Carolina (In My Mind)
Just about every state has a song about it - "The Devil Went Down to Georgia", "California Dreamin'", "Sweet Home Alabama", "Private Idaho" - the list goes on. There's one song in particular that I always find myself thinking about whenever I travel there: James Taylor's "Carolina in My Mind". Although his song never specifies which Carolina, considering that he grew up in Chapel Hill, it's safe to say he's referring to North Carolina. Either way, that song will always play in my mind when I'm gone to North Carolina (pun intended). Sorry, South Carolina.
One thing I want to make clear here before going any further: this blog post is about my appreciation/fondness for North Carolina, not about moving back there or anything. Sorry, Houston - you're stuck with me!
When someone asks me where home is for me, I always tell them Virginia. And though I live in Houston now, Virginia will always be my "home" state and Glen Allen will always be my hometown. However, there's another state that will always have a special place in my heart: North Carolina.
Why will North Carolina always hold that special place in my heart? Well, for starters, I was born in Raleigh (Rex Hospital for the win!). My family moved from Raleigh to Virginia before I turned 2, so all my memories of growing up are from Virginia. That said, North Carolina will always be my "home away from home". To my knowledge, a family member's always lived in the Tar Heel State as long I've been alive. My Dad went to NC State for undergrad and grad school and my Mom went to Davidson for undergrad and later NC State for grad school (go Wolfpack!). My Mom has family that live outside the Raleigh area and just about all of my Dad's family lives in the Charlotte area. Naturally, we've made countless trips to the state for holidays, birthdays, special events, even NASCAR races.
While I am on the subject of North Carolina, I wanted to give a special shout-out to Rex Hospital here. Between my time at Baylor and interning with the Charlotte Hornets, I've randomly met other people outside of my family that were also born in Rex Hospital - small world!
This past Memorial Day weekend, I went to Charlotte for a few days and saw my parents, my brother and sister, and just about all of my Dad's family. It was a great weekend filled with playing games, enjoying great food, going to a NASCAR race, watching the Solo movie, and just being with one another. There's an understated value in just being present with one another. On my last day in Charlotte, I walked around downtown a little bit and even got to see some familiar faces from when I interned with the Charlotte Hornets 2 summers ago and stayed with family that summer.
If one were to ask me what my favorite part of state is, I would say "family". After family, I would definitely have to say the great food. When I go to North Carolina, there's so many places that I want to eat at and never enough time to go to them all. Charlotte has this great pizza place called Due Amici. There's this great fast food chain called Biscuitville with locations scattered throughout the state, including in Thomasville and Fuquay-Varina. There's also great fast food places like Bojangles and Cook-Out, where you can order a quesadilla with a side of....two quesadillas! And of all this can be washed down with Cheerwine, this amazing soda that kind of tastes like Dr Pepper, but better. And hey, North Carolina is even the home of great doughnut (or donut?) chains like Krispy Kreme and Duck Donuts, both of which are surprisingly in Houston.
While I do live in Texas know and only go back east a few times a year, I always will enjoy going back and experiencing that "homey" feeling that I get when I go to North Carolina*. It's why I'll still find myself wearing a Charlotte Hornets or a Carolina Panthers hat in Houston (though I'll always be a Bucks fan and a Packers fan first). It's why I'll find myself now making a trip to Duck Donuts every once in a while or search for Cheerwine in the grocery stores - to get that taste of Carolina in Texas. And it's why I'll randomly get really excited when I meet someone from North Carolina (or Virginia, of course!) in Houston.
I had a great time in North Carolina last weekend. And I'm looking forward to the next time I go back, presumably around the holidays. But in the meantime...I think I'm going to play that James Taylor song one more time...
*Speaking of odd state obsessions....I guess one could say my obsession with North Carolina is like my Wisconsin one, except I actually do have ties to the state and don't have as strong of a bond with the sports teams there. But I digress.
One thing I want to make clear here before going any further: this blog post is about my appreciation/fondness for North Carolina, not about moving back there or anything. Sorry, Houston - you're stuck with me!
When someone asks me where home is for me, I always tell them Virginia. And though I live in Houston now, Virginia will always be my "home" state and Glen Allen will always be my hometown. However, there's another state that will always have a special place in my heart: North Carolina.
Why will North Carolina always hold that special place in my heart? Well, for starters, I was born in Raleigh (Rex Hospital for the win!). My family moved from Raleigh to Virginia before I turned 2, so all my memories of growing up are from Virginia. That said, North Carolina will always be my "home away from home". To my knowledge, a family member's always lived in the Tar Heel State as long I've been alive. My Dad went to NC State for undergrad and grad school and my Mom went to Davidson for undergrad and later NC State for grad school (go Wolfpack!). My Mom has family that live outside the Raleigh area and just about all of my Dad's family lives in the Charlotte area. Naturally, we've made countless trips to the state for holidays, birthdays, special events, even NASCAR races.
While I am on the subject of North Carolina, I wanted to give a special shout-out to Rex Hospital here. Between my time at Baylor and interning with the Charlotte Hornets, I've randomly met other people outside of my family that were also born in Rex Hospital - small world!
This past Memorial Day weekend, I went to Charlotte for a few days and saw my parents, my brother and sister, and just about all of my Dad's family. It was a great weekend filled with playing games, enjoying great food, going to a NASCAR race, watching the Solo movie, and just being with one another. There's an understated value in just being present with one another. On my last day in Charlotte, I walked around downtown a little bit and even got to see some familiar faces from when I interned with the Charlotte Hornets 2 summers ago and stayed with family that summer.
If one were to ask me what my favorite part of state is, I would say "family". After family, I would definitely have to say the great food. When I go to North Carolina, there's so many places that I want to eat at and never enough time to go to them all. Charlotte has this great pizza place called Due Amici. There's this great fast food chain called Biscuitville with locations scattered throughout the state, including in Thomasville and Fuquay-Varina. There's also great fast food places like Bojangles and Cook-Out, where you can order a quesadilla with a side of....two quesadillas! And of all this can be washed down with Cheerwine, this amazing soda that kind of tastes like Dr Pepper, but better. And hey, North Carolina is even the home of great doughnut (or donut?) chains like Krispy Kreme and Duck Donuts, both of which are surprisingly in Houston.
While I do live in Texas know and only go back east a few times a year, I always will enjoy going back and experiencing that "homey" feeling that I get when I go to North Carolina*. It's why I'll still find myself wearing a Charlotte Hornets or a Carolina Panthers hat in Houston (though I'll always be a Bucks fan and a Packers fan first). It's why I'll find myself now making a trip to Duck Donuts every once in a while or search for Cheerwine in the grocery stores - to get that taste of Carolina in Texas. And it's why I'll randomly get really excited when I meet someone from North Carolina (or Virginia, of course!) in Houston.
I had a great time in North Carolina last weekend. And I'm looking forward to the next time I go back, presumably around the holidays. But in the meantime...I think I'm going to play that James Taylor song one more time...
*Speaking of odd state obsessions....I guess one could say my obsession with North Carolina is like my Wisconsin one, except I actually do have ties to the state and don't have as strong of a bond with the sports teams there. But I digress.
Great time seeing these people (and extended family) this past weekend in Charlotte!
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