Who's cool?
Well, I'm not. I'm so uncool that if I make it to lukewarm I get goose bumps.
I don't even have hopes of becoming cool (it's way too late), but some cities aspire to it, Greensboro among them (sadly, not High Point, where I live). Charlotte has hired a consultant to advise it on how to become cool.
Although I'm not cool, I am interested in what makes a city cool. Why is Asheville cool, but not
Fayetteville? Wilmington (maybe) but not High Point? Austin but not Charlotte? Chattanooga (some say) but not Greensboro?
What are the coolest cities or towns in North Carolina or the South, and why? I'd love to get a discussion going and maybe write a column sometime.
Or, in posing these questions on a blog, am I looking for ice in the desert?
Nah. You all are way cool, like lager in a frosty mug.
OK, sorry for that frothy metaphor. Must be the spring-like weather. You know what I mean, anyway.
Comments (6)
To report abuse of the comment feature on this site, please use the feedback form at the bottom of any page.
Charlotte is definitely not cool. Matter of fact, I posted a blog entry about it back in December. Enjoy: http://rjsheridan.blogspot.com/2004/12/im-off-to-charlotte.html#comments
Posted on February 8, 2005 7:47 PM
An abundance of youth. (Mountains or oceans help, too.)
Posted on February 8, 2005 7:49 PM
Thanks, Rusty. I just read your entry and appreciate the insights.
Posted on February 9, 2005 1:07 PM
I am going to assume that someone is going to mention the "Creative Class". Having the creative class supposedly makes a city cool. I personally think that is just a buzzword, but I'm cynical that way.
Posted on February 10, 2005 11:45 AM
Coolest city in the South? Gotta be Savannah. The traditional eccentrics are higher voltage, the traditional elites are far more lubricated, and then you've got SCAD, which makes it all work. Plus it's legal to drink on the street, and the A.T. Hun art gallery is worth the trip.
Posted on February 12, 2005 2:45 PM
In NC: Asheville is the new Boulder. Carrboro is the old Berkeley. That's why I love them both.
Posted on February 12, 2005 5:26 PM