Raising the Steaks
The more we learn about where most of our beef comes from, the more we are demanding that it be local and grass-fed. An unlikely breed of rancher is answering the call
News + Opinion
Great Escapes
Ten great spots to spend a couple days or a long weekend—the shopping, the fine dining, the spas!—all within driving distance of Charlotte. So pack your bags, fill ’er up, and spend the weekend getting away from it all
The Very Idea
“All cities are ideas, ultimately. They create themselves, and the rest of the world apprehends them or ignores them as it chooses.”Jonathan Franzen, author of The Corrections, wrote that. It came early in his first novel, called The Twenty-Seventh City,…
Parks Helms Is Not Giving In
After an infamous steak dinner and the county’s fiscal crisis, Parks Helms is battling to preserve what he once thought was a sure thing—his legacy
Faking It
Following your favorite celebs on Twitter? Make sure it's actually them
Cheater, Cheater
An online dating site for the unfaithful is thriving in Charlotte
Where are They Now?
Rasslers, rogues, and rapscallions. The original Hornets and Panthers. A guy in a Speedo, a serial killer, and The Group who built modernday Charlotte. We tracked down 70 newsmakers from the past few decades, and their stories spill over the following 24 pages
I Can See the Future
Or I can just make stuff up, which is much more fun
Brothers
Darryl and Ricky Childers were hometown heroes, football stars at Davidson, and friends. One was in the Peace Corps, the other a banker thinking about seminary. Then came the tragedy of October 22, 2009
Wrestlers
In the 1970s and 1980s, under the leadership of promoter Jim Crockett Sr., Charlotte was a hot spot for professional wrestling, just as the "sport" was beginning to take off. Even after Ted Turner bought Crockett's company and moved it to Atlanta, many "rasslers" stuck around.
Vacation Therapy
It takes work to keep families strong. Work, and a good old-fashioned family vacation
Where Are They Now?: Dorothy Counts
ON THE MORNING of September 4, 1957, fifteen-year-old Dorothy Counts set out on a harrowing path toward Harding High, where-as the first African American to attend the all-white school -she was greeted by a jeering swarm of boys who spat,…
Where Are They Now?: Jim Bakker
THIS MAY BEWILDER or bother plenty of people, but here goes anyway: Jim Bakker hosts a religious TV show with his perky wife. At age seventy-one, he preaches God's love while peddling Jesus pendants and the like from a new Christian…
Where Are They Now?: Jay Thomas
For a moment, Jay Thomas ponders the interview's theme. "Where are they now?" he says, sounding amused. "Well, f---, I'm right here." Actually, Thomas seems to be everywhere. He's just wrapped up his regular Friday gig hosting Howard Stern's 7…
Where Are They Now?: 1995 Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers played in Clemson the first season while Bank of America Stadium was being constructed. Courtesy of Carolina Panthers It's difficult for longtime Charlotte residents to believe, but there is an entire generation of sports fans who don't…
Top Docs
On our 2010 Top Doctors list you'll find 276 physicians in 60 specialties that other doctors said they would send their loved ones to if they were in need of medical attention
Twenty-Four Hours at Epicentre
Love it or hate it, if you're uptown, you can't ignore EpiCentre.
Boston Globe calls Charlotte 'Wall Street South', touts our comeback
Remember when The Washington Post ran this story last fall? It really irritated local business leaders, not least because it was written by a former Observer reporter, the talented Binyamin Appelbaum. In fact, it still holds a special place in…
Back to the Future
"Those Who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it," goes the famous line. With Charlotte's growth on hold, it's time to look back at what we did right -- and what we screwed up.
Back to the Source
We know so little about where our food comes from. Why not get some of it closer to home -- your backyard?
Ballad of a Dirtbag
Just three years ago, I was an up-and-comer in an up-and-coming city. What the hell happened, to me and to this city?
The Brunch Club
Charlotte’s favorite chefs take a break for brunch at home -- and dish on their favorite family recipes
The First Meal Is the Best Meal
Breakfast and I go way Back.You might even say that breakfast helped launch my journalism career (yes, Mom, it's the Golden Grahams' fault). As a wee one, I would scrutinize every word on the back of the cereal box while…
Rise & Shine
To help you navigate the city's ever-expanding breakfast and brunch scene, we've organized fifty great spots by neighborhood (because when you're just out of your pajamas, you're not in the mood to travel far for eggs).
MuTue May 18 edition: Lou Ford and Leadville!
Man, is it Thursday already? Then it's mos def time for a Music Tuesday. Charlotte has had a great run of shows lately, and that run continues. Here we go... Friday, May 21 Lou Ford with Leadville Social Club Local…
May 11 Music Tuesday: Josh Ritter! OK Go! More!
I was all prepared to post this week's Music Tuesday yesterday, i.e. on Tuesday, but then I realized that would be bad form. So I waited until today, Wednesday. Is anyone getting this joke? Huge day of music in Charlotte…
Music Tuesday Big Honkin' May 7 Edition
After an inexplicable (even to me!) absence, Music Tuesday is back this week. (By the way, does anyone get the joke that Music Tuesday never actually runs on Tuesday? Or is this funny only to me?) This is a great…
Music Tuesday April 13 Edition: Todd Snider, Loud & Rich
More good stuff on the horizon this week. Let's get to it.Thursday, April 15Todd Snider with Paleface at the VisuliteI discovered Todd Snider in 1994, when, while "finding myself," I was working at a record store in Eastland Mall. The…
