Mind you, it’s been almost 5 years since I was there (so perhaps much has changed), but I was utterly unimpressed with Charlotte. It seemed extremely sterile. It was a city that was growing fast, but that had no identity, no plans in place for expansion (especially after seeing how much planning for growth was being done on the South Carolina-side of the border), and no real character to offer…with the exception that it well may be the most smoker-friendly city in the USA I’ve ever been to (and I have been know to smoke tobacco myself, so I appreciate such things).

I came this close to transferring there for work when I found an adorable 3-bedroom bungalow from the 1950’s that I could afford. Then, I got my wits about me and realised I’d have to live in Charlotte to live in said-bungalow, and I promptly told my boss that being laid-off was far preferable than moving there from Seattle.