Top Ten Reasons to Visit North Carolina in September
During a recent Joni & Friends Conference in beautiful Charlotte, North Carolina–where even the backdrop for a book table is gorgeous–I came up a whole bunch of reasons to make a return visit. Here are 10 of them.
10. White rocking chairs are placed in front of huge plate glass windows in the Charlotte airport. And people sit in the chairs and look out the windows instead of at their phones.
9. That panicky moment when you get off the airport and wonder if the conference is in South Carolina and not North Carolina passes quickly.
8. Legendary southern hospitality is not a legend. It is real, from riding from the airport to the motel in a VW convertible Bug to being called “honey” by the hotel clerk who sounds like Kevin Spacey to being treated to supper at the New South restaurant on Saturday night.
7. Collard greens, grits, okra, and Hoppin’ John are as much a part of the New South restaurant menu as they are a part of old southern cooking. The Hoppin’ John was yummy. On my next visit, I’m going for the collard greens.
6. Southerners are so hospitable, they will pretend they know where Iowa is and that they have heard of the Iowa State Cyclones. But when I told them about the Bacon Festival, it was obvious we were all kindred spirits.
5. September weather in Charlotte is 80 + degrees and sunnily gorgeous. Natives were amazed that I wasn’t shivering in a sleeveless dress and made sense of my odd behavior by saying, “Of course, you’re from up north.”
4. In Charlotte, my name is 3 absolutely musical syllables: Jo-la-ene.
3. Not just Jo-la-ene, but Miss Jo-la-ene.
2. Or even Miss Jo-la-ene, ma’am.
1. In Charlotte, the crepe myrtles are still blooming in September. Springtime for the soul while autumn’s knocking at the door.
Have you been to Charlotte? Do you want to go back for a visit? Why?
