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Ellyn Visits Dixie - Part One

Dec. 5, 2008

The Scrub and Scoot carwash

I just got back from several days in Charlotte, NC – a state which I have previously only seen from 6000 feet in the sky and about which I will confess that I harbor the typical northern unease. Since the state just voted for Barack Obama, I had already begun to revise my uninformed preconceptions and I’m here to announce that there are interesting things to see, do and eat in Charlotte. Also, and this is not necessarily a plus, it is not easy to find a real southern twang in Charlotte, since it seems like most everyone you meet moved here last year from New Jersey to work at a bank.

Jayne and Ellen at Garrett's

Why Charlotte, you ask? Many years ago, when all were living in Boston, three semi-civilized young women forged a lifetime bond. Though they are now dispersed up and down the east coast, they still hang out whenever possible and one has moved to Charlotte, hence the visit. Here are my friends Jayne and Ellen at Garrett’s, a truly oddball and fascinating little log cabin shop. Mr Garrett (who does have a true Southern twang) travels much of the year around various Indian reservations trading for turquoise and comes home to offer a selection that you’d have to travel to the southwest to rival.

Jayne and Ellen at Amelie's

yum

Here they are at Amelie’s French bakery, in the NODA arts district (more about that in my next post). This is a terrific spot to have some coffee and a pastry or lunch and smell the baking bread. They don’t mind if you hang out all day in the funky sofas.

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