Now, I know Emily from the South. She went to elementary school with me for two years (homegirl stole my crayons - I was not a fan) and moved in eighth grade. She's no stranger to the South, but she spent many of those important formative years (what lip gloss do I wear today? does that boy like me? are you going to the football game tomorrow night?) in Ohio, which I have learned is a completely different world.
Ohio is cold and midwestern-y and just different than Raleigh. Accordingly, I've created a little guide to Raleigh/The Triangle/The South for Emily or any others that find themselves relocated to the Land of the Pines!
- Apparently people outside of the South don't say "y'all." I don't even think twice about saying it, so you should probably incorporate it in your vocab.
- Carolina, State or Duke. You have to pick a team. (And pick Carolina).
- On a similar note, fall = football season and winter = basketball season. EVERYONE you know will be at their school of choice's football game every Saturday in the fall. (Side note: elaborate tailgates will be planned - mine include hydrangeas, corn hole and gourmet food - and fancy clothes will be worn.) EVERYONE you know will watch their school of choice's basketball games in winter. During March Madness people will call out of work. Those that do go to work will have the games streaming on their computers and that's expected. Children will watch the games on TVs in their classrooms.
- ITB/OTB. (Inside the Beltline/Outside the Beltline). Opinions on these depend on who you ask and how long they've been in Raleigh. Generally speaking, ITB is more expensive real estate. OTB used to be considered the boonies, but now it's nothing at all and you can get more property/land for your buck. I'll leave it at that. If you know me, you know where my heart lies. :)
- Chapel Hill is the most beautiful place on Earth. When God created the world, he shined a special light on that city. (I'm not biased.)
- Downtown Raleigh has gone through a huge renaissance in the last few years. It now has incredible restaurants, bars, etc. It's a fun place to be.
- Emily's favorite thing about the South is Sweetwater Blueberry beer. I'm not a beer person, but if you're moving here, we have this in most bars. I guess that's kind of exciting for y'all?
- No one here knows what Chili Mac is. I know this from a conversation I had last week in which I was the only person who know about it because of Emily.
- We have an awesome greenway system. If you're a runner/walker/biker, you'll love it.
- When we say "let's cook out," "let's have a cookout!" or "let's grill out," that would be the your equivalent of "let's bbq" or "let's have a bbq." Down here, BBQ means pulled pork served in a vinegar based sauce. (Check out the Pit!)
- Snow/ice/any wintery event is a big deal here. On Monday, most of our schools had a three hour delay because there was a tiny chance of freezing rain. There was no precipitation. Like, not a drop. We know we don't drive well in the snow, sorry in advance.
- Alcohol. We have state run ABC stores here where you can purchase liquor. Generally they are open Monday - Saturday until 9 p.m. They are closed Sunday (as are many things in the South). Beer and wine are sold at grocery stores and can be bought any day of the week, but only after 12 on Sundays. Similarly, restaurants can only serve alcohol after 12 on Sunday so plan your brunch accordingly.
- Popular brunch items include grits and biscuits and gravy.
Help me keep this list going. What other pieces of wisdom can you bestow upon Emily and other relocated Yankees/Midwesterners?
No comments:
Post a Comment