If You Blinked, You Missed It

Welcome back to Loopback, the Strolling Ballantyne digest that spares you the shame of admitting you were offline. Pour a mug of Summit Coffee’s Basecamp Blend (nutty finish, heroic caffeine) and let’s relive the week that was.

Fresh Paint for Your Digits

Miss the spa story? Top Nail Salon in Ballantyne – Ombre Nail Ballantyne Spa Experience introduced Ty Truong and Lee’s candle-lit manicure bunker. Think LED curing, paraffin dips, and a booking system slicker than a top-coat.

Seafood Sense, Charlotte-Style

We translated Beltway nutrition wonkery into something a Ballantyne buyer can chew on: What Charlotte Should Eat From the Sea. Wild salmon in, king mackerel out. No kitchen-island was harmed in the making of this PSA.

The Fresh Five Sampler

In Ballantyne’s Fresh Five, Jack Beckett played speed-date host to new partner tales—yes, including those ombré nails again, but also bilingual insurance, curly hair heroics, catering wizardry, and a photo-bombing veterinarian.

Charlie, the Goose Whisperer

Our Meet Charlie profile proved Labs can collect paychecks. Charlie once patrolled Greensboro golf courses; now he spins in circles on command and chases geese for pro-bono. HR is still drafting his benefits package.

Curl Concierge to the Rescue

Monday’s opener, The Curl Concierge of Ballantyne, spotlighted Kendra Janelle Spann’s two-location salon empire. Spoiler: extensions finally match the hair they’re supposed to extend.

Partner Appreciation Parade

Huge thanks to our local allies:

• Copper & Thyme – Alicia Charolle traded spreadsheets for sauté pans, and your dinner party is better for it.
• Summit Coffee – Twenty-five years of “Creating Moments of Joy.” Grab Basecamp, pretend you’re climbing one.
• Ombre Nail Ballantyne – Because your cuticles deserve VIP velvet rope service.

Choose Your Own Adventure

Feeling nosy? Browse by vibe:

• Events – RSVP before your friends.
• Hospitality – Where ‘yes, chef’ meets ‘check, please.’
• People – Characters we couldn’t invent.
• Pets – Furry, feathered, paid hourly.
• Politics – Yard signs with wigs.
• Real Estate – Zillow scrolling, civilized.
• Sports – Sweat: the accessory of summer.
• CMPD – Badges & bylaws.
• Partners – Our commercial crushes.
• Statewide – Raleigh called; it wants your attention.
• Charlotte – Big-tent Queen City.
• Ballantyne – The HOA you actually like.

Show Us Your Life

Got a goose-chasing golden or a porch concert to brag about? Email us: ballantyne@strollmag.com. Everyone has a story worth sharing!

About the Author

Nell Thomas files copy from a corner table at Einstein Bros. Bagels, Ballantyne, usually flanked by a plain-toasted shmear and an iced Americano heavy on the espresso (because drip is for amateurs). Her work also graces The Charlotte Mercury; when not typing, she’s plotting a coup for the last blueberry bagel.

— Nell (currently caffeinated to hazardous levels ☕️)

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Creative Commons License

© 2025 Strolling Ballantyne / The Charlotte Mercury
This article, “Last Week in Ballantyne: Nails, Curls, Seafood Sense & a Goose-Chasing Lab,” by Nell Thomas is licensed under CC BY-ND 4.0.

“Last Week in Ballantyne: Nails, Curls, Seafood Sense & a Goose-Chasing Lab”
by Nell Thomas, Strolling Ballantyne (CC BY-ND 4.0)