Charlotte vs. Atlanta

Howdy!

In this issue: how Charlotte compares to Atlanta, go to the movies and friends doing some cool things

Charlotte vs. Atlanta

I heard a stat this week that if Atlanta stopped growing altogether and Charlotte continued at its current rate, it’d take 40 years for them to be the same size.

Who knows how true that is? Who cares? You get the point. Charlotte and the surrounding metro area are simply smaller than ATL. People say Charlotte is a mini-Atlanta, but it feels more like Buckhead with a football team.

But when people ask how Charlotte has been since we moved here a little over a year ago, I always say how much we enjoy the closeness of things.

Traffic is light. The airport usually takes 20 minutes to/from your gate and everyone knows the best steakhouse is Beef N’ Bottle because it’s been open since the 1950s.

Very neighborhood-ly here. We hardly leave our part of town called NoDa, and for the folks in South Charlotte where a majority of people live, NoDa is mostly off the radar. Whereas in Atlanta, you may find yourself in one of many different parts of town on any given night. Not really a pro or con, just an observation.

Another thing I’ve noticed is the slight difference in sense of humor. Atlanta people are a little more loose. After a few comedy shows, I noticed folks here laugh less at themselves. Hard to make fun of people to their face, despite some of my best efforts.

Being a couple hundred miles farther northeast than Atlanta makes it easier to access the coast, breezier on the golf course and closer to the mountains despite one of my favorite fun facts that Atlanta is only 60 miles from Springer Mountain, the start of the Appalachian Trail.

Neither one is better than the other. They simply are different. I’m sure you’ve seen that in your own lives.

Whether you moved from Boston to Wisconsin, New Jersey to New York or Russia to Roswell, you pick up on what you enjoy that’s new and keep a piece of home with you.

What Else

🐦‍⬛ Look Out for Birds Coming to Your Feeder

It’s getting cold, meaning birds are burning more calories and their food has been picked over. There’s also a new crew with birds who’ve migrated for winter now sharing alongside the birds who live there year round. I caved and bought a feeder with a camera to keep an eye on these guys.

🎤 Bringing Back Rap

As a lifelong rap fan, the fact that the category has been quiet for the last couple of years has been hard to see. For instance, only one rap song has been a Billboard number 1 in 2026 with Drake’s Janice STFU (banger). I’ve been really enjoying the new Anderson .Paak/Cordae album Heavy is the Crown. Not sure there’s a number 1 hit on here, but solid mellow bars throughout you may enjoy too.

🍿 Going to the Movies

With a full fall, going to the movies has been a great way to detach and relax. I recently watched The Incomer (pretty good, B+) and The History of Concrete (less good, B-) and have decided we’ll wait to watch the 3-hour Elizabeth Holmes doc at home once it’s on streaming. Put your phone on Airplane mode and go watch something.

Friends Doing Cool Things

• Ronak updated TRMNL photo plugins to focus on what matters

• Daniel Stone and Bandolier launched a campaign with Stanley Steemer

• Job train rolls with Michael, Neil, Andreas and Griffin H all starting new adventures

• Jay launched a new website for his 3PL biz Wove

• Fellow champ Beau won his first Memphis Invitational

Grandma’s Corner

Quiet this month! I’m sure she will be back soon 🙂