Best of the Rest

The men on these pages aren't the only professional wrestlers who've spent time in the area. We tracked down a few more Dennis Condrey, fifty-eight: One half of the original Midnight Express, Condrey owns a boarding stable in Colorado, but lives in Alabama. Earlier this year he signed on as a developmental trainer working with wrestling's rookies for WWE's NXT,…

Top Wedding Songs

What do a steel drum player, a DJ, and a string quartet have in common? They’re the perfect entertainment for your wedding reception, of course. With all the focus on finding the perfect dress, choosing the right cake, and getting the right ring for you and your Mr. Right, one of the most important aspects of your wedding day often…

The First Time I … Treated a Gunshot Victim

Dr. John Green Trauma and critical care surgeon, F. H. "Sammy" Ross Trauma Center at Carolinas Medical Center Chris Edwards The first serious gunshot wound I treated as a trauma surgeon was a young man who was mugged going home from the grocery store. He came into the hospital awake and able to talk, but I could see immediately that…

The First Time I … Saved a Life by Accident

Dr. John Welshofer Physician in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates Chris Edwards Patients affect doctors as much as doctors affect patients. There was one, an older gentleman, who I had treated on a few occasions for back pain. He came in one day with a complaint he wanted me to look at. He had already been…

The First Time I … Repaired a Facial Cleft

Dr. David Matthews Plastic Surgeon, David Matthews Cosmetic and Reconstructive Surgery Chris Edwards A physician I knew in Chapel Hill called me to do a cleft for a four-year-old    boy with a Tessier cleft number 4, a cleft that ran through the arch of his upper jaw into the palate, up alongside his nose, and into the orbital cavity. They…

The First Time I … Performed a Triple Bypass

Dr. Harold Howe Cardiothoracic Surgeon, Hawthorne Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgeons at Presbyterian Hospital Chris Edwards During residency, you do bits and pieces of operations, typically more as time goes on, but there's always an attending physician available. You do hundreds of operations like that before finally leaving the nest and practicing on your own. The first bypass I did as…

The First Time I … Gave a Family Bad News

Dr. Gary Frenette Oncologist, Carolinas Hematology and Oncology Associates Chris Edwards I was a resident at Duke on a floor dedicated to patients on clinical trials. There was a fiftysomething woman with Stage IV metastatic colon cancer, meaning the cancer had left her colon and gone into her liver. She was part of a Phase I dose-finding study, where they…

The First Time I … Delivered Quadruplets

Dr. Kathryn Whitten Obstetrician and Gynecologist, Eastover OB/GYN Chris Edwards It was in my second year in private practice. A thirty-year-old woman had gone through fertility treatments and ended up with quads. There's been improvement in the technology of fertility shots, but it used to be very hard to control the number of fertilizations that would occur. You might end…

The First Time I … Transferred an Embryo

Dr. Nancy Teaff Reproductive Endocrinologist, Reproductive Endocrinologists of Charlotte (REACH) Chris Edwards It was the first case we ran through the program. The lab was brand new. In the mid-nineties, it was a big deal for us to bring a high-quality IVF lab to Charlotte. The technology was new, and it was very exciting. The first IVF baby was born…

The Right Moves

For every one of our mistakes, there is at least one triumph of foresight, says Gallis, a local planning consultant. Here's what he sees as Charlotte's top-five planning moves: See "Back to the Future"     1. HQs Uptown In the 1970s, shipping giant FedEx put its inter- national headquarters on the outskirts of its hometown, Memphis, and today its…

Ode to Being a Regular

Danny Katopodis started working with his dad, Art, at his eponymous Art's Barbecue & Deli in Dilworth in 1979, three years after the small restaurant opened. These days, Art, who is eighty, still stops by occasionally, but it's Danny who knows the regulars — the families and friends who have chosen Art's white linoleum tables and royal blue booths for…

Ode to Bacon

When I was in high school, I unwittingly set myself up in a dangerous trap. First, I went on the Atkins Diet. Then, the very next day, I visited a breakfast buffet with an endless quantity of perfectly prepared bacon. I made myself very sick. Bacon is trouble, from the moment it hits the pan. Whenever I fry it —…

Bean Town

There's no reason to settle for Folgers when local coffeehouses all over Charlotte are concocting creative drinks perfect for sipping on busy mornings — or lazy afternoons. —Nicole Meacham With ice, milk, and a creamy vanilla flavoring, Dilworth Coffee’s Vanilla Chiller is more dessert than breakfast. Chris Edwards Cookies & Cream Frappe at Nova's Bakery Nothing complements one of Nova's…

Ode to Bojangles

I seldom eat fast food. Like many people, I've been scared away. The big chains must have noticed, since most have made their menus a little more healthful. At McDonald's you can get salad and something called "low-fat caramel dip." At Wendy's you can sub mandarin oranges for your fries. Even Taco Bell has a Drive-thru Diet menu and a…

Northern 'Burbs

The Egg at Davidson The extensive menu features seven versions of eggs Benedict — including the Tennessee Bene ($7.50), topped with homemade sausage gravy in lieu of fancy Hollandaise — but regulars swear by the Junkyard ($7.25), which features hash browns scattered, smothered, and covered plus two eggs all mixed together. It's served with toast, so you can scoop up…

Dilworth/South End

Einstein Bros Bagels Around 8:30 on weekdays at the South Boulevard location, suits and ties give way to the jeans and black shirts of South End creatives. They come for the broad bagel selection (try the asia- go), fluffy cream cheese, and coffee that exceeds expectations. It's a small place, but big windows reveal South End architecture and the downtown…

Myers Park/SouthPark

Eddie's Place The best thing about breakfast at Eddie's? The fat, luscious, unmissable ciabatta French toast. Dusted with powdered sugar, it comes with your choice of side, but we recommend the bacon, which the kitchen will cook to order. The second-best thing? You can get that French toast, and any breakfast dish, any time of the day. And it's always…

Southern 'Burbs

  Gallery Restaurant Big View Diner Since it launched its breakfast menu in 2008, Big View's been cooking up one of the best breakfasts south of I-485. (Which might explain the wait time on a weekend morning. Tip: get there before 9.) Fluffy egg white omelets (get the Greek with spin- ach, Kalamata olives, tomato, red onion, and feta) are…

NoDa / Elizabeth / Plaza Midwood

Showmars It's casual and fast, and there are plenty of variations of biscuits, bagels, omelets, and waffles on the menu. Take a seat or stop in for takeout. The Seventh Street location is a popular weekday meeting spot, but there are ten locations around town serving breakfast, making it easy to find a way to grab one of its hearty…

Uptown / Midtown

Ember Grille The brunch buffet at this modern restaurant in uptown's Westin Hotel is known for being more than worth the $19 it costs. The decadent Belgian waffles are a must, but make sure to load up your plate with the made-to-order omelets, fresh berries, domestic cheeses, and delicacies like smoked salmon as well. 601 S. College St., 704-335-2064  …

Laugh In

Not in the mood to be funny? Let someone else tell the jokes Prevue Music Hall Warm up for a night of rocking out with a few chuckles at this dimly lit NoDa concert hall. It’s the city spot to hear face-melting guitar and eat spicy wings, but it’s also home to the Charlotte Comedy Theatre, the QC’s premier improv…

Charlotte Neighborhood List

Here is a listing of additional Charlotte neighborhoods by their real estate area: 9-4 Crosswinds Tanners Creek 9-5 Birkdale Wynfield Stephens Grove 10-1 Prescot Cureton Providence Downs 10-2 Stonegate Lawson Millbridge Weddington Chase 10-3 Callonwood Brookhaven Brandon Oaks Taylor Glen 10-4 Lake Park Cureton Weddington Chase Providence Downs South 10-5 Ferguson Farms Olde Sycamore 10-6 Waterford Bickett Ridge 10-7 Greenbrook…

McAlpine Creek Greenway

Local high school and collegiate cross country athletes already know this park's rocky loops as Mecklenburg's running Mecca. And this December, the country's fastest postcollegiate XC club teams will travel to the rolling, gravel path for the 2010 USATF National Club Cross Country Championship. Up to 1,200 runners are expected to compete in the race, McAlpine's first national cross country…

Freedom Park

The Coolest Events at One of Charlotte's Favorite Parks April 2, 1 p.m.: Annual Easter Egg Hunt Forget finding rotten eggs under the couch in June; the Mecklenburg County Easter Bunny will host games and activities before kicking off the egg hunt at 2:45 p.m. May 2, 9, 16, and 23, 4-6 p.m.: Classi-kool Music Series Pack a lawn chair…