hauls herself out of her car. My mother, a staunch New Yorker, is continually horrified by the niceness. "Don't you find that annoying?" she asks me. Truthfully, I probably did before I got to Charlotte. Now, I'm a niceness convert. I mean, it really isn't that hard to be friendly--even for a New Yorker like me. I encourage you to give it a shot.

Finally, it's pretty important not to push your where-I-came-from ideas around. The natives don't really care how you did things where you came from. It doesn't matter to them that you're having a hard time finding fresh mozzarella. They don't give a hoot that NY Yankee games are blocked out when the Baltimore Orioles are playing. They also don't like the fact that you brought your northern road rage with you and are driving right up their bumper. If you miss things so much, or think they were done better from wherever you came from--then perhaps you should not have come here at all. Just do us all a favor and stay right where you are.

Maybe after I'm here 20 years I'll be considered a legitimate Charlottean by the natives. I've embraced the okra, the BBQ pork, and no longer curse like a sailor during NY Fleet Week (okay, okay, I've cut back...a lot!). I absolutely adore country music an rotate between WSOC and The KAT stations every time I get into the car. Shoot, I even watched the Dale (Earnhardt) biography on CMT two weeks back. I confess I haven't mastered a taste for sweet tea, which is a bitter disappointment to me in my quest to be a southerner. I just can't stand the stuff, but I compensate by slugging gallons of lemonade. I hope that makes up for it, or at least scores me southern points. I even selected the photo of the state of NC to be emblazoned on my Carolina driver's license (yes, people, I finally sucked it up and took the written test and passed!).

I don't regret for a minute having come to Charlotte, and I am working really hard to be like a native. Our 17 month old was born at CMC in uptown, so I have at least given birth to a native. I'm doing all I can to increase their numbers. If you're coming from somewhere else and have decided to call Charlotte home, do everything you can to mirror the natives. I can honestly say they will make you a better person and will help you slow down just a tad.

I may have been born in New York City, but I'm a southerner now.

5 Great Websites That Give You Info on Charlotte

There's a bunch of good websites and forums where you can get info or communicate with people that are already living in Charlotte and eager to help you find your way. I'm always happy to spout on about folks that are being helpful or providing well-thought out information.

QueenCityArea.net is a newer forum that you can check into that hosts a bunch of truly great Charlotteans that can help you navigate the area before and after your move to the area. General discussion forums are divvied up by the various counties in Charlotte and the surrounding regions. There's also a spot for you to post your questions on your school concerns, learn about the local sports teams, check out properties for sale and even read a restaurant review. The site is currently being populated with good info, so be patient as it grows. If you're looking for a piece of real estate, don't be shy about asking--the site is run by a local realtor who is always eager to show you around town. Just send a message to CharlotteAgent (Lee Hannibal) on the board. You can view his home listings here.

Charlotte's Travel Resource powered by the Charlotte Observer Newspaper, also provides solid info if you are visiting town. There's some pretty snazzy pics of the city, and you'll get ideas for what attractions to visit.

City Search sports a Charlotte specific section that is a godsend in terms of locating where restaurants are and providing you with reviews from people that have actually eaten at them. Reviews on pubs, clubs and other entertainment oriented type spots are also housed here.

Creative Loafing is a kooky rag you can find at any local supermarket that provides a weekly list of things to do in Charlotte for the younger set. It's sort of like the equivalent of New York City's Village Voice. Film, music, art, food and drink are all profiled here.

Shoppescharlotte.com gets you the goods on all things shopping in Charlotte. Plus, it has a good section on attractions as well. You can pick up all sorts of coupons for a myriad of local businesses here as well.

If you've got any other sources that provide helpful info to LivingInCharlotte readers, don't hesitate to post your ideas here.

Experience with a Kitchen Reface

As I've said previously, I moved into this lovely mid-80's home in Union County. The kitchen had dark cherry cabinets that had certainly seen better days, and all the appliances were shot and ancient. The kitchen is actually quite large, and I knew that new cabinets would cost me an arm and a leg, so I had to find a reasonable alternative.

Essentially the cabinet boxes were solid, but after 2o years, the finishes were just worn down in lots of spots. The previous owners also allowed their yappy Yorkie puppy to gnaw on the edges of a few of the lower cabinets as well. The drawer pulls were a dated gold and the hinges were all on the outside of the doors. Ick!

I started with some research on refacing, and was intrigued. As anyone who has ever had a kitchen gutted knows, you are left without a kitchen for at least 4-8 weeks depending on what you're having done. Now, I've got two little kids, so being kitchen-less would be absolutely impossible. I needed something that could be done in a week, but yield similar results. I immediately discounted Sears as a possibility because their veneers and doors looked cheap to me.

Kevin, my contractor referred me to Carolina Cabinets Refacing, and they were a complete joke. They come in with a whole sales pitch about how they have Amish quality woods. They bring a drawer sample and show me these beautiful dove tails. I told the guy that his drawers were truly lovely, but that I basically didn't own one single piece of furniture that had dovetails like that. I told him I wanted a durable kitchen, not furniture. I still wanted solid wood veneers and doors and a great look, however.

The salesman tells me that his price would be the same as the cheapest cabinets at Home Depot, except I was getting this hoity-toighty Amish wood. Fine. I get it. Gimme the price. The next day these clowns quote me $22,000 for the reface. Now, I'm no idiot, because I do know that the cheapest cabinets at Home Depot aren't going for anywhere near this insane price. I mean, for $22 grand, I better be getting NEW cabinets, not a reface! By then it didn't matter, because I also then find out through my research that they don't even wrap their veneers all around the cabinets, and that you can see their nails in the side panels, etc. Nixed!

More research on the web leads me to Kitchen TuneUp out of Mint Hill. The sales pitch is immediately non-pushy and they have a variety of product levels at different prices. They offer all of the latest finishes, including glazing. I'm told that the whole project will take one week after the cabinets come in (about 10-12 weeks), and the price thankfully comes in to way less than half of the morons at Carolina Cabinet Refacing with more bells and whistles. The guys did a great job of cleaning up every day, and I was still able to use my kitchen in the evenings to make dinner. There were a few hiccups with my order in terms of when things arrived, and I had some missing veneer that had to be reordered--but that bit of aggravation worked out in the end. And best of all, the work exceeded my expectations. I didn't think for a minute that a reface was going to look like brand new cabinetry, but boy does it ever.

If you use them, be sure to tell the owner Tom Taube that you want Danny on your job--the 21 year old kid is a wood whiz and a very methodical worker. He used to do body work on cars, and has been doing cabinets the last few years. He works like he's been on the job for 40 years, and is definitely talented.

There's a number of granite places where you can get your slab in Charlotte, but I ended up going to AGM Importers. Their selection is huge, and I found the varieties of colors to be far more interesting and unique than some of the other granite yards that just seemed to have safe, dull varieties. I was looking for something splashy that I knew wasn't going to be in every builder grade kitchen. I went with Golden Light, which has a lot of movement and veining and totally fit the European look that I was going for. It also doesn't hurt that they're the only place open on Saturdays.

I used Cassano for the fabrication/installation. Tom from Kitchen Tune Up recommended them, as he works with them all the time. They did a great job, and an especially kick-ass job on the single seam. You can barely see it, and you certainly can't feel it. Smooth as ice.

Charlotte Tile & Stone Supply is a favorite of mine, though it's in a icky industrial section of Charlotte. They have an enormous selection with 80% of what you see in stock, so you don't have to wait 12 weeks to wait while your tile shows up from Italy or some other far-flung place. I got some beautiful tuscan looking floor and backsplash tile for the same price you'd get it for at Home Depot. Make sure to chat with Christine Thomas, as she's a wonderful design consultant who will give you awesome ideas absolutely free of charge. Nothing like getting professional help if it doesn't cost you a dime! She even gave me a wonderful sketch and tile samples to take home so I could give my tile guy. I thought she had a great eye for matching colors and even hinted at what would be a great paint color for my walls. She was dead on.

So, overall, I had a positive experience at a reasonable price point, and I hope I've inspired you to tackle your old kitchen.

Happy facelift!

Is There a Real Estate Slowdown in Charlotte?

We were the last to feel it, but it does appear that the bubble has finally hit Charlotte a wee bit. It's not that people don't want to move here and buy a house, what's holding them back is that they're having a hard time selling their homes where they're living now.

Charlotte's house prices have always stayed level with the national average, unlike some places around the US. And, if you ask me, the rest of the country was long overdue for a correction. I mean, when did we ever think that buying a 1,800 square foot house that is 80 years old and has a backyard the size of a postage stamp for $600,000 was normal?

Personally, I think flippers did huge damage to the market everywhere. These money hungry individuals never intend on living in the home they are buying--just profiting from it in the shortest amount of time possible. There's TV reality shows that sprung up thanks to this phenomenon, and you could see for yourself how they buy ramshackle homes and put in some cheap flooring, paint over sins and hang some cheesy drapes up and then turn around and sell the darn thing for another $80 grand more than they bought the place 3 months before. Clearly, there's something very wrong with that picture.

To make matters worse, there were lots of flippers who knew nothing of home construction or repair engaging mediocre labor to put lipstick on a cosmetically challenged pig of a house. Work that should be properly done in a matter of weeks or months is crammed into days so another mortgage payment does not have to be made. The corners that I have seen cut are not only inappropriate, but also can make the home unsafe for its future inhabitants who have payed good money for the home.

I can assure you that when you paint directly over freshly hung drywall that has not fully cured--that that paint will be popping off the walls in less than 6 months. Of course, by that point, the flipper has long moved on. You also cannot lay tile AND grout it in the same day, yet I've seen that done as well. Anyone buying a house from an investor should tread cautiously and definitely use a home inspector. I'd also insist on a home warranty as well. Unfortunately, any structural issues won't be covered by a $399 warranty, so be ready.

I'm not sure why people feel the need to move into a perfectly immaculate, move-in ready home. I purchased a mid 1980's house that was in serious need of a facelift. I was able to get her at a great price and her bones were solid. The home is in a great neighborhood with lots of trees and huge lots; plus the schools are some of the best in the state. I managed to do some critical messy repair work right before we moved in like getting rid of the popcorn ceiling and replacing the carpeting. But I've been having work done over the last 5 months that I've been here, and its happening at a reasonable place by some talented folks that aren't ripping me off. I got to pick the granite I liked, the finish on my cabinets and how big I wanted my deck. The house now feels like its been custom built by me and to my taste without being in a cookie-cutter insta-neighborhood.

Has it been a pain to have workers in my house for the last few months? Sure, but they've also become like part of the family. I was having my master bath ripped out by our terrific contractor Kevin Scally (KDS Construction 704-507-3091), and one evening my 4-year old had a wheel come off his toy truck. I offered to fix it for him, but he advised me that he would be asking Kevin to fix it the next day. If anything went wrong, my son said Kevin could fix it. And he's probably right!

In the end, instead of paying someone else to present me with a move-in ready house with their materials, I'm controlling the process and making sure it's done right. And my 25 year old house is looking quite pretty again these days, just as she must have on day one.

Charlotte Schools: Which One for Your Kid?

If you've got all the money in the world, then by all means consider one of Charlotte's magnificent private schools. There's a bevy of phenomenal places that you can send you child to, with tuition's to match. Charlotte Latin, Charlotte Country Day and others may be right up your alley.

For the rest of us mere mortals who are hoping to get our kids a sound public education without breaking the bank, there is hope. First thing to note is that Charlotte is a large city, and therefore has all the issues of a large school system. Thankfully, we are not as plagued as New York City or L.A., but there are natural issues to be concerned with.

I highly recommend reviewing www.greatschools.net, as a source for checking out schools. It's a good start, but you should not consider it your only source. You will find pockets of areas with better schools than others. For example, western Union County is noted for its solid schools. South Charlotte is also doing well. Of course, these schools are also crowded thanks to parents wanting to move into these areas, so don't be surprised to find temp buildings on the school grounds.

Its tough to find schools in Mecklenburg county outside of the wealthier areas (such as South Charlotte) that have zones of good schools. In Meck, its really a cherry-picking of small areas that have decent places to educate your kids. Myers Park is one particular area that also has decent schools, but is again wealthy. Outside of Meck, in more suburban areas, the pickings get a bit easier.

Here's a few ideas if you're house searching while keeping good schools in mind:
West Stanly County
Fort Mill, SC
most of Western Union County
Lake Norman
Clover, SC
Central Cabarrus
parts of Lincoln County

These are by no means the only pockets of good areas, but it's a start. You can research Meck County and these other areas on the net by visiting their sites directly. I've linked a few for you above already.

It is possible to get a solid public school education in Charlotte, or anywhere for that matter. I think folks need to take the info they see on the internet with a grain of salt, and I suggest you visit a school yourself instead of solely relying on test data.

There is in an annual article that Newsweek puts out: 100 Best High Schools in America, and there's quite a few Charlotte schools on the list which is impressive, but I'm leery. Some of the schools named are certainly not ones that I may not want to send my kid to. Some are no brainer good schools to appear on a list such as this, such as Providence High, Myers Park....but Butler? Check out Butler's ratings at www.GreatSchools.net and you'll see a pretty different picture. Or review the ABC scores, and again you'll see something that's not quite right.

What I'm trying to say, is that you should be careful of just using test scores to select a good school. 'Nuf said.

Festivals, Fairs and Other Annual Events

There's quite a few annual outdoor events in Charlotte that are totally worthwhile, especially if you've got kids.

This past weekend was the Matthews Alive Fair that runs all Labor Day weekend. You've got your usual greasy fair foods sold out of big trucks to chow on such as huge roasted turkey legs, gyros, funnel cakes and corn dogs. The Matthews fair is arts and crafts centered, so there's heaps of locals hawking their homemade wares on tables scattered all over the place. I went on Sunday, and I have to say its lots its luster from a few years ago. The items for sale are rather cheesy and repetitive from table to table for the most part. The carnival rides also seemed to be fewer than past years as well, and the ticket-takers seemed to be barking at the kids to get off the inflatables a bit to soon for my 4-year old's taste. He got so peeved at the lines at one ride that he basically gave me my ticket back and wanted to move on. [Warning: Parking is an absolute nightmare here, as there are no lots--its all street parking. Be prepared to walk far from wherever you dump you car if you don't arrive when the fair starts].

Also running all week is the Cabarrus County Fair which has rides, but also lots of farming and animal events such as prizes for best goat, mule and cow. There's also rides and your usual fairground foods, too. Iredell County is also running theirs as well this week.

The weekend of September 20th bring Festival in the Park which is close to uptown at Freedom Park. This is a great event as the park is quite large and has a pretty lake at its center. I happen to really like this festival and am looking forward to its return this year. Parking isn't stupendous, but there is parking on the grass if you arrive early. You go through a tree-canopied walk-way most of the way, so its pleasant in the shade. There are lots of vendors here selling all types of stuff, but its better than what you find at the Matthews Alive event and with more variety. The event meanders around the park, and it doesn't leave you feeling cramped for space such as in street fairs.

Our favorite is the Renaissance Festival that begins in early October and runs about 6 weeks. This quaint medieval "village" sports unique buildings with wonderful little shops that boast interesting things to purchase. You can buy your kid a neat wooden sword for $10 bucks or you can purchase a pair of buttery leather boots for $600. There's something and a price-point for everyone. The festival staff are all wearing traditional garb that would have been seen during medieval times such as felt hats with a fancy plume and tight corsets that cinch up abundant bosoms.

The employees are a lively bunch and put on their best British accents while they joke and bark in a Shakespearean manner. There are lots of undertone remarks that you need to be on your toes to grasp, so pay attention as they could be making fun of you! (In a good natured way, of course). Heck, even many of the visitors get in on the act and dress up too.
There's lots of interesting stage shows happening such as music and dance traditional of that time, and even jousting which is done with quite fanfare. As the season wears on, they have special themes such as for Halloween where the place is shrouded in special scariness. The New Yorker in me expected it all to be totally lame, but I'm looking forward to it this year again. Please don't miss this one, its worth the drive.

In the winter, you'll hear about Christmas Town--also known as McAddenville. This tiny town just north of the airport overhauls itself into a holiday wonderland. The town has pulled together since the 1950's to deck out every porch, every tree, and house with millions of twinkling lights. For free, us visitors simply drive (at 3 mph) through the town to check it out. You hear Christmas music coming from every car and all the kids ooh! and ah! as they point out their favorite house.

There's a number of rules here. First, is that you have to be super patient, because the closer it gets to Christmas Day, the more insane the trip to McAddenville gets. You will see miles of cars on the highway waiting to get to where these homes are. I highly suggest going as early in the season as you can to avoid the maddess. Second, everyone turns off their car lights so you can see the house lights better. Last, you have to patient. Wait, didn't I already say that? Like, I said, cars are literally all just in a line crawling through the neighborhood. It takes about 20 minutes to get through the whole thing. It's something that you've got to do at least once.

In spring, there's the Food Festival in uptown. From a food perspective, this one rocks. Local restaurants and chefs from all over Charlotte get to strut their stuff and let you try smaller portions of their foods for a price (but, often not a cheap price). There's an area for the kids with a bouncy house and such that are no charge, and they don't rush you to get off either. You also get the vendors and local companies offering up their goods at tables lining the street as well. You can have alcohol here, too.

Of course, there's dozens of other smaller festivals going on all the time that you can find out about in the Charlotte Observer newspaper. The Yiasou Greek Festival is next week, for example.

There's beer festivals, wine festivals, book fairs, etc. Whatever your interest, there's always something going on. Some are better than others, but most will give you something interesting to do with the kids for a few hours. Going in the evening gives you more of an adult perspective on the event, of course. But most of us transplants are moving here sans family, so we tend to be schlepping out kids around with us for the most part.

Charlotte Liquor Stores (aka ABC Stores)

Here at the Living in Charlotte blog, we don't beat around the bush when it comes time to having a good drink. God, after all, did not invent Coca-Cola, but he sure as heck gave us all natural spirits. So, if you're turned off at the thought of a pint of ale with your hamburger--we suggest you save yourself some time and read one of the other cheery posts on our blog. We promise that most are quite entertaining. For the rest of you who are quite happy with a martini or margarita at the end of your day, keep reading...this is important stuff.

Picking up booze in Charlotte is an interesting event for us transplants--particularly if you're from the northeast. First off, liquor stores here are controlled and regulated by the state. This means that you don't find any independent liquor stores within NC state lines. Now let me clarify before you guys get all jiggy on me. Beer and wine are sold everywhere here, and you can easily walk into your local CVS drugstore, Target, the supermarket or an independent store selling these two items. Liquor--or hard spirits--can only be sold at what are referred to as ABC stores in NC. ABC stores, however, don't sell any wine. If you're confused now, please hold tight...

ABC's have your typical collection of vodka, whiskey, rum and anything with a higher alcohol content that you usually spot on liquor store shelves. The mainstay brands are all there--Absolut, Johnnie Walker, Bushmills, etc. What ABC stores aren't is creative in terms of the more interesting or unusual brands. Matt, for example, has grown fond of a Spanish brandy, Gran Duque de Alba, over the years. It is common to see it on northeastern shelves, but it is not sold in ABC stores here. The brandy selection in NC, is actually quite pedestrian if you are into that particular beverage or anything else a little more unique.

So, what is one to do? Well, you run across the border to South Carolina, of course! They have similar named ABC stores in SC (though many have ordinary independent names too), but these are not state run. The selection here, is much more exciting and the store hours are more like what you'd expect from a liquor store. So, if you get that hankering for a mojito on a late Saturday might--you can head over to SC to get your mixings. Oh, and all NC ABC stores will be closed on Sundays.

There's a particularly good SC liquor store over the border in Fort Mill, SC, named Southern Spirits that has a great collection of booze (including Matt's beloved brandy). Now here's another confusing thing I warned you too look out for earlier. In SC, though the stores aren't state owned, they are state regulated--and there are very different rules for wine and beer versus booze.
Let's use Southern Spirits as the illustrative example. You'll notice that the store has two doors, and actually, there is a partial wall dividing the store in half. One half has wine and the other has hard spirits and beer. You CANNOT walk with your hard liquor over to the the wine section, but you MAY take your wine over into the spirits section! Isn't it crazy!? [Side note: If you happen to go to Southern Spirits on Saturdays and spot the BBQ pork vendor in the parking lot, DO NOT go home without one of his pork butts! He and his momma spend all Friday prepping and cooking them. They are truly fantastic!].

The other thing that sucks about NC ABC stores, is that there are no special sales. Since the state government owns all the booze--they don't feel the need to compete on price with anyone else since they are the only show in town in NC. So, you won't see your favorite Grey Goose $5 off any time soon, which is quite disappointing. You can race over to SC, though, and they'll often have interesting discounts--plus it tends to be cheaper than NC in general. While you're there, stop at the gas station too--because gas is cheaper too! What could be better? You make one run out there for cheaper booze, cheaper gas and good ol' tender pork butt that has been stewing for 15 hours!

Up until a year ago, NC didn't even have a state lottery, and all of us were running over the border to SC to get our power ball and scratch off tickets, too.
There are "dry" counties all around the Charlotte area that you need to look out for if you are interested in imbibing in a drink, like when you go to a restaurant, let's say. For those of you who don't know what dry means in this instance--it signifies that the town has established that no alcohol can be served to anyone at any establishment whatsover. People from New Jersey will be quite familiar with this concept, since there are plenty of dry town about. The rest of you may be picking yourselves up off the floor right about now. What?! Lisa, are you saying I won't be able to get a drink while I delight in my 20 ounce porter house steak? That's right, Johnnie, no booze for you!

Mecklenberg county caters to drinkers, and most establishments have the ability to pour a drink so long as they are licensed, of course. Waxhaw, in union county, however is a dry town. Waxhaw's neighbor, Marvin, has passed a "per drink" rule, which allows an establishment to serve individual glasses of alcohol. Funny thing is, Marvin doesn't actually have any restaurants or pubs yet. Go figure! Three years ago, a Harris Teeter nearly refused to move into the Wesley Chapel area unless it could sell wine and beer, and the township relented since everyone really, really wanted a nice supermarket. The pubs bordering union are packed to the gills because that's the closest place that folks who live in the county can go to grab a pint.

I don't know about you people, but after a day of working hard, wrestling with the kids and paying the bills--I definitely need that glass of shiraz with my shrimp plate. And, I sure as heck don't want to deal with Matt if he can't have his martini as he's patiently waiting for his favorite Idaho Rainbow Trout at 131 Main. So, we tend to stick to restaurants in Meck County where we can share our love of food and drink in unison as the gods intended.

I don't mean to offend anyone that feels that drinking should not be part of the daily program. To each his own, I say. But the good lord was having his glass of vino at his last supper--and I plan on doing the same at all of mine...just in case!

Salut!

Mooresville

When we first moved here and I was looking for an IT job, an opportunity came up in Mooresville. I looked at the map and it didn't look all that far away, so I set up an interview and drove up. It's about 20 miles north of Charlotte, and situated right on Lake Norman. As it turns out, I took the job and have been commuting up there every day for two and a half years.

Mooresville is in Iredell (eye-err-dell) County, and is known as Race City USA because of it's association with motor sports. As I mentioned in a previous post, many race teams have their headquarters in Mooresville, including Dale Earnhardt Inc., Robert Yates Racing, and others.
The town is bisected by I-77, and the western side of town is the lake side. There are some very expensive homes on the lake, and the associated marinas, restaurants and recreation areas. Housing is more affordable on the eastern side of the highway, which is still close enough to the lake to take advantage of what is has to offer.

The area is booming. Highway 150 (Exit 36 off of I-77) is the main commercial/retail thoroughfare in the area, and is getting quite congested with all of the new people moving in, and new businesses opening up. In general, housing and taxes are more affordable than Mecklenburg County, and because of that, a lot of transplants are settling there. (I go to a dentist in Mooresville and the hygienist is from Long Island. She told me her whole development was filled with Yankees).

Culturally, it's a little different than Charlotte, especially South Charlotte. There are more natives there and you can really get a better feel for North Carolina living than you do in, say, Ballantyne. But even this is changing as progress is driving the suburbs farther north. I have a reverse commute, and when I'm heading up I-77 in the mornings, the traffic heading south from the lake into Charlotte looks pretty bad to me.

If you go to Mooresville to check it out, stop for a bite at Lancaster's BBQ or, if you want something a bit fancier, try Jeffrey's. You won't leave either place hungry.