Best of Charlotte 2001 City Life

Readers' Picks

Best Best View of the City:

From John Belk freeway

You can see the city from all sides. . . just be careful when you're doing it at 60 mph, OK? Of course, if it's rush hour, you'll have p-l-e-n-t-y of time to take in the sights.

Best Reason to Live in Charlotte:

Climate/weather

Translation: Mild winters. A lot of readers' votes also included references to Charlotte being "family-friendly." \

Best Reason to Not Live in Charlotte:

Traffic

Who designed these merge lanes, that's what we want to know. (And that 3rd/4th Street U-turn exit? We want some of what they were smoking.) Any way you look at it, Charlotte's roadways just ain't keeping up with the growth. See the I-77 parking lot at 8am, or Tyvola Road at 5pm, or Independence Boulevard at any moment of the day. Other dishonorable reader mentions: racism, airline flight prices, air quality. But traffic was the runaway winner.

Best Underrated Attraction:

Latta Plantation Park

It's big, it's gorgeous, it's peaceful, and it's kinda tucked away off Beatties Ford Road, which qualifies this park as a hidden gem. (See Critics' Pick: Best Place to Get Back to Nature.)

Best Thing to Show Off to Out-of-town Guests:

Ericsson Stadium

"Look, Ma -- we're a big city now. We got us our own stadium!" Drive by anytime during the off-season, and you're likely to see one or two tourists taking pictures. The panther sculptures are cool -- not to mention more menacing than the Panthers' offense.

Second place: downtown at night.

Best Thing to Hide from Out-of-town Guests:

Independence Boulevard

And for more reasons than the traffic. Let's see: empty "big-box" stores, run-down chain restaurants, unimaginative strip malls. That oughta cover it.

Local Hero:

Hugh McColl

The former CEO of Bank of America pulled a Cal Ripken, Jr. this year, retiring at the top of his game. He'll be remembered for his corporate and civic commitment to uptown and the arts. Readers would probably love it if he stays just as active around Charlotte in his retirement.

Local Zero:

Hornets owners

And they wonder why the arena referendum was creamed. Let's see. Terrible personnel decisions, oily personas, they can't pay employees what they're worth, Court TV admissions of adultery, using a drug rehab clinic as a place to pick up chicks, and they jerked everyone around and played hard-to-get on the arena issue. This wasn't even close.

Best Member of Local Government:

Pat McCrory

Worst Member of Local Government:

Pat McCrory

It all depends how you look at it, n'est-ce pas? Mr. Mayor has certainly done some things people liked in the past six years: increased police pay and equipment, kept taxes steady, and implemented programs to make our neighborhoods more pedestrian-friendly. At the same time, any kind of leadership was lacking on the arena issue, and he didn't do himself any favors by vetoing the "living wage" increase. Other "worst" mentions, in order: Lynn Wheeler, Bill James.

Celebrity You'd Like To Know Personally:

Sheri Lynch

The morning radio mom brings her down-to-earth personality and biting wit to every broadcast. Good for her, constructing a work-from- environment after Olivia's birth -- and surging to the top of morning radio in a drive-time filled with indistinguishable, generic white guys.

Celebrity You'd Rather Not Get To Know Personally:

George Shinn

Technically, he's a resident of Florida, but thanks to his ownership of the Hornets and Sting, he's sort of like a rash that won't go away.

Best Celebrity Hairdo:

Larry Sprinkle

The perennial winner. We get the feeling that this NBC6 weatherman's coif would look perfect no matter the weather. Tidbit: Larry was once TV's "Ty-D-Bowl Man."

Best Best-Dressed Public Figure:

Lynn Wheeler

One word comes to mind: sophisti-cute. She described her favorite clothing in an Observer feature, what, three years ago? You just can't forget something like that. Our readers obviously think the city councilwoman has great sartorial taste. A close second: Hizzoner Pat McCrory.

Best Local Athlete:

Baron Davis

Wonder why the Charlotte Hornets' guard takes the cake? How about this: last season, he was #11 in the NBA in Assists Per Game(7.3); fifth-highest in the NBA in Steals Per Game (2.07);10th in minutes played (3192); eighth in assists (598); third in steals (170), and fourth in triple-doubles (2). Quick -- catch him at the Hive before the owners let him go. Second place went to the Sting's Andrea Stinson, third to Ric Flair.

Best Local Boy or Girl Made Good:

Dale Earnhardt, Jr.

Not only has Kannapolis' Junior piloted the #8 car with speed and agility, deservedly winning the hearts of fans, he exhibited strength and poise in the wake of his father's tragic death -- and the ensuing media hubbub that just wouldn't go away.

Best Local Boy or Girl Made Bad:

Deidra Lane

The alleged killer wife of former Panthers running back Fred Lane was indicted by a grand jury in her husband's murder. This was after she had been held in jail on federal bank larceny charges tied to her role in a 1998 theft of $41,200. And after she was charged in 1995 with attempted robbery of a South Carolina credit union. Second place, dishonorable mention: who else, George Shinn.

Best Charlotte's Sexiest Man:

Rory Lewis

The voting was all over the map on this one, but winning by the skin of his. . .whatever was the musician and leader of the Rory Lewis Band. Who says rock is dead?

Best Charlotte's Sexiest Woman:

Kirsten Gum

(See critics' pick for Local Girl Made Bad). Last year's critics' winner in this category has won the, umm, hearts of our male readers.

Best Hotel:

Dunhill

This 60-room historic hotel has the charm and appeal of a European beauty. Rooms and suites are richly appointed -- and if you haven't seen the Tryon Street view from room 1005, you owe it to yourself to do it. It doesn't hurt that the Dunhill also is host to a stunning bar and a terrific restaurant.

Best Downtown Residence:

Fourth Ward

OK, we were looking for a more specific answer, but readers just love the whole neighborhood. Charlotte's first urban neighborhood made cool again, Fourth Ward brims with Victorian painted ladies, new luxury condos, and Georgetown-style towns -- all connected with sidewalks and parks. The best part? You can walk to work and stumble from the uptown pubs.

Best Public Art:

Chairs on Parade

There's room for discussion (the runner-up was "anything but those big chairs"), but there's no doubt these artful chairs commissioned by the Tryon Center for Visual Art -- in quirky colors, shapes and sizes -- have attracted more attention than any public art in the city's recent past.

Best Festival:

Center CityFest

Bob Dylan, Hootie & the Blowfish, The Black Crowes, Widespread Panic and Bruce Hornsby were the headliners, and that won over enough readers to outvote the many who voted for "NOT Center CityFest."

Best Picnic Spot:

Freedom Park

Charlotte's favorite park has the best of everything: grassy stretches, shady spots, picnic tables, giant geese, and great people-watching. Shelters can be rented for your big outdoor gatherings, too. Plus, the in-town location is mighty convenient.

Best Place to Cool Off:

WaterWorks, at Paramount's Carowinds

This 12-acre water park provides liquid thrills of all types: a four-story rafting adventure, twisting tube slides, a wild wave pool, and a ramblin' river for floating. The liquid playground lets kids climb, spray, and splash to their hearts' content.

Best Place to Skate/Skateboard:

Freedom Park

The paved trail encircling the seven-acre lake gets quite busy with skaters, rollerbladers and skateboarders lured by its smooth surface (and ample parking). A close second: downtown.

Best Jogging Path:

Freedom Park

In addition to the paved trail, there's a natural trail that winds over the stream and through the woods near the Nature Museum. It's not very long, so distance runners may shy away, but it's excellent for casual runners.

Best Place to Get Back to Nature:

Crowders Mountain

It's Nature-a-rama at Crowders. Canoes may be rented for paddling in the lake, where anglers cast for bass and bream. More than 160 species of birds, including waterfowl, wading birds, hawks, owls and woodpeckers have been recorded in this oasis. Within a mile's hike from the park office, backcountry camping is permitted in two secluded areas.

Best Golf Course:

Highland Creek Golf Club

This 18-hole championship course has been rated both the best and the toughest public golf course in the Charlotte area. It winds through trees and creeks, stretching to over 7,000 yards from the back tees, and features four tee boxes per hole, 72 bunkers, five lakes, and water features on 13 holes.

Best Public Tennis Courts:

Freedom Park

These courts, within serving distance of East Boulevard, are in tip-top shape. They're also highly popular, so get there early.

Best Place To Take Children:

Discovery Place

This is the sixth year in a row that readers have chosen Charlotte's uptown hands-on science museum for their kids. (More than a half-million people from all over the US visit Discovery Place, its IMAX Dome Theatre and its planetarium each year.) Kids enjoy the aquarium, the Life Center, and traveling exhibits such as "The International Space Station: The Earth Tour," developed by Discovery Place in conjunction with NASA and U.S. Space Enterprises.