By Carrie Campbell, Sarah Crosland, Blake Miller, Amy Rainey, and Richard Thurmond
Photographs by Chris Edwards

OK, we lied. There are probably a hundred more reasons why we love this city, but we've highlighted the ones that make Charlotte Charlotte. While we love Price's Chicken for its hush puppies, we love it more for the line of devotees who stand in line on Camden Road every afternoon. While we love the Coca-Cola 600, what we really love are the colorful tailgaters. Because while we love Charlotte´s unique events, great food, and semi-celebs, we love more what those things mean: that we're a pretty darn cool city. And we could use a little love right now.

ONLINE ONLY: Listen to Orendain and karaoke cabbie Billy Rivera´s (#25) "Don´t Go Breaking My Heart" duet at charlottemagazine.com.

1. The skyline views from all over the city	A favorite skyline view? The loop around the city on I-277 just as you're coming off Independence Boulevard into the city.
2. The Construction Cranes	The seemingly always-present construction cranes certainly junk up our view of that pretty skyline. We don't care. Because every time another crane pops up, we know that another building´s being built. And that means this city´s booming. And as much as we hate the construction and the temporary turning lanes or the "Road Closed" signs, we crush on the cranes.
3. Rodney Monroe Chief of Police, CMPD	Because, for once, there's no drama with the thin blue line. Monroe is all about fighting crime and not about letting the other crap get in his way. He's focused on reducing crime by putting more officers on the streets -- a tactic we think is the smartest thing CMPD's done since, well, hiring Monroe. And Monroe loves him some local comfort food at Mert's Heart and Soul, which he frequents every Sunday after church. How could you not love a police chief who loves the local eats?
4. The Intersection at Providence/Providence and Queens/Queens	Newcomers who come to this infamous intersection often wonder what genius laid out the four-way stop. We do, too. Tom Hanchett, staff historian at the Levine Museum of the New South, enlightened us. Said genius was John Nolen of Cambridge, Massachusetts, one of the best-known planners of the time. Nolen designed Myers Park's streets in 1911, but he didn't name them (nice). What is now Queens Road was intended to be the neighborhood's spine, with trolley tracks running down the landscaped median. It was created in a big loop so the streetcar could swing back toward town. In 1912, after a naming contest, the boulevard was named Queens Road to commemorate Queen Charlotte of England. Back when the trolley and median defined Queens Road, the intersections with other streets were easy to understand. But after trolley service ended in 1938, traffic engineers began tinkering with the intersections. The result: a road that turns abruptly without explanation, guarantees confusion for newcomers, and is one of those quirks that you hate until you love.
5. The Traffic (or Lack of It)	As much as we complain about it, the traffic in Charlotte just isn't comparable to that of other major cities (hello, Atlanta). In the Charlotte metropolitan area, commute times averaged 25.1 minutes in 2007. Compare that to 30.7 minutes in Atlanta, 31 in Chicago, 28.9 in Boston, and 28.3 in Houston. Of course, the Big Apple had one of the highest commute times -- 34.8 minutes. Source: U.S. Census America Community Survey 2007 estimates
6. Yes, there are alternate routes into and out of town.	Providence, Wilkinson, Statesville, Beatties Ford, and a few others.
7. The smell of Doughnuts, Sticky Buns, Bear Claws, and Whatever Else is Baking in South End.	If you catch the right breeze in South End, you're bound to breathe in the intoxicating scent of baked goods. Carolina Foods, a plant at West Boulevard and Tryon Street, bakes honey buns, doughnuts, and mini-pies. The plant produces baked goods for other labels (though they won't disclose who -- we like to think it's Little Debbie), which are sent all over North America, but also for its own Duchess brand, which is sold at Sam's Club and local grocery stores. Sadly, while you can smell the yummy goodness all day long, you'll have to find another way to satisfy your sweet tooth. You can't buy these baked goodies at the plant.
8. The Courthouse	While the people watching there is, dare we say, the best in the city (we're talking real drama, people), there are plenty of other cool things, such as the mini movie theater in the juror waiting room, to see at the $148 million, nine-story Mecklenburg County Courthouse. One piece of public art always grabs our attention. Persistence of Vision, a kinetic sculpture suspended from the atrium ceiling, is made up of 3,200 sculpted heads based on actual Mecklenburg residents. Controlled by more than a thousand motors and a computer system, the heads move around each week to form a new image of a larger face.
9. Price's Chicken	You've gotta love the devotees who stand in line outside the South End institution in 95-degree heat, rain, and, yes, sometimes snow. Tamara Neely "I've been coming here for fifteen years. I always get the sweet tea and chicken sandwich with a side of potato salad." George Soler "I come as often as I can when I'm in town with my friend. I'm from Georgia, and the chicken tastes real good here." Jimmy Brown "Been coming here for eleven years, and I always get the quarter white, tater tots, slaw, pups, and a gallon of sweet tea."
10. Barbecue	It's not beef and it's definitely not a verb. In North Carolina, when you say barbecue, you're talking about tender pork with a vinegar- or tomato-based sauce. And lucky for us some of the top 'cue joints around are just a quick drive outside the city.
11. Matt Carroll, Guard, Charlotte Bobcats	When His Airness Michael Jordan came to Charlotte, he saw something in guard Matt Carroll that he'd seen somewhere before. Maybe it was John Paxson. Maybe it was Steve Kerr. Or maybe3;it was both. "His accuracy is something that every championship team needs," Jordan said of Carroll. "We had Steve Kerr. We had John Paxson. To me, he's more like that." And ever since, Jordan's been one of Carroll's biggest supporters, helping to orchestrate the twenty-eight-year-old's $27 million, six-year contract with the team. But we don't just love the guy because Jordan does -- we love him because he's classy on and off the court and is one of the few NBA players who actually plays a little D.  12. NASCAR Drivers  OK, we're not exactly the East Coast Hollywood. Celebrity sightings are few and far between when it comes to our fair city. But that makes it all the more fun to spot our very own local celebs in the form of NASCAR's top drivers. Here's where you can stalk, er, spot #88, #48, or #24.  13. Tony Stewart  It's hard not to love a driver who wins. A lot. And when Tony Stewart makes a move on the track, it's hard not to get excited because most of the time, it means he's going to win. And we love winners in this town. But besides the checkered flags, Stewart's simply a big-time driver with a small town heart, and in a city that functions on exactly the same premise, it's easy to see why number 14 won us over. Here's a look at the top five things Stewart loves about Charlotte (14-18): 14. "Every time I take off or land out of Concord Regional, I'm always impressed by what Bruton Smith is doing with the Speedway. It's like it's his own little sandbox-something is always being built or made better. The drag strip he just finished is impressive. You can tell a lot of thought went into it. And he must have a way with contractors, too, because that place went up fast." 15. "Brickhouse Tavern in Davidson -- that's my favorite place to eat. It's in an old cotton mill. It just feels comfortable." 16. "Paul Schadt over on 96.9 The KAT is my favorite DJ. He was one of the first media people I got to know when I first came to NASCAR from Indy cars." 17. "How racing is such a part of Charlotte. It truly is an industry, as much as banking and furniture. I think that's cool. It tells me the sport has come a long way." 18. "It's not finished yet, but I'm really happy that the NASCAR Hall of Fame is in Charlotte. It made the most sense from all of the cities that were originally in the running. Stock car racing started here, so it makes sense that it will honor its history here." 19. Bikini Boaters on Lake Norman at I-77  Maybe you want to join them. Maybe you want to be them. Either way, they make the drive up to Davidson a lot more interesting all summer long.   20. The Weather  When the rest of the country is freezing its a$%$ off, we're happily enjoying the moderate February temps that made us fall in love with the city in the first place. And when Floridians, Texans, and the like claim they love the heat, we're secretly smiling, knowing no one in their right mind would move to Florida or Texas anyway. Average January Temps Charlotte: 41º F Boston: 29º F Detroit: 24º F New York City: 32º F Source: AccuWeather.com 21. Bojangles  The ads are ridiculous and the name is strange, but native son Bojangles's chicken and biscuits make us swoon. After which, we get up, wipe our greasy hands on our pants, and ask for more.  22. Food Lion Speed Street What else other than NASCAR could bring together rednecks and Myers Park folks to mix and mingle in uptown Charlotte? This three-day festival, which attracts close to a half million people every May, brings top performing artists and plenty of NASCAR celebs to the QC for this classier (and, yes, way cooler) version of the Daytona 500 tailgating.  23. Yes, We're Still a Banking Town  We hate that Wells Fargo bought Wachovia, but we love that Citigroup did not, and we love even more that BofA bought Merrill Lynch. And we'd really love it if BofA doesn't ship any i-banking jobs to NYC. And by the way, have you seen our downtown? Thanks, banks. 51 Reasons Why We Love Charlotte (24-41) PDF  | Print |  E-mail Thursday, 01 January 2009 24. Charlotte architecture  Dilworth bungalows, Foxcroft ranches, and Myers Park manses are just a few of the reasons why we love driving around the city. These homes represent eras in design when mod ranches were cool and white-pillared homes were (and still are) traditional and nostalgic. It´s, dare we say, one of the most impressive cities in the country for design. Ok, we said it.  25. Simone Orendain, WFAE reporter/producer  Tune your radio dial to 90.7 and you´ll be greeted by a host of local reporters who contradict the notion of public radio as a giant snooze fest for liberal academics. One personality who stands out is WFAE producer and reporter Simone Orendain, whose insight and candid interviews make the commute a bit more tolerable. What other public radio reporter would dare sing a duet of Elton John´s "Don´t Go Breaking My Heart" with Charlotte karaoke cabbie Billy Rivera for all the world to hear? Incidentally, Orendain´s karaoke cab story, "Singin´ Around Charlotte," was picked up by NPR and aired nationally, bringing a bit of positive attention to the media-maligned Queen City. Orendain has lived in Charlotte since 2005 and includes the weather and the yummy loukoumades at the Yiasou Festival as her favorite things about Charlotte. "I´ve come to appreciate that a city the size of Charlotte is just right, because while it´s not so small, it´s also not so big that you lose that sense of community." It´s also not so big that that duet won´t come back to haunt you, Simone 3; ONLINE ONLY: Listen to Orendain and karaoke cabbie Billy Rivera´s "Don´t Go Breaking My Heart" duet at charlottemagazine.com. 26. The Tree Canopy  There's a reason why you drive first-time visiting friends and family down Queens Road West-and it's not the gorgeous homes. It´s the trees, and they´re everywhere. City arborist Don McSween tells us the oldest trees in Charlotte are likely 120 to 150 years old, and some of the grandest can be found outside First Presbyterian Church in uptown and on the grounds of old estates such as the Morrocroft Mansion, the home of former Gov. Cameron Morrison in  SouthPark.  27. Cankerworms  There's something heartwarming about neighbors -- even if they haven´t spoken for the entire year -- banding together to fight these little tree-killing critters. And if it´s a worm that brings us together, then so be it.  28. SouthPark Mall  Just a few years ago, SouthPark Mall had one less wing and a lot fewer luxury fashion stores. Now, with stores like Neiman Marcus, Hermès, Burberry, Crate & Barrel, and the new Michael Kors, our top mall has become one of the Southeast´s top shopping destinations. Not too shabby for a place that opened in pastureland on the outskirts of the city in 1970.  29. Reader Comments Love 'em or hate 'em, there are always plenty of comments on stories on the Charlotte Observer´s Web site, leaving little doubt that we are a city that likes to be heard. And while occasionally the comments section can become rather heated, that´s half the fun in reading them. Here are a few of our favorite one-liners from the fall: "Can we get Jake Delhomme into illegal dog fighting?" -Montech responding to "Turner, Falcons slam door on Panthers" "I don´t think Ken Thompson will show his face at the country club any time soon." -Bcramer0515 responding to "Stunningly swift fall for Wachovia" "Dear Wachovia, if you pay off these stooges I will pull all of my accounts." -Spockko responding to "Wachovia executives eligible for $98.1M" 30. The Evening Muse  There's something cool about a place where the sound is always perfect, the covers are reasonable, and the beer's refreshing. How could you not love that musicians, like Kevin Gordon (pictured), go out of their way to experience playing the Muse and its supportive local audience?  31. Not satisfied with an underachieving basketball team, UNCC fans have succeeded in talking their board of trustees into starting a football team. And we love them for it. A few quick ones (32-41) 32. The Winky Dinky Dog at the Penguin  33. Cheap gas 10 miles south of the city in South Carolina  34. Dale Jr.  35. The Light Rail only costs $1.50 one-way3;now what other mass transportation do you know of that costs that little to ride? 36. Davidson basketball fans 37. Pedicabs uptown, people! 38. Beaches. Mountains. Close. 39. The Duke Mansion 40. Tailgaters at Lowes Motor Speedway and the zMax dragway  41. The Duke Power building´s light show 42. Everyone Secretly (OK, very openly) Wants to Move Here  No, they don't want to move to sunny Florida or Podunk, West Virginia, where housing is surely even cheaper than in Charlotte. They want to move here. And while it's easy to complain about all the damn transplants (even if you are one), let's face it, it's pretty freaking cool that so many people want to live here. About 91,000 newcomers relocated to the nine-county Charlotte metropolitan region from out of state in 2007, up from about 88,000 newcomers in 2006 and 80,000 in 2005. Here's where we're from: 1. Florida 2. New York 3. Ohio 4. New Jersey 5. Pennsylvania 6. Michigan 7. Georgia 8. Virginia 9. California 10. Maryland Source: Charlotte Observer 43. We're Hot  Charlotte is a damn good-looking city. And around here it's common to see svelte, stay-at-home moms in casual yoga wear shopping at Neimans or Dean & DeLuca; young, attractive twenty-somethings in dressed-down suits at Alive after Five; and some seriously hot bankers winding down with a drink at Sullivan's.  44. Waxhaw  Take a ride along Providence Road past the Promenade, past Weddington, and into the heart of Waxhaw and you'll find what Charlotte doesn't have much of anymore: lots and lots of green space. We love it for the way the mist covers the riding pastures, how the dew on giant magnolias glistens in the morning sun, and how being out there feels so far away from the hustle of uptown yet so close.  Harris Teeter  45. The organic produce selection rocks! 46. The cashiers are usually polite, and self-checkout is great when you're buying a few things in a hurry.   47. We do actually feel very important thanks to the VIC (Very Important Customer) card and the awesome deals we get as a result. Thanks for the free luggage, HT! 48. Welcome to the Best Sports City in the USA  Whether Charlotte is a true sports town or not has been debated ad nauseum in the papers and on talk radio. The argument usually comes down to this: those on the "yay" side cite our major league franchises. Those on the "nay" side point out that support for said franchises doesn't come close to matching the passion of, say, Red Sox fans (the real ones, not the new ones who wear pink hats with the Sox logo), Redskins fans, or, well, we couldn't think of any passionate NBA fans. We hereby submit that the argument is misplaced. In fact, Charlotte may be the best sports city on the planet, because we welcome all sports fans. Bills supporter? Have we got a bar -- or three -- for you! Giants fan? You've got plenty of company! Root for the Cubbies? You can be just as miserable here, but with better weather! College football fanatic? Uptown on Saturdays is your playground! And as a bonus, you can all be Panthers and Bobcats fans! 49. Brooklyn Decker  Let's just say that every time we open the swimsuit issue of Sports Illustrated and see Matthews's own Brooklyn Decker, we get a little tingle of, um, pride.  50. Wait, you mean to tell us there was a Charlotte back in the 1980s? Even before then, you say? Then you must be that rarest of breeds: a native Charlottean. We're glad someone here remembers when Independence Boulevard wasn't a boulevard, and that there was life before Dean & DeLuca. 51. We Keep It Clean  Several years ago, over drinks, a newspaperman transplanted from Philadelphia via Washington, D.C., expressed dismay that politics here was so conflict free. "Hell, where I came from, city council members punched each other out! Where's the drama?" Sure, fisticuffs at the dais, embezzlement scandals, election fraud, and rampant bribery make for good copy and better video. But Charlotte media has to make do with weather, cankerworms, and the occasional nonprofit executive compensation kerfuffle. And we wouldn't have it any other way. Explanations for our scandal-free political scene vary. Levine Museum of the New South historian Tom Hanchett offers this: "It may be that Charlotte's business networks are so tight that in order to become economically viable as a leader in this community you need to have relationships of trust, and that carries over into politics." Sounds good to us. As boring as it is to us media types, let's keep it clean.