Southern Comfort

After a few years spent in Winston-Salem, North Carolina and plenty of visits to Atlanta and more, I can certainly say I've seen my fair share of the down-home Southern bar scene. But I've realized since moving to flashy Manhattan, with all of its glitzy rooftop hotspots and exciting W. 27th nightclubs, that many have yet to go to the kind of bar where you can count on hearing Alabama's "Dixieland Delight" at midnight.

Sure, New Yorkers can pretend to rock out dixie-style at places like Brother Jimmy's, the allegedly All-ACC bar on the Upper East and West Sides. But I've found on weekend nights, the places are filled to capacity with none other than Columbia students. And there are a number of self-proclaimed dive bars who thrive on white-collared Midtown types who assert they keep it real by drinking $2 PBR. Personally, I was definitely craving a carefree night, where it's warm enough in April to leave the jacket at home, where you create your own dance floor right against the actual bar and it's cool with everyone, and where the bud light bottles really are $2.

On a recent visit to Charlotte, NC I got just that-- plus a piercing lemon drop in a clear plastic solo cup-- on a weekend visiting friends. The local pick was Dixie's Tavern, but I'm sure others would have sufficed as well. One of the best nights I've had in awhile; the kind where you dance like hell until the wee hours of the morning (or 2am by Charlotte law). And you'd be surprised who you meet down south; there's a swell of finance and banking going on in more cities than one. So next time you take a trip to the Dirrrty South, make sure to give a wild & unpretentious bar a try-- you might find yourself having a surprisingly (or not?) fantastic time.