The latest view of our town from the outside looking in

[voyager12]

I think its always good to get outsider opinions of Charlotte. Locals often become blind to positives and negatives about their hometown because we are so used to it all. The Observer posted a few reviews of food critics that were here for some Charlotte Shout Events. I paraphrased and pasted what I think are the most memorable below. Overall, Charlotte came off pretty well Critic from Atl Journal Con: Everyone said Charlotte would seem like a smaller version of Atlanta, but from the vantage point of my uptown hotel room, nothing felt further from the truth. Unlike Atlanta's crazy quilt of funk and scuzz, here was an orderly warp and weave. In every direction lay shiny office towers, ahi-tuna restaurants and throngs of young things looking for fun and liquor. At first blush this place looked more like downtown Denver -- clean and homogenous. One night a friend took me to Pearl restaurant in Elizabeth for a decent dinner, the kind we'd call "fine for the neighborhood" in our paper. On another evening, food editor Kathleen Purvis led a group of us to an excellent meal at Nolen Kitchen, which we'd label "worth the drive."

I was starting to see the Atlanta parallel. This is a city of neighborhoods, some newly hip and others forever stately. That point was driven home on our last day in Charlotte, when a group of us played hooky and made the pilgrimage to Price's Chicken Coop in the South End.

Clutching our hot cardboard boxes, we walked four blocks to Latta Park, past Dilworth Victorians that reminded me of Atlanta's Inman Park. We sat in a circle on the grass, poured cups of glucose-drip sweet tea and dug in.

At that moment Charlotte felt a lot like Atlanta -- just with better fried chicken

New York Food Critic:One delight was the Gold Rush Trolley that carried me from Johnson & Wales University to the Marriott Center Hotel -- for free! I live in a place that struggles to make mass transit attractive. I think this could be the answer. I intend to tell that to anyone who will listen.

Palm Beach Post Food Critic: I noticed sophisticated dining and shopping evolving: I enjoyed the tapas bars, the clubs, and fine dining, but appreciated the numerous ethnic restaurants as well; I'd love to see more barbecue and back-to-the-South's roots in the downtown area.

The museums and galleries are a big draw, too, and it seems traffic's not so bad, making it a tourist-friendly metro area. I also liked the college-age crowds: they add to any city.

St Petersburg Times Food Critic: Because of all the bank headquarters, the center city feels a little like Wall Street, packed with more and taller office buildings than we have, and long black town cars for young suits who find taxis d

[AuLukey]

The museums and galleries are a big draw, too, and it seems traffic's not so bad, making it a tourist-friendly metro area. I also liked the college-age crowds: they add to any city.

Shock!! College-age crowds... an asset? That goes against a lot of what I've heard here; but I'm glad to see that outsiders believe Charlotte has a good college age crowd.

Overall, I'm glad to see that food critics from around the country are able to appreciate our style. I'm hungry.

[Charlotte_native]

Shock!! College-age crowds... an asset? That goes against a lot of what I've heard here; but I'm glad to see that outsiders believe Charlotte has a good college age crowd.

Overall, I'm glad to see that food critics from around the country are able to appreciate our style. I'm hungry.

I see'em all the time when I drive around Graham or anywhere near Gateway. The Johnson & Wales folks are everywhere!

[voyager12]

I think the city needs to give Price's legendary landmark status. That place serves as the best Ambassador for Charlotte. More than Nascar or anything else it seems to me!

[jednc]

I'm really glad to hear what these people had to say. It sounds like Charlotte is making a good impression. I'm not at all surprised by the "college-crowd" comments. Have you checked our average age demographics lately?

[redjeep77]

I see'em all the time when I drive around Graham or anywhere near Gateway. The Johnson & Wales folks are everywhere!

does anyone know if JWU at full capacity yet? If so, are there plans to expand? At one time, I heard that there were more applications for the clt campus than the main one in providence, ri.

[DigitalSky]

I'm really glad to hear what these people had to say. It sounds like Charlotte is making a good impression.

I agree

[krazeeboi]

Well, this blog on the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's website has a few things to say about Charlotte, particularly Uptown--or at least those posting comments have some things to say.

[voyager12]

I would agree that compared to many of the cities mentioned in that blog our downtown is dead. Now. The story will be very different in a few short years when Epicentre and the other projects come online.

[803metlife]

I would agree that compared to many of the cities mentioned in that blog our downtown is dead. Now. The story will be very different in a few short years when Epicentre and the other projects come online.

I don't think Charlotte's uptown is dead it just hasn't got to the point where it's people walking around at all times of night like most major cities. At the rate of Charlotte's growth we should see this change in the next 10-15yrs.But for right now it's more people riding than walking.

[davidals]

Well, this blog on the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's website has a few things to say about Charlotte, particularly Uptown--or at least those posting comments have some things to say.

Funny blog - everywhere is underrated to someone, and a few other mentioned places in the region: Richmond, Asheville, Charleston, Athens, in particular aren't exactly secret spots. The kinds of street scenes people complain about in the blog have to evolve (you can't just lay out some $ and buy them), and the street life in those 4 cities is enviable, but Charlotte is getting there, and it's very good IMO that the city isn't a carbon copy of Atl.