SOUTH CAROLINA

Boom

It's a right-wing dump

Lovely beaches and Charleston is nice, but it's still a red-state backwater that hates black people.

OP about 10 years ago I stayed in a hostel in the "ghetto" part of town. The gals running the place told me to go buy drinks and snacks at the gas station rather than at the local mom and pop store in the hood. I had already been and it was filled with elderly black men hanging out in the airconditioning but was otherwise fine. On my way to the recommended safe gas station, I walked through a neighbourhood LITTERED with Confederate flags in the window, LOL! So it takes all kinds.

It's a nice place with awesome food. We went diving and on a Gullah culture tour.

The Courtyard Marriot is a typical Marriott hotel but I would recommend staying there over any other place because of the awesome concierge, Kevin. I had my wallet and passport stolen and he went above and beyond to make sure I still had a great time and could continue to travel and eat out and sightsee.

Charleston is great.

Y'all can drop in for a julep any ol' time! I jus' love mah gentleman callers!

A friend found the gay scene there very unwelcoming. We visited and didn't feel especially welcome. This was in Charleston.

So are there any gay bars in Charleston? I want to go because the architecture looks fabulous and there seems to be great restaurants. But is there a gay scene? Is it near the old town or do you have to drive far?

I was I. Charleston for work 15 years ago - but I didn’t go the historic part. It seemed like a dump and the picture of trashy white/black segregated Southern town like rural Georgia. But all the hype about Charleston has made me think I want to go for a long weekend.

Its a great place to vacation & retire but that's about it. Charleston, Myrtle Beach & Hilton Head are the top go-to spots.

I lived in Columbia for a while and enjoyed it.

R8 you obviously haven't been to many rural Georgia towns recently if you think they're still segregated like they were 30 year or more ago.

Very good food in Charleston, if nothing else.

Despite opposition from conservative residents, gay South Carolinians stand tall and proud. I'm sure you can find good times down there. Just go on the apps, and ask the gay residents for places that are welcoming and enjoyable.

R11 . Ok - not explicitly segregated but generally as a northerner, I find even Atlanta to have a weird racial awareness vibe with “acceptance” but it never feels natural. In NYC and some parts of CA, the interactions seem much less forced and groups seem much more naturally interactive without judgement or preconceived racial assumptions.

The coast is wonderful, especially Beaufort and Charleston. Hilton Head is a little over developed and Myrtle Beach is tacky

NYC and L.A. are two of the most racist cities on the planet, especially NYC. Most white people in NYC are only cordial to people of color as long as they're in the same room.

Um...OK R16 . Suuuure.

My former brother-in-law, a guy who is pretty racisit and never able to save money decided to retire in Columbia. It was on one of those silly 10 best place lists. He moved from the LA area. He lasted a year. Even he couldn't put up with it.

Hilton Head seems like the dullest place imaginable. Very uniform. The people I know who retired to Charleston love it. Personally, I couldn't take all that magnolia-scented, whitewashed history.

"...it's still a red-state backwater that hates black people"

Then why would they stay?

I feel like all the interesting people are in NC.

You could hang out with the Hardy Boyz at their compound in Charlotte, dirtbiking or whatnot. They get up to all manner of weird & wonderful shenanigans, and you don't even have to dress nice to join in.

More Hardyz...

r18 a college friend of mine was from columbia; she insisted the town’s entire economy depended on people who were driving to atlanta and had to take a dump along the way.

OP: don’t discount the magic of myrtle manor!

Bumping to ask the same question, because it looks like I'm going to a conference near Charleston and I'll have some afternoons free.

What's scenic, is there is a good place to see the local wildlife, and where are the good casual restaurants?

Myrtle Beach is a nightmare but Surfside Beach was quite nice.

R8/r14 I totally get what you mean. Totally feel that in Atlanta (at least they put on the acceptance act). Nashville doesn't even try.

I've been to 49 states for work and South Carolina had the stupidest people

I like how Roof thinks he’s all badass because he makes a grimdark face. You’re still a doofus.

The capital, Columbia, is the largest city. What's it like there?

Lately I've been itching to move to a state where my vote might matter (vs. CA).

I never understood why a gay man would relocate to the South. Why would they subject themselves to the homophobia, the racism and the willful ignorance? Besides, it’s Trump territory. It’s intolerable and intolerant.

R29, it's about changing the states over time. We need to spread out.

Very reasonably priced homes, but they're not big on contemporary architecture, are they?

What's the Scarsdale of Charleston?

The only time we read about South Carolina over here is when there's a hurricane or flooding.

Is it a place you drive through to get to somewhere nicer?

Doesnt sound a nice place to live.

Then you would want to move to NC r28, not SC.

NC is more civilized and trends more purple.

I work online, so I can live anywhere, and I want to be politically active. Joe Cunningham is inspiring and hot.

Does he live in that famous neighborhood, Grimble Island?

It does seem scarily rural. At least NC has those liberal cities.

They have their own architecture, "Low Country." Maybe it's vaguely Dutch? Mansard roofs at all?

SC = Shithole Country, USA

Grimble Gates. Supposedly it's the nicest suburb in Charleston. Looks like a colonial settlement. Forests died for this clear-cut nightmare.

Where in SC is this? I want to live in a place likes this, as long as they have AmazonFresh.

R15 is that pronounced "Byufert" ?

Looks very white

Gosh, exurban life must be easy. Just go to the Costco, Target, etc. in your Prius or whatever.

Charleston is nice and if you actually go to any of the museums or historical homes you would know that they no longer "whitewash" the history, slavery and its horrors are presented. Charleston was the original cultural center of the country, with museums, libraries, theaters, etc... well before other areas. Charleston is known as the Holy City because of all the church spires in the skyline, however many of them are fairly liberal. Charleston is also the home of reform Judaism in the US. The yearly Spoleto Festival is heaven.

Aiken, recently named the best small town in the South, is a unique place. It has many historical mansions, called cottages, that were built by America's elite in the late 1800's-early 1900's, the Vanderbilts, Whitneys, etc... It is the center of horse country, and hosts it own triple crown every spring. It has a large park called Hitchcock Woods, which is the largest urban forest in the country. It is like having a miniature National Park right in town. Also, there is a festival that occurs every year called Joye in Aiken, in which students from Julliard and others come to town to perform. The festival was founded by a gay couple in their renovated Joye Cottage. There are numerous golf courses, and one of the only court tennis facilities in the country, Prince Edward just paid a visit to it.

Looks nice...

2 Whole Foods in the whole city. Hurricanes (terrifying if you live in a single family home vs. a huge building). No Equinox locations.

Insular.

Some of my family moved from the Northeast to SC to live because it's cheaper. Most of their friends are transplanted Northerners. I've gone to visit a few times. If you stay near the beaches, it's fine. It's rife with tourists and lots of Northerners and Canadians visiting. If you venture inland even just a little bit too far, it's all Confederate flags and in-bred looking hicks who are dumb as fuck. They dress in camo everything and have guns in their pick-up trucks.

[quote]NYC and L.A. are two of the most racist cities on the planet, especially NYC. Most white people in NYC are only cordial to people of color as long as they're in the same room.

not true...we can also be cordial by phoning and texting

My bf is from Columbia. He's dragged me there to visit his family a couple of times. It's an entirely unremarkable city.

SC ranks lower than even AL and MS in education....truly a lot of dumb fuckers

No Charleston bitches on DL? What gym do the people on that Bravo show go to? Trying to figure out the most Equinox-like gym.

Is this pretty typical of SC guys?

R44 I know an Aiken family that summers up in Leelanau County and have for generations!..

South Carolina has typical deep south flora (magnolias, live oaks, spanish moss, azaleas, camellias, dogwoods). There's no particular thing that is unique to South Carolina, so you'd be better off in another state nearby that has more culture and a better educated populace. However, this historic garden outside of Charleston is worth a side-trip:

probably more typical

I mean, couldn't you just stay in Charleston and its suburbs and be largely free of people like at R56?

I had a boyfriend from Charleston a few years ago. We once went down there to visit his very old, very Southern, very proud family. It was horrible. Even though he was living in NY the family still felt he was a "true" southerner, and they were very nice to me, but in the way that someone would be to an alien with whom they had nothing in common, but knew that for two days, the right thing was to be polite. The best comment about me came from his elderly grandmother, who I heard say to his mother, "He has such nice manners, you'd think he'd been born into the south."

And by the way, big surprise, my boyfriend was not out to his family. I was supposed to be his best friend. I am sure his parents much have guessed (we're in our 40s), but either they're too repressed to know, or care, or talk about it.

It's a terrible place, South Carolina.

I've been a few times to visit my BF's family. It's hotter than Satan's balls in the Summer, Palmetto bugs (fancy roaches) & confederate flags abound, WalMart is the town hotspot, and you'll rarely see children out playing or at a park. Something in the air there is just so overbearing and draining, I'd swear that entire state is hexed.

If you lived there, wouldn't you just stay indoors all summer? Why go out?

I lived in Charleston fir 9 years and enjoyed it mostly. Is only live in Charleston - the suburbs are pretty horrendous with the exception of Mt Pleasant. An upthread suggestion of Myrtke Beach and Hilton Head is completely off the mark - the close-by barrier island of Sullivan’s Island is the only suitable island - not commercial and mostly charming cottages - great laid-back but upscale vibe. The gay life is pretty bleak though - there’s only one very sad gay bar and I think I only went 5 times the whole time I lived there. Gay life is mostly private parties and it can be hard to break in. Also if you are from the north you’ll never be fully accepted - there are a surprising amount of people living in Charleston that were born and raised there - went to College of Charleston and bought a house very close to the family home, if they’re still kit living in it or the guest house. But the city is beyond charming and beautiful, certainly iconic and atmospheric. The food and restaurant scene are incredible. Definitely a great place to visit if you haven’t been.

R61, what's "kit living"?

" went to College of Charleston and bought a house very close to the family home, if they’re still kit living in it or the guest house"

"Too small for a country; too large for an insane asylum"

R58 nailed that fake southern gentility shit perfectly, thick as molasses and as transparent as gin....bitches couldn't be sweeter, then cut you to shreds the minute you're outta range....bless their hearts

By current standards, Lincoln would likely revise his view, It's now too small for a country and too small for an insane asylum for the 27% of the population who are truly nuts

Here is a true story of South Carolina. A dear friend of mine, a concert pianist with a doctorate who studied at Oxford, Eastman and UT Texas. He is, by the way, from Ghana. A friend invited him to his family home, which was a plantation in South Carolina. His mother, the mistress of the house, stopped the action in the middle of dessert and said, "I've arranged something very special, just for you".. At which point, she waved imperiously to a black female servant (in uniform) who went to a corner of the room and sang a handful of Negro spirituals and gospel songs.

He was SO UNCOMFORTABLE. How do you even begin to address a level of ignorance so profound, never mind the humiliation you're inflicting on your household staff.

R65 Are you grading on the curve or assuming everyone passes with a grade of "sane" and grading down? It's one of the few places where I've been prayed over when served in a chain restaurant.

.....A dear friend of mine, who is a concert pianist.......^^^^

R28Lately I've been itching to move to a state where my vote might matter (vs. CA).

Your vote will never matter (on statewide basis) in SC, not in your lifetime and probably not in your grandkids'. move to GA, AZ, MI, IA or WI, or if you want a miserable hellhole, FL

The most famous resident from Columbia South Carolina was woman wrestler The Fabulous Moolah. Here she is with her lover Mae Young.

Eartha Kitt and Dizzy Gillespie were the best things to ever come out of SC, and they got out early

Columbia is the state capital, home to Fort Jackson (largest for U.S. Army basic training), and home to the main campus of the University of South Carolina. The Riverbanks Zoo is one of the better zoos and botanical gardens in the country. The State Museum is nice. nearby lakes include Lake Murray and Lake Wateree. The River Walk is fine for jogging and strolls. It is a couple of hours away from both beaches and mountains. There are several gay bars and a couple of dance clubs. There are some fine restaurants downtown. One has to know the area. It doesn't have the charm of Charleston, or the trendy uplift shown by Greenville in the upstate. Columbia is easy to move around; near all of it is distinct, planned, squared blocks.

The SC State Museum in Columbia is pretty damn impressive. No, seriously, it really is.

Columbia was a lot "whiter" than I expected it to be. Literally, the only black people I remember seeing downtown were the workers at McDonalds. This contrasts pretty sharply with what I remember from childhood trips to Florida that involved stopping in St. George, which almost 100% black.

I still remember the inspiring tagline on the cartons of milk there: "Better than it HAS to be!" & thinking, "wow... is that really the best marketing point they could come up with?"

Amusingly, for a hyper-conservative Christian red state, the crescent moon on their flag & state seal looks downright Islamic :-D

Yeah, I know. It's "not a crescent moon". But it still looks like one. Though last year, people there were sure happy to sell $25 t-shirts pretending it was the image of a solar eclipse.

Charleston actually has a very large Jewish population that has lived there for centuries.

Nothing could be finer.

than getting outta carolina

To all the people talking about inbred looking rednecks, I have news for you they are everywhere. I'm from SC but the most backward looking scary rednecks, I have ever seen was in upstate NY, when I was coming back from Canada. Plus at least in the South, a person can at least try to make an argument that the Confederate flag is about heritage. But, all the Confederate flags I saw along the back roads in NY, Penn, Ohio, and Michigan, can't signify anything other than racism.

I went to the University of South Carolina, in Columbia, and we attract many students from the North, especially New Jersey. And, the most racist students I met were Yankees. Outside of a few very old relatives, I had never heard the N-word used so much by white people as from the students from NJ.

South Carolina is a shithole. I’ve never seen so many mobile homes in my life. Makes Alabama look like California!

SC has a a lot of empty textile mills. Columbia is a snooze. I have friends who retired to Charleston and like it---they have nice houses and can afford the fancy restaurants and they also have houses elsewhere and travel alot, so they're not really there very much. Charleston seems like a nice place to visit, but that was enough.

Hilton Head is the dullest place imaginable. Myrtle Beach is your basic redneck Rivera kind of place--at least it's more interesting than Hilton Head.

Hilton Head is for nouveau riche, the people with real money have homes on Kiawah.

How many nights do you recommend staying in Charleston. I have spring break off and was thinking of visiting Charleston and maybe Savannah.

Oh gosh, R81, thanks for that important info. So very DL.

happens to be true though, depends on whether you like your rich republicans to "rah rah trump", or even richer "tsk tsk trump", varying degrees of doucheness

Do all the profesional types live downtown? Like people who, if they moved to LA, would be living in West LA?

Where in Charleston does rapidly aging Craig Conover live?

NO, you fool OP, there’s nothing “cool” there, instead of retro and racist - IT’S SOUTH FUCKING CAROLINA! Yeah, there’s a cool cross burning, and tractor pull, and pig race. Have fun!!!

R87 I have lived here all my life, never once have I seen a cross burning, there was a KKK march onetime, but they were all bussed in from other places. No one cheered them on, the protesters outnumbered them at least 10-1, mainly from the NAACP and the local Sons of Confederate Veterans.

And, tractor pulls and pig races are fun, especially if you like to see hot country boys in tight jeans. The fact is that the South in general has less segregation than the North, today. SC is more interrogated than California, NY, Mass, etc... SC is also in the top ten of states when it comes to racial progress.

Everything doesn't have to be brunch and memosas, though we do have many nice locations for that. Sometimes it is fun to go to a drag race(cars) and sip moonshine.

Try opening your mind to new experiences.

Cunningham is super hot. He's the one who tried to bring a six pack of beer into the House floor.

R46, what bubble do you live in?

R88, are there good vegan restaurants in Charleston?

Do you see many Teslas? They can't sell them or something in SC.

What's the fanciest gym?

Pig. Races. Ugh.

I want to rescue all of them.

R88, where does Craig Conover live? Have you seen him around?

R88 -- Unfortunately, your post is pitch perfect -- a southerner trying to sound smart, but misunderstanding words with more than two syllables.

Hipsters.

Drive south 1.5 hours to Savannah Ga. Much nore gay friendly and equally as historical.

The recent thread on Mississippi Chinese got me to thinking about the Asian American communities in the South. How are they treated? How integrated are they? Obviously it's nothing like the West Coast but I'm interested to hear how the so-called model minority does in a place like South Carolina.

R94 That was a spellcheck error, mixed with being tipsy. It doesn't negate the argument. South Carolina and the South in general is much more integrated than other parts of the country. I also meant mimosas instead of memosas, though it is not a drink I would ever order.

R91 I'm not vegan so I do not know if the vegan restaurants are any good, however there are insufferable vegans around so I guess they are eating somewhere. There are Teslas around, and three Tesla superchargers in the state. SC law does not allow automotive companies to sell directly to consumers, they must go through a dealership, which is why people go to NC to buy a Tesla. There are in fact several states where you cannot buy Teslas, Michigan because the legacy of the big three, Texas because of the oil industry, and SC because it is home to the largest Car dealership company, I don't know about the other state's reasons. It is interesting that while you cannot buy a Tesla in SC, you would get a tax break for owning one.

R97 Our Asian American community, seems to be much more of the Indian American variety, like former Governor Nikki Haley.

An interesting fact about the state, that gets lost in the stereotype of the state being the buckle of Bible Belt, is the state's history of religious tolerance. The colony was much more tolerant than the New England ones, later Charleston became the birthplace of Reform Judaism in America, and is now home to one of the largest concentrations of Baha'i in the country, in fact the Baha'i faith is the second largest religion in the state.

Intersting - thanks R100.

R100 Whatever it may once have been, it assuredly is not today. I've spent way too much time in South Carolina for work. As a non-Christian, you learn quickly they are vociferous in their determination to save your soul and talk you to death about Christianity wherever you go - including at work. I have to be well-mannered for work, but I'd like to tell them what I really think of their Palmetto Bug of Holy Rollerism.

R98 -- "insufferable vegans"?

You sound like a real charmer. Just the kind that lives in South Carolina.

R103 Please NO ONE, regardless of where they live, likes vegans.

R102 I don't know where you work, but that has never been my experience. Most people leave you alone after the obligatory question of where do you go to church. It is true that South Carolinians tend to be more religious, but that also includes South Carolinians of different faiths, not just conservative Christians. For instance, one of the largest Baptist churches in the state, First Baptist of Greenville, firmly in the Bible Belt region, left the Southern Baptist Convention, in order to be gay affirming and to perform same-sex marriages. Yet, they remain packed on Sunday mornings. One of the oldest and most visible churches in Charleston is Circular Congregational Church, a liberal UCC congregation, another is the Unitarian Church in Charleston. Being religious does not necessarily equate to being bigoted.

R66 - your story sounds like a modified scene from "The Green Book". Which I found to be a very depressing movie. Perhaps people didn't know better back then - but now - to think some of the stories upthread still happen breaks my heart. I don't think I could ever live there.

South Carolina is a strange place. For a state of 5 million people you'd expect it to have larger cities but it doesn't. It's extremely suburban and rural. The upstate is one huge suburb from Spartanburg to the Georgia border.

I've lived here a year and a half, and not really by choice. There are things that infuriate me (the pace of life drives me insane), but, at least here in the Upstate, there's a huge amount of pride in community. For living in a county that voted 65% for Trump, our small City does have a pride parade, and politics are almost never discussed. Like everywhere, you surround yourself with like minded people, and I've found no shortage of them. It's not my ideal, but it's not terrible either. I like being really close to the mountains.

But religion. It's oppressive. Even the gays are super religious. As an atheist, I just keep my mouth shut.

How horrible being asked what church you go to.

What a very personal question.

Does Charleston have an alternative weekly? It has a glossy luxury magazine, I'm sure.

Hey R104, switch the word "vegans" with the word "me" and you're correct.

I’m amazed in 2018 that people are still such religious fanatics. It really is a sign of poor education and absence of experience and information about the world. Seems like a sad life.

If you live there, and have children, send them to New England boarding schools. Public schools are starved funds, private schools are all crazy religious.

Is the sun very strong there? Looks like it.

What's it like living as a gay there?

[Quote]I’m amazed in 2018 that people are still such religious fanatics.

The "bible belt" cliche is real. Religion is a very important thing in much of the South. According to Gallup, SC is the 5th most religious state.

"I don't think you are going to fix hot and humid and the fact there are more GOP voters here than blue states though, or the race of people living here. Encouraging minorities not to move here will definitely not increase racial diversity here. If you want SC to become a blue state and have higher taxes, it makes sense to encourage Democrat voters to move here."

R109 Charleston City Paper

I need a site that lets me put in responses to hundreds of questions that output ideal places to live. New questions every day, helps you hone in with greater accuracy over time.

Charleston, because of the recent influx of outsiders, has become the most liberal area of state, but only comparatively speaking. It's also the only beautiful part of the state except for a sliver of mountain scenery in the far northwest. Hard to believe Charleston is changing since it's a center of military installations and Old South pride.

Greenville-Spartanburg and Columbia, the other two metro areas, are fundamentalist shitholes. The rest of the state is a rural backwater that gives Mississippi a run for the worst state in the nation.

Myrtle Beach, which has always been a redneck Riviera, is becoming a retirement haven for middle-class Southern whites. There's nothing there of interest.

They're REALLY not into contemporary architecture, are they?

The stink of Dylann Routh emanates from the pores of most white South Carolinians. Wear a mask.

They have retrograde taste. No contemporary architecture, yes.

Any Craig Conover sightings?

I know of no state more oppressively Christian than Oklahoma. People are obsessed with Jesus there, "have you been saved?".

Isn’t this where Paula Deen’s restaurant is located?

r125 No -- it's in Savannah, GA.

If you're not white or black... can you expect hate?

I believe that the population of SC has a higher percentage of AAs than even MS or AL.

I am certainly not implying that there are not many ill educated white folks. There are. But when stating that the state has the most uneducated population, as was stated up thread, that plays into.

Charleston is a wonderful city. Anyone who finds it to be very racist is being overly critical. Frankly I would say that it is overly snobbish if anything. Whether you are black or white, your family matters. Since I am from N.O. I get that.

[QUOTE]I believe that the population of SC has a higher percentage of AAs than even MS or AL. I am certainly not implying that there are not many ill educated white folks. There are. But when stating that the state has the most uneducated population, as was stated up thread, that plays into.

So it’s all those lazy, unintelligent blacks dragging down the SC education rates, according to R128.

Fuck off. That is not what I said.

Well what were you trying to say?

It might be nice for a 3 day visit to the beach, but living there if you're not a white, church going, right winger is awful. One of my relatives lived there for work several years and was elated to move away. There are lots of people who have never lived out of the state and are not well-educated.

How is Summerville? I'm researching a planned community there called "Nexton." It's vaguely contemporary. Not the homes, but the over design notes and things like the signage and visitor's center. The developer ("Newland", a national developer) clearly has some excellent gay designers.

R119 The City of Columbia, is a Democratic stronghold, it is the suburbs set around Lexington that is Republican.

Dem Jaime Harrison is running for Senate against Ms. Graham. He was on Pod Save America last week.

Kiawah and some of the other islands are great for beach vacations, but you need to be down with that golf club life if you want to live there full time. For a week you can eat nicely, ride a bike around and lounge on the beach.

Hilton Head is okay in the off season but overdeveloped and not as rural feeling.

Myrtle Beach, as mentioned upthread, has a couple of okay golf resorts but the main part is hardcore redneck riviera

South Carolina native here who was born in Hilton Head but grew up 30 minutes outside of Charlotte (where Carowinds is, for anyone who has been there)

Yes, there are tons of conservatives who are terrible but I’ve also met tons of wonderful people here. I grew up in a Methodist church with a pastor who supported gay marriage (which is rare, I know) and tons of other people who were very supportive of my sexuality. 2 hrs to Charleston, 2 hrs to Blowing Rock in NC... you always

I have a lot of family history in HHI and spent countless summers in Sea Pines so I’m always going to have a special place in my heart for it. I know people think it’s a bland and beige but I love the natural beauty, the walking trails, Salty Dog Cafe, Harbor Town... I wish I was there now.

If you want to stay away from the hustle and bustle of Myrtle Beach, which tends to attract families and young people, I’d stay in North Myrtle Beach or Pawley’s Island. Kiawah Island is beautiful and full of mostly wealthy homeowners.

Greenville is a really cool city with a good gay population, they are really building up over there.

Charleston is the snobbiest place in the nation. People should not even visit.

I was in Charleston visiting my younger brother who goes to COC and was constantly stopped by homeless people and those trying to sell me things while walking down King Street. I’m talking every 10 steps.

Retro and racist like Charleston. Fuck off. Throw that racist word around! Fuckhead.

The first state to secede from the Union at the start of the Civil War.

That in and of itself should be enough to tell anyone with a brain the size of a Tic Tac all that he or she needs to know about the fuzzin-cuckers of South Carolina.

Plantation homes

Nice community in Summerville.

It'll be blue in 15 years. It's changing and growing quickly. Exciting.

R117 Please tell me that they serve ham and eggs in that restaurant?

R145, what are you talking about?

Is that where Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil was located? There's a spooky macabre part of the South I like - it's better in New Orleans but Charleston probably has that vibe too. Like visiting hell without having to stay.

R147 That took place in Savannah, which is also like Charleston and New Orleans.

How is Rock Hill? I have friends moving from the northeast down there.

Ha, I live in Rock Hill, never thought someone would bring it up on the DL. Most people who live here have been here forever. There are gays but not a gay scene, you’ll have to go to Charlotte for that. Rock Hill does have a college here, Winthrop, but it’s not really a “college town” so to speak. Our downtown is being built up in order to help attract young professionals who work in Charlotte but don’t want to live there. Not much else to do, which is why most people go to Charlotte if they want to do something fun.

R144: Wishful thinking.

A friend of mine lived/taught in Rock Hill--Cahrlotte was where they went for decent restaurants. They ultimately moved to a small town/university in the Michigan state system and were much happier. My friend straight/married was from West Virginia---so no big city sbobbishness here. He was pretty unimpressed with the students---he built a lot of remedial work into his teaching.

Very interesting thread. I've lived in Charleston since 1994 and feel like I'm defending a family member. Charleston is a beautiful city that is honest about the past. It has a huge arts scene, home of the international arts festival, Spoleto, and has great restaurants and amazing architecture. People are moving to the low country to work and retire at a scary, alarming rate. Traffic can be nuts. The beaches of Charleston, and there are three, are fantastic, each different, each unique. S C has a bunch of issues and problems, but like other posters have pointed out, close minded people are everywhere. I've seen tons of people who look like they are from SC in Maine, Upstate NY, Connecticut, Indiana, etc. etc. They are everywhere. To each their own, but I could never imagine living anywhere else, and we elected Joe Cunningham, definitely something to celebrate in this orange political climate. That alone was amazing for SC.

Thanks, R150. Actually one of the friends is a straight, single 43 year old man. Was thinking it wasn't the best move for someone in that demographic.

R151 Wow, Rock Hill is a small place, I know who you are talking about! Glad they are happy elsewhere. I’d love to move but still want to stay in the south for the weather. I’d love to move around the Asheville area.

R153 If he’s straight and in his 40’s he could be happy here, especially if he’s outdoorsy. If he’s into culture, arts and nightlife Charlotte is nearby, but you aren’t going to find that in Rock Hill (yet)

[quote]It does seem scarily rural. At least NC has those liberal cities.

Even the least liberal parts of NC have better maintained infrastructure than California.

Thanks again, R154. He likes biking and that kind of stuff, so maybe it'll be a good fit. He's not into nightlife or the arts. I know that he really wants to meet someone. He's not into having children, but looking for a LTR. He also is hoping the job market will be better. He does have some delusions of grandeur that because he's from NY, the companies will be beating down his door. He has a spotty working history though.

R155--you've got to be kidding (and yes, i've been to NC as well as California, many times. NC is a shithole.

Having lived in CA over 10 years and NC for the last few, R155 is correct.

I'd like a combined thread on Savannah, south Carolina, and New Orleans. Can someone please make that happen.

R142, plantation home styles are beautiful. You can love their design without their institution. And slavery ended a while back, everyone. So fuck off, anyone, about your tired southern race baiting. South Carolina is beautiful! But I forgot to say, stay away. I want the beautiful shoreline to have as few people as possible. More for me!

Does anyone on DL currently live in SC? Is there a SC equivalent to Texas Monthly?

R161 Yes, we do

R162, thanks. Strange publication — it's owned by SC's electricity co-ops? It reminds me of AAA's magazine.

Not a kind state.