When you've lived somewhere all your life, you tend to know it as well as you know your ABC's...

All my business

As in, everybody knows all of it, whether I want them to or not. This is great when business is good, and awful when business is bad.

Big Red

Both the nickname for the mascot of Dalton High School, whose colors are red and white, and the nickname of a local man who rides his bike all over town and loves football games (and also is a bangin' artist).

CARPET

We are the carpet capital of the world. Dalton was built on carpet, runs on carpet, and thrives on carpet. Clear eyes, carpeted floors, can't lose.

Downtown

Basically the only place in town where there is anything to do. Downtown is about six blocks in the middle of town where almost all of the local boutiques and restaurants are located. And now we finally have at least one bar which is exciting!

Everything closed on Sunday

It is impossible to do anything in Dalton on a Sunday, except go to church and then go to a select number of restaurants to eat after church. Also I think Office Depot is open.

Football Friday

Have you ever been watching Friday Night Lights and been like "I wonder what it would be like to live in that town and go to those football games"? WELL LOOK NO FURTHER THAN DALTON MY FRIENDS. Every Friday during football season, the entire town descends on Harmon Field in a sea of red and white, and the sound of the band and Rick Zeisig can be heard for miles around.

Green Spot

Rest in Peace the best grocery store in Dalton. Curse you those three Walmarts that we seem to need!!

Harmon Field

I think I've spent more combined hours here than at my own home. We even hold graduation on the football field. It's a sacred space.

Also they sell Chick-Fil-A sandwiches at the concession stand, so it's lit.

I-75

Interstate 75 is how you get to Dalton, and also your only way out. By the time you get your driver's license, you can pretty much drive from Dalton to Chattanooga on I-75 with your eyes closed (but please don't).

JR Martinez

Little known fact, the winner of season 13 of Dancing with the Stars is from Dalton, Ga, and he's cool af. (Also one of Donald Trump's wives is from here, but what are you going to do?)

Kroger

Kroger is the best grocery store and no one can tell me otherwise. I officially call all other grocery stores "Kroger". It's open 24/7 and has everything I could ever need. It also has one of the only two Starbucks in this town inside of it.

Loop

The local fitness craze sweeping Dalton is walking the loop that goes around Walnut and Tibbs. Any self respecting Dalton girl has walked the loop in an XL t-shirts and norts with a group just a little too large for them to all fit on the sidewalk at least once. It is just cruel that it goes past the Chick-fil-A, though.

Mexican Food

Honestly, this is the only reason I keep coming back to this town on all of my breaks. Dalton has a rather large Hispanic population, and they have decided to grace us with their authentic culinary stylings for which I can never thank them enough. Shoutout to Love Empanadas and Pollo Allegre!

Nothing To Do

This is a pretty big one. We've got one movie theatre and we used to have a llama farm. One kindergarten class actually had to write Books A Million and beg for them to bring a bookstore here, and to this day it is our only one. We petitioned Target to come here too and they said no. Blessed.

Oakwood

Fun fact, the first restaurant I ever went to after I was born was the Oakwood, and I think I've gone every week since (except for the dark years when it was non-existent). Not only is it great authentic southern food, but it's also a social hot spot, so be ready to see people and be seen.

Peacock Alley

Ah yes, the thing that started it all. When Dalton was just a wee baby city, it became very popular for it's cotton tufted bedspread designs, especially the design of the peacock. Thus, the textile industry grew and grew and now we have weird peacock statues everywhere. Also, this is a real thing I learned about in school for several years of history class.

Quiet

If I could describe Dalton in one word, it would probably be this one, save for the sound of dip spitting rednecks revving their Ford F-150s so you can hear them from Murray County. Don't worry hon, no one knows that you're compensating for anything.

Real Sweet Tea

I say once you go past Tennessee, you can't get real sweet tea anywhere. There's sweet tea, and then Deep South sweet tea, which has been known to be so sweet that it makes me physically ill but I keep drinking it anyway because it's heritage not hate.

Shaw

You can't be the Carpet Capital of World without the carpet industry, and if Shaw ever left Dalton, Dalton would not exit. Also, I'm pretty sure your Dad has to work for Shaw for you to be homecoming queen, and if he doesn't, then middle class people really like you too.

Tijuana's

Tijuana's. Is. The. Best. Restaurant, In. Dalton. I. Will. Fight. You.

Don't give me any of this Las Palmas junk. Do they have fabulous murals depicting indigenous life covering every inch of the walls and the best queso in the world? No. Case Closed.

Unemployment

I googled Dalton and apparently we have one of the worst unemployment rates in the United States. Maybe if Target would open a store here that would change, @ Target.

Valley

Dalton sits in a valley in the Blue Ridge Mountains, which means we have stunning mountain views pretty much everywhere you look. Also you can hike up them for the Gram...but why?

Walgreens

If you don't know about the Walgreens parking lot, you're not from here and I ain't no snitch.

Xendochy

which is a 17th century word for hospitality, which we have a lot of if you are rich and white or a popular athlete. DON'T AT ME.

Y'all

AKA how everyone starts every sentence and it can be used as almost every part of speech.

Zoom on up to Chattanooga

There's a lot more stuff to do up there, trust me.