A new thing in front of the Mint Museum.

Connect 4 at VBGB.

When I tell somebody that I live in Charlotte, without fail, they tell me that they hear it’s nice here. I agree. I also hate for “nice” to be our defining characteristic. To me, it conjures up the image of yawning people who do nothing but shake hands and wash their cars in perpetual 68 degree weather.

We’re better than that. We’re a city of immigrants. We’ve created a new metropolis on the Piedmont; an old place rebuilt as new. We’re young again. We can be anything we want when we grow up.

Nice? That underestimates us. But how would I describe Charlotte? That’s tough. There’s not one good answer. There are many.

Hence, This Charlotte: My little attempt to try and figure out what this city is.

This site isn’t intended to be a comprehensive accounting of Charlotte. Instead, I just plan on sharing the little things I see and hear and feel. I’ll write a little. I’ll take some photos. I’ll share conversations. Hopefully the little pictures will fit together to form a big one.

I don’t want to do this alone. I’m hoping some people I know will take part along with me. Because my Charlotte isn’t their Charlotte, and it’s not your Charlotte. Please submit your pictures, your thoughts and your experiences. They don’t have to be nice. They just have to be yours. And ours.

-Jeremy Markovich (@deftlyinane)

Voltron on a Tuesday.