If your idea of retail and cultural development includes more strip malls and movieplexes, have fun in Charlotte, NC. But if you are looking for quality of life- four seasons, gorgeous architecture, affordable living, urban independent shopping districts, world class art museums...a plethora of dining (outside of the typical Buffalo fare of wings/weck/dogs) and music venues, and the friendliest City of Good Neighbors around, Buffalo wins hands down.

As a result, neighborhoods around Charlotte are filling with people who prefer beef on weck (roast beef on a special salty roll) and white-hots (spicy white hot dogs) to barbecue and pimento cheese.

Upstate New York-oriented restaurants such as Tavern on the Tracks in South End and Township Grille in Matthews are thriving. And the area will be the first place outside Buffalo for expansion of the Anchor Bar, pioneer of the famed Buffalo wings

Also, every neighboring county had net migration increases, with my county being the largest source for all of them and those migrating in had higher incomes than those migrating out for all 6 surrounding counties.

One other feature was that the top 5 counties people were moving from was also the top 5 counties people were moving to (net leaving for each of the top five). I suspect all this reflects our being a college town and the county's principle city is dominated by tax and spend liberals. Those who have something to tax move elsewhere.

I was thinking of restaurants with gimmicky dishes, like "PCB-burger" or "Prison-Break Steak" or "Kudzu Vine Salad." Or maybe "Adirondack Park Preserves" which are very pretty to look at but turn somewhat bitter when they are shoved down your throat.