Posts Tagged by Charlotte

Thank you all for weighing in with your thoughts about the Oprah vegan episode. I really appreciated what each and every one of you added to the discussion. You may have noticed that I went on a comment-replying spree the other night. It wasn’t because I was ignoring you before then, but because I’ve had extremely sporadic internet access since writing that post.

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This week, driven to near-madness by the huge piles of ice and snow that were overtaking my city, I headed south. South to the city that has somehow become a blogging-mecca: Charlotte, NC. Okay, so in reality I was just there for a work-related conference. But that certainly didn’t make me appreciate the snow-free landscape any less. Even though this trip was more work than play, I really enjoyed my short stay in the Queen City. And to ensure that you too feel like a queen (or king) whenever you visit lovely Charlotte, here are a few HOTR-approved tips guaranteed to make your stay a memorable one:

1.) Immediately after setting foot on solid Charlotte ground, do a little leap for joy — there’s no snow! Tell yourself that the snowless streets have been ordered up just for you, a New Englander who’s tired of being up to her ears (literally) in frozen snow.

2.) Arrange accommodations for yourself near the absolute best Charlotte has to offer: the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

3.) Travel in style by calling upon your private coach…err CAT…to escort you to your temporary home.

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4.) Revel in the fact that the downtown of your new city is just about the same size as downtown Providence (no really, it is!). Set off to explore all 0.2 miles of your new terrain by foot.

5.) Go for a long run on beautiful tree lined streets, delighting in the fact that the grass is still green! Pick out 2 or 3 of your future homes on Queens Dr West.

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6.) Shock all the locals by doing said run in shorts because it’s a glorious 41 degrees and you’ll be darned if you waste any opportunity to run in shorts in early February (while they are all bundled up against the cold).

7.) Scope out opportunities for free food and beverages. This is greatly helped by attending a conference where coffee flows like water (and water flows like…well…a limited resource).

8.) When those opportunities start to look scarce, arrange for some wonderful locals to take you out to experience fine Charlotte dining

If you’re lucky these people will show you southern hospitality at its finest, showering you with gifts and taking you out for delicious dinners.

Jen took me to Big Daddy’s where I could build my own salad complete with a huge black bean burger. Apparently the secret to its deliciousness is the sour cream the chef puts into the burger (and of course I’m sure the fact that it’s fried has something to do with it…). And then, not only did she take me to heaven in the form of a build your own froyo shop, but she also bestowed a HOTR favorite on me as a parting gift: cupcakes! (which I devoured before even taking a picture)

I swear there’s frozen yogurt under all those toppings…

Photos via Jen

Brittney took me out for some delicious sushi at Pisces and then gave me an awesome souvenir to remember this wonderful city by.

Photo via Brittney

She must know about my intense love for coffee

9.) Force Encourage one of those locals to come back into the city on Saturday so that you (finally!) have someone to do a long run with. Follow up this long run with an amazing cherry cream cheese scuffin from Great Harvest.

10.) Have the hotel switch you to a later check-out time, just so that you can fit in this run around conference activities. After all, it’s all about making the most of your stay as possible!

Enjoy it while it lasts. Because soon enough, you’ll be back up north fighting crusty piles of ice and snow, dreaming about spring.