VOTE FOR STEAK , SEAFOOD,COCKTAILWINESELECTION & DATENIGHT
Time to Lean into Spring
With the last remnants of winter getting smaller and smaller in my rearview mirror, it feels great to finally spread my spring wings and look forward to all the prospects this season of renewal and growth brings. In all likelihood, I’ve probably donned one of my trusty, tried and true hoodies for the last time and have unearthed my lighter weight tennis and pickleball attire to wreak havoc on my opponents (or more likely, to just take a bruising beating to my ego).
More important than clothes, however, while chasing around a bright yellow ball on courts of various sizes, is the state of my health to even be able to try that. I’ll need to bang the rust off these stiff joints after so many weeks of being mostly sedentary, but I’ll also need to pay attention to the health of my body’s largest organ – my skin. More time on the court means more time in the sun, and my relationship with that blaring, burning ball of fire has never been very congenial. We’re pretty much mortal enemies – it gives not a whit about my fair skin and light eyes, and I couldn’t care less if it ever came out from behind a storm cloud again.
Given all that, what I do know is that skin health is critical to overall health, and since I know the sun will not yield to my wishes for just a little pity, I recently spoke with some of the region’s skin care experts to learn what they are experiencing with trends that are becoming all the rage and the ones that seem to be fading away. They taught me all about the trend toward more simplicity in daily routines as well as an increased reliance on regenerative treatments rather than invasive procedures. The article on Page 22 is an interesting look at some easy (and not always expensive) ways to care for your skin as we waltz into “lake time” and some of the other recreational pursuits our area is loaded with that means more time in the sun.
Part of that outdoor time could be enjoyed at one of the many local farm tours and festivals featured in this month’s Weekend Getaway section on Page 26. If you don’t want to wander too far from home, check out the local options for sipping, shopping and dancing to the music that April offers in our News Around Lake Norman feature on Page 16.
With so much to do and with all that this time of year has to offer, it’s time to think about putting your best face forward. With spring – and the sun – staring us straight in the face, I think we’re all going to need some of those recreation and skin care tips. Get to it and get out there!
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“Lake Norman’s Best” We
Fifteen years ago, CURRENTS created Lake Norman’s first and only Best of Lake Norman contest. A year later, other publications followed suit and many of our local businesses got lost in the confusion of having too many “Best of” contests! To cut down on that confusion, CURRENTS changed the name of our contest to Lake Norman’s Best Awards and we’re asking you, our readers, to nominate and vote for your favorite business in a variety of categories. We’ve also decided to start our contest early this year and give you plenty of time to get your nominations in!
1. Go to our website www.LNcurrents.com or scan our QR code to vote for your favorites from our list of categories. 2. Nominees are listed on the website and voting starts on April 1 concluding on May 15. 3. The top five nominees in each category will be announced in our June issue. 4. Each winner will be showcased in a very special edition of CURRENTS’ August issue called Lake Norman’s Best!
Let the Festivals Begin!
Here’s to celebrating spring’s arrival
compiled by Lori Helms
Spring has sprung and things are starting to get interesting as we shake off the winter doldrums and head outside for some long-awaited fun. Our Lake Norman area towns have so much to offer as we run headlong into April and beyond. Here’s just a sampling ...
Davidson Is Where It’s At
Whether you’re an art lover or just want to hear the music play regardless of genre, Davidson is the place to be beginning in April. The town kicks off its summer concert series with its wildly popular Concerts @ the Circles and Concerts on the Green, followed by a little something for the art lover in all of us. Here’s what’s planned for April and May (visit www.townofdavidson.org/concerts for a full schedule and more details about the concerts):
• Concerts @ the Circles are held on the first and third Saturday of the month through October at 605 Jetton Street, with the headline artists playing from 7 to 9 p.m. Catch some Celtic music by Tartan Day on April 5, followed by rock selections from The Phoebes on May 3 and rock variety courtesy of Those Meddling Kids on May 17.
• Concerts on the Green are held on the second and fourth Saturdays of the month through October on the Town Green, beginning at 6 p.m. The exception this year is the concert on April 27 (a Sunday) by the Davidson College Symphony & Jazz Ensemble Fleetwood Mac tribute band The Chain will play on May 10, followed by an Earth, Wind & Fire tribute band — September — on May 24.
If visual stimulation is more your speed, don’t miss the town’s annual Art on the Green event, running from April 26 (10 a.m. to 5 p.m.) through April 27 (noon to 4 p.m.). This popular event brings thousands of people to Davidson each year to enjoy art, live music and food. Davidson’s juried art festival features booths filled with top quality art works from artists throughout the region. The weekend includes musical performances by a variety of local talents and a host of food choices from on-site vendors and area restaurants. Learn more at www.townofdavidson.org.
T.G.I. 2nd Friday!
Old Town Cornelius’ 2nd Friday Street Festival at the historic Oak Street Mill in downtown Cornelius returns for another season of live entertainment, food trucks, craft breweries, local artisans, kids’ activities, street art and more. Celebrated every second Friday from May through October, this year’s kickoff event will be held May 9, from 6 to 10 p.m.
The event’s organizers promise live music from the area’s premier bands, a mouthwatering lineup of food trucks, local craft brews and cider from your favorite breweries, pop-up performances, an expanded Kids Zone with activities for all ages, and a curated market of artisans, vendors, and businesses. They say they’ve also pushed back this year’s start time to 6 p.m. to help avoid the hectic Friday afternoon traffic. For all the details, visit the 2nd Friday Street Festival Facebook page, and for sponsorship or vendor opportunities, contact Jessica Boye at 980-208-8933 or jessica@bellacreativegroup.com.
Uncorked & Artsy
The folks with the Mooresville Downtown Commission bring you this very popular celebration every spring and fall, with the first event to be held Friday, May 2. Enjoy wine and beer tastings at downtown Mooresville businesses, an Art Walk where local artists display and sell works along Broad and Main Streets, as well as live music, store specials and light appetizers. Tickets are $30 per person and include 16 tastings and a souvenir Uncorked & Artsy glass. The art and live music performances are free to attend, and a portion of the ticket proceeds directly benefits Mooresville Arts. The celebration will run from 6 to 9 p.m. Artists can sign up to participate ($25 registration fee) by Friday, April 18, at www.mooresvillearts.org/uncorked-and-artsy.
Statesville Wine Walk
If strolling and sipping a wide variety of wines is more your speed, head a little further north for the Downtown Statesville Wine Walk on Saturday, April 26, from 3 to 7 p.m. Tickets are $25 if purchased in advance and $35 on the day of the event (if available). Included in the ticket price is a commemorative wine glass and 20 tasting tickets. Participating locations will each be assigned specific wines and attendees will travel from place to place, using tasting tickets to sample the wines of their choice. A free trolley shuttle will be provided for quick travel around the event. All wines sampled will be available for purchase through Wine Maestro – Downtown Statesville
The registration table for the Wine Walk will be at 114 North Center Street. All participants must stop by this table (it opens at 2:15 p.m.) to have their ID checked and receive their wristband, program, wine glass and tasting tickets before they can participate in the event. Purchase tickets online at www.downtownstatesville.com/winewalk. All sales are final and event will be held rain or shine.
Humpty Dumpty Redux
Some local love put him back together again
by Allie Spencer | photographs courtesy Chad Huck
You are probably familiar with the classic Humpty Dumpty nursery rhyme, but did you know the town of Cornelius once had its own Humpty Dumpty on Catawba Avenue? Unfortunately, in our Lake Norman version of the nursery rhyme, Humpty Dumpty (a whimsical sculpture) was stolen back in 2023, never to be found. However, thanks to the efforts of some local residents, Humpty Dumpty will be put back on his figurative wall this month.
The original Humpty Dumpty sculpture by Greensboro sculptor Eric Isbanioly was purchased by the Town of Cornelius after it won the People’s Choice award at the 2016-17 Beyond Walls Art Exhibition at Robbins Park. It was installed in front of Cornelius Elementary in 2017, visible to all passersby on Catawba Avenue.
“One of the things I loved about Cornelius was coming down Catawba and seeing the Mark Twain bronze by the library and passing the fairy tale book with Humpty Dumpty,” says Bailey’s Glen resident Stewart Barbee. “It brought me such joy and it was so quaint. A beautiful touch for a charming town.”
Barbee, along with fellow Cornelius resident Chad Huck, teamed up to raise money to replace the missing sculpture. Cornelius Mayor Woody Washam connected the two after they both expressed an interest in bringing Humpty Dumpty back.
Huck, who lives in the town’s Antiquity development, says he passed
the sculpture every day on Catawba. “Every now and then I kept thinking, ‘What happened to him?’,” he says.
Huck and Barbee put together a GoFundMe page which Huck shared in a Cornelius Facebook group this past Christmas Eve. Word quickly spread among neighbors, friends and local churches about the effort. Huck says by mid-January, they had raised more than $2,500 from 63 different donors, enough to cover the sculpture and then some.
On Jan. 21, Barbee and Huck presented the Town of Cornelius with a check to cover the costs of a new Humpty Dumpty sculpture, plus additional funds that will go toward other art exhibits as directed by the Town of Cornelius.
Troy Fitzsimmons, Cornelius Parks and Recreation Director, says the Parks and Recreation staff and the artist have discussed and will implement strategies to ensure this time Humpty Dumpty is more secure. Additionally, he says there are more security cameras installed along Catawba Avenue than there were back in 2023, so surveillance of the area is also enhanced.
“I think it is very clear that citizens truly enjoy the community they live in and their quality of life by raising $2,500 to get Humpty back,” says Fitzsimmons. “To raise that much, that quickly, and with 60 or so donors, is truly special.”
The previous statue, before being pilfered. A new one should be installed this month.
Fresh Design for Spring!
1. Mickey Lynn Pink Tourmaline Bracelet/Necklace 2. Cogo Glass Art Glass Sculptures
3. Houston Llew Glass & Copper Spiritile 4. John & Kira’s Chocolate
5. Kinzig Mary Anne Lamp
6. Andrew Iannazzi Handblown Pineapple Glasses
More Than Just
A Good Read
Main Street Books offers ‘windows and mirrors’
Walking into Main Street Books in Davidson is a true throwback to the nostalgia a neighborhood reading nook can bring. The bookstore is cozy and vibrant with a huge display window full of all kinds of books, and for true book lovers, well, that’s just gravy. This year Adah Fitzgerald celebrates a decade of owning and operating Main Street Books. After taking a break from teaching, Fitzgerald says running an independent bookstore was a great “next chapter.” Along with her mother, Mary Barone, she purchased the bookstore in 2015 to keep it open and to ensure it remained a staple in the community.
Much has been written about Main Street Books, but its best attributes are its dedication to community and providing a space to “meet readers where they are.” Being more than just a bookstore is what makes the bookstore special; but being all-inclusive helps revive the joy of reading.
“We provide windows and mirrors for readers,” Fitzgerald says. “Windows into other people’s worlds through books (and) finding stories that reflect your own.”
Even though the popularity of neighborhood bookstores is increasing, Fitzgerald will attest that running Main Street Books has its challenges. However, having a dedicated staff makes all the difference.
“I’m really proud of the work culture of our staff,” said Fitzgerald. “We’ve got staff that are all really committed to being open and inclusive.”
Patrons can browse the latest book releases (including staff picks) or
by Tonya R. Woods photography by Lisa Crates
discover a local author. From children’s books to contemporary works, all readers are considered. The bookstore sponsors several book clubs, author events and even different neighborhood activities. There is even a partnership with Davidson College, Fitzgerlad’s alma mater. The program with the college’s library provides readings per student recommendations. Students hand pick selections from the bookstore and the library buys them for its catalog. In 2024, the Davidson College Library purchased 101 books from Main Street Books.
Perhaps one of the more engaging and creative events the bookstore hosts is their Where’s Waldo scavenger hunt. It happens in July and gives residents a chance to visit other independent businesses in Davidson. With a makeshift passport, kids search local businesses to get their passport stamped each time they “find Waldo,” which is a six-inch tall Waldo doll. The game culminates at the Davidson Farmer’s Market where families get to meet a real-life Waldo played by a local attorney.
February marks Main Street Books’ 37th year in business. Though a grand celebration is set for its 40th year, the bookstore will still observe this anniversary on Independent Bookstore Day, April 26. In the spirit of promoting community, the celebration will feature giveaways, a photo booth, a scavenger hunt and book signings by local authors.
Main Street Books owner Adah Fitzgerald provides all manner of titles, from children’s books to contemporary works.
Left to Right: Sean, Account Mgr; Megan, Branch Mgr./Recruiter; Jamie, Owner/Recruiter, Reagan, Recruiter; David, Executive Recruiter Express Employment
Put Your Forward
Best Skin
A few trends to know, and a few best to forget
by Lori Helms
As we move further along through the spring and the weather continues to improve, our thoughts rightly turn to wanting to put our best skin forward as we’ll soon be baring more and more of it. Being kind to our body’s largest organ should obviously be top of mind, so I reached out to some of our area’s most knowledgeable skin care experts to find out what they are seeing as far as skin care trends on the rise you might want to know about, as well as the ones that are starting to fall off our care regimen radar.
Without fail, they each mentioned how the consumer seems to be turning toward more regenerative therapies and away from the instant gratification of fillers or treatments that have little down time following their applications. Dr. Stephen Giordano, who leads his team at Carolina Age Management Institute in Huntersville, says the consumer is feeling a bit of “filler fatigue” and is tiring of what he calls the “magical treatments” pitched to them that don’t come through with the promised results.
“The public has become smart,” Giordano says. “It’s taken a decade, but the consumer has become very wise. ... “[Trendy treatments] don’t do what they say they’ll do, and everybody is kind of reverting back to the old-school lasers that work,” he says, even if that means going back to therapies that require more downtime following treatment.
While he definitely sees that laser treatments are going to come back quite strongly, he says Botox treatments aren’t going anywhere. “There’s really nothing that can replace it,” Giordano says. “It’s successful, it’s safe.”
Another successful and safe trend on the rise is microneedling with platelet rich plasma, says Dr. Bishr Al-Dabagh, MBA, FAAD,
FACMS with Fora Dermatology in Mooresville. “Platelet rich plasma is known to have growth factors which promote healing and regeneration,” he says. “These don’t cause the unnatural appearance that can be caused with overdone filler.” It’s a sentiment shared by Lisa Altieri, owner of L.A. Skin Studio, also in Mooresville.
“It’s a minimally invasive procedure,” she says, and she uses it in her customized skin care treatments based on her clients’ constantly changing skin care needs. “It stimulates the natural healing process and increases your collagen production.” She sees this trend continuing as the procedure is constantly being improved upon.
Another trend on the rise is a more simplified skin care routine and a turn away from the complicated, multi-step, product-heavy regimens so frequently popularized (until lately) on social media. Dr. Giordano refers to what could be described as the “holy trinity” of skin care – sunblock, vitamin C and a carefully prescribed retinoid, such as Retinol. He advises his patients that 80% of their skin care routine should be something they can do at home, while just 20% need be provided in his practice.
“That’s pretty much the gold standard formula and will do a really good job if you stick with it,” he says. “If you can just use those three things you will see results and massively improved skin over time.”
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“The
NOT Required Perfection
Stacey Simms tees up life, podcasting and parenting with purpose
by Vanessa Infanzon |
When Stacey Simms moved with her husband, Slade Goldstein, in 2003, she promised him a neighborhood with a golfing community. Lake Norman’s River Run Country Club in Davidson checked all the boxes. The community has become an integral part of their family’s life, enjoying the fitness center, golf course and tennis program. Goldstein and Simms, married for more than 27 years, host Sticks Together, a podcast about golfing as a couple.
“We started it because we love to play golf together and separately,” Simms says. “We felt like there was not a lot of conversation around couples who play golf.” They discuss the game, fashion, resorts and
equipment while gently poking fun at one another. The way men and women approach golf recreationally, Simms says, is very different.
“I think most women who were not high school or college athletes are coming to golf later in life,” she says. “Most of my friends started playing in their late 40s and 50s because their kids were finally out of school. They finally have enough time.”
When developing Sticks Together, Simms drew from her experience with Diabetes Connections, a podcast she created in 2015 to bring news and knowledge to families and individuals living with type 1
photographs courtesy Stacey Simms
From left, Slade Goldstein, Lea Goldstein, Stacey Simms and Benny Goldstein.
World’s Worst Diabetes Mom” chronicles the family’s journey through their son’s diabetes diagnosis from age two through elementary school.
“We’re not going to be perfect. We’re going to keep him safe, happy and we’re going to focus on the long road to independence.”
diabetes. Their youngest child, Benny Goldstein, was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at 23 months old. While looking for information, Simms found an abundance of personal stories about people with type 1 diabetes.
“Diabetes Connections started because I couldn’t find what I was looking for,” Simms says. “Nobody was doing news reporting. I wanted to provide that service.”
Simms questions healthcare companies and tech developers and brings on people living with type 1 diabetes. Each podcast is 30 to 45 minutes and includes interviews with advocates, authors and speakers. More than 700 episodes are available on most podcast apps.
“As a parent with a child with type 1 diabetes,” she says, “you don’t get to talk to legislators or the CEOs of the technology companies that make the glucose monitors or the insulin pumps. I can bring those questions to the newsmakers and movers and shakers.”
Podcasting was a natural career progression for Simms. She grew up in Yorktown Heights, New York, and graduated from Syracuse University in New York in 1993. During her senior year, she was the weekend reporter for the all-news station, WSYR. “I always knew I wanted to be a news reporter,” Simms says.
In 1999, after several years as a TV anchor in Syracuse and Utica, Simms moved to Charlotte for an anchor position with WBTV. She stayed three years before moving over to WBT Radio to co-host the morning show with Al Gardner. By 2012, Simms left WBT to freelance and raise their two children. As Simms learned more about
parenting a child with type 1 diabetes, she realized most parents were striving for perfection.
“I wanted to push back on that,” she says. “I don’t think perfection is possible.” Published in 2019, Simms’ first book, “The World’s Worst Diabetes Mom,” came out of her interest in sharing another perspective.
“There’s a whole bunch of stress on parents to be perfect these days,” Simms says. “In the diabetes community, it is even more so because your child’s long-term health is affected. All along, we thought, ‘We’re not going to be perfect. We’re going to keep him safe, happy and we’re going to focus on the long road to independence.’”
The book covers her family’s journey with their son from age two through the end of elementary school. It received a national award for Best Nonfiction Book in 2021 from American BookFest. The second book in the series focuses on middle school, high school and college – including how they prepared Benny for a trip to Israel when he was 16 years old.
“It’s about all the mistakes we made,” she says. “Every chapter begins with a mistake and then talks about realistically living with type 1 diabetes and how we turn that mistake into a lesson.”
Learn more about the Diabetes Connections and Sticks Together podcasts at www.diabetes-connections.com and www.sticks-together-golf.simplecast.com.
Left, Simms at a Diabetes Connections event; center, Simms and Goldstein enjoying time at Arrowhead Golf Course in Colorado; right, Simms cards an eagle (two strokes under par) at River Run Country Club in Davidson.
Agritourism, Anyone?
Visit a farm this spring for fun and education
by Vanessa Infanzon
This spring, venture outdoors for farm tours, markets and you-pick events in the Carolinas. Agritourism – the idea of experiencing what life is like on a farm – supports the community and its local farmers. Families meet the people behind the vegetables, learn how and where food is grown and harvested, and interact with animals essential to a working farm.
Several farms, within a two-hour drive from Lake Norman, offer special activities this spring. Find which ones interest you and your family and hit the road:
Apple Hill Farm, Banner Elk
Book a 45-to-60-minute guided walking tour of Apple Hill Farm, a working alpaca and llama farm. Learn about the types of animals living on the farm, including alpacas, angora goats, horses, llamas and pigs. Learn how the fiber farm operates, how mohair from angora goats becomes socks and fiber from an alpaca becomes mittens. Sign up for one of the farm’s workshops: Angora Goat Shearing on April 12 or Alpaca Shearing Day on June 7. www.applehillfarmnc.com
Bush-N-Vine, York, South Carolina
Open year-round, Bush-N-Vine hosts you-pick events (blueberries, peaches, pumpkins, strawberries, flowers) throughout the year, depending on what’s in season. Stop in the Farm Café for donuts, hotdogs, ice cream and slushies. Families can also enjoy the playground and walking trail. On April 26, vendors sell their products at the Spring Pop-Up Market. www.bushnvinefarm.com
Cotton Bean Farms, Mt. Pleasant
If you’ve always wanted to cuddle with a baby goat, schedule a playdate with one at Cotton Bean Farms. The working farm, open by appointment only, raises Mini Nubian, Nigerian Dwarf and Boer goats. www.cottonbeanfarms.com
Deep Woods Mushrooms, Mills River
Meet Greg Carter, “The FunGuy” and founder of Deep Woods Mushrooms — he’s cultivated and foraged for mushrooms for more than 20 years and is certified through the state to provide wild edible mushrooms to local restaurants and chefs. He leads tours through the sustainable farm, teaching the science of cultivating mushrooms, how to inoculate a log and what kind of wood mushrooms need to grow. Sign up for a tour online.
www.deepwoodsmushrooms.net
Late Bloomers Flowers, Elkin
Tiptoe through the tulips at Late Bloomers Flowers. They offer youpick tulips through early April on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Look for summer you-pick events with lavender, peonies, snapdragons, sunflowers and more. www.latebloomersflowers.com
Get up close and personal with the animals at Apple Hill Farm in Banner Elk. Photo courtesy Craig Distl.
Flowers from a you-pick event at Bush-N-Vine. Photo courtesy Visit York County.
Greg Carter is “The FunGuy” at Deep Woods Mushrooms.
Try a you-pick event at Bush-NVine in York, South Carolina. Photo courtesy Visit York County.
Celebrate Memorial Day at the Hendersonville Garden Jubilee.
Lazy Fox Lavender Farm, Cameron
This veteran-owned family farm in historic Cameron opens April through June with you-pick lavender every Friday and Saturday and High Tea every other weekend. High Tea includes sweet and savory treats, whipped lavender butter and a selection of tea and lavender lemonade. Visit the farm’s flock of sheep and shop the Parlor Store’s lavender products. www.facebook.com/lazyfoxlavenderfarm
Millstone Creek Orchards, Ramseur
Easter weekend will be hopping at Millstone Creek Orchards. On April 19, the Spring Fling Outdoor Market brings 80 artisan, craft and food vendors to the farm. The farm’s 2025 Easter Extravaganza on April 20 continues the fun with Easter egg hunts, fishing, hayrides and music. All weekend, apple cider slushies, donuts and ice cream are available at the Apple Barn Country Store. The Cider House serves burgers, flatbread, sandwiches, shareable bites and hard cider. www.millstonecreekorchards.com
Farm-Centered Festivals
The South Carolina Strawberry Festival is May 2 and 3 at the Walter Elisha Park in Fort Mill, South Carolina. The event celebrates the peak of strawberry season with amusement rides, a car show, cornhole tournament, live music, pig races and all types of strawberry-focused foods including strawberry-topped pancakes. Springs Farm will be selling fresh strawberries onsite. Admission is free.
www.scstrawberryfestival.com
Each year, Garden Jubilee, a two-day festival featuring farms, artists and vendors from across the region, set up booths in downtown Hendersonville during Memorial Day weekend. Pick up fruit, ornamental and vegetable plants at the event this year on May 24 and 25. Ask local experts questions about gardening and planting, and learn about gardening tips and techniques.
Admission is free.
www.visithendersonvillenc.org/garden-jubilee
BUILDERS RISK INSURANCE » Protecting LKN Contractors and Homeowners
Are you a builder, general contractor, or house flipper renovating or building a new home for a homeowner? What about a homeowner renovating your home or having a new home built? Then you need Builders Risk insurance. Homeowners insurance does not cover your property if it is unoccupied during major renovations, so it is important to let your insurance agent know. It is also a good reason to tell your agent because remodeling increases your home value, and your homeowners insurance coverages should be adjusted accordingly. Ongoing construction increases the risks of theft and damage, so a Builders Risk policy can help protect the property under construction from a covered loss.
What does the Builders Risk policy cover?
A Builders Risk protects the construction site and associated materials, tools, and equipment. The key areas of coverage are damage caused by events such as fire, hail and windstorm, and lightning, explosion, or vehicles and aircraft hitting the building. You will also normally be covered for non-employee theft and vandalism. To be sure the coverage levels are adequate for the property, policy coverage limits are dependent on the anticipated construction cost and the total completed value of your project.
Coverages that are not included: It’s also important to be aware of what your Builders Risk insurance does not cover. Unless otherwise stated on the policy, it will not cover risks such as earthquakes, or flooding, such on beachfront construction. It also does not cover injuries suffered by employees. If you are a General Contractor, this would be covered under your Workers Compensation insurance. Be sure to read your policy to know all the exclusions that apply.
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Donna Yost Commercial Lines
Celebrate strawberry season in early May at the South Carolina Strawberry Festival. Photo courtesy Sarah McAllister.
Enjoy lavender and High Tea at Lazy Fox Lavender Farm in Cameron.
DWELLINGS
How We Live at the Lake
Whether it’s a bathroom, the kitchen or the living spaces where your family and friends gather, Pages 29-37 offer lots of inspiration for ways to freshen your home’s aesthetic.
LILLY & GRACE
Timless and Elegant Design
When designing our kitchen, I wanted to create a space that felt timeless and elegant, but that also became a happy place to cook and entertain. I love the feeling of a classic campaign chest, which made creating this custom campaign chest look for my island such fun. I finished it off with a waterfall edge for a little bit of an edgy vibe. Another of my favorite features of our kitchen is the curved marble backsplash above the range. And of course, for a pop of color, this Ro Sham Beaux chandelier, hand beaded in Mediterranean jade, is perfect! I’m a sucker for anything Lucite, so the Lucite handles and decor pieces, such as the cookbook stand, were a definite yes for me. I also
adore anything in blue and white, so I chose to mix some of my more traditional chinoiserie pieces with the most beautiful spa blue color. I absolutely love the final look!
Robyn Ford
138 Village View Drive, Suite 104 Mooresville, North Carolina 28117
P: (980) 447-9930 | C: (260) 760-7825
Robyn@lillyandgrace.com
lillyandgrace.com
EDEN CHASE Designer Builds & Interiors
Complete Transformation
My client wanted a full basement remodel for their home in The Peninsula in Cornelius, so the space was redesigned to mimic a chic, coastal cottage to include a new kitchen, the reconfiguration of an outdated bathroom into a steam shower and sauna, and the conversion of a guest bedroom into a men’s lounge for poker and shuffleboard nights. We removed old carpet and cherrywood cabinets throughout and replaced it all with wide-plank white oak floors and warm white inset cabinets. For a modern convenience, we also created a charging center for everyone’s electronic devices.
To achieve my client’s desire for a light and airy coastal feel, we added two sets of accordion doors which open the basement up to the
pool. We continued the coastal cottage vibe in the kitchen and living area by incorporating vertical lap and used a combination of blues, seafoam greens and warm whites to elevate the space. Mixed metals and textiles (linen, warm woods, brass, polished nickels, rattans) add a touch of warmth to the cool space. We also added judges paneling in the men’s lounge and color drenched the space to make it feel masculine and moody, using plaids and greens to mimic a golf club men’s parlor.
Kimberly A. Casper | E D E N C H A S E | designer builds & interiors (O) 980-236-8770 | (M) 585-350-9902 www.edenchasebuilds.com
Pops of Color
Davidson homeowner Teri Fridley was not afraid to explore a lighter, brighter interior with a surprising use of color in her breakfast nook area.
Davidson remodel goes from dark to delightful
by Lori Helms | photography by Jon Beyerle
Standing in Teri Fridley’s remodeled kitchen and marveling at its transformation, I couldn’t help but be just a little distracted by a few small goldfinches taking advantage of her birdfeeders just outside the breakfast dining nook windows. On an early spring day, against the backdrop of a landscape still on the verge of coming into its own, they were a delightful splash of yellow against the browns and golds of a yard yet to spring to life.
That lovely touch of color is essentially what defines the complete interior remodel of Fridley’s home, and it’s a mission that interior designer Lori Savio of Home, Heart & Soul in Cornelius took to heart when Fridley asked her to update her 1990s home in a secluded area of Davidson.
“Her words to me were, ‘I want bright, light, with pops of color,’” Savio says about her early discussions with her client. “So, we worked
very closely together. She is a very accomplished artist, so a lot of the artwork in the home is hers. We pulled from all those colors as well.”
It was a formula that worked, as the home was essentially transformed over the course of about four months from the heavy dark browns, darker paint selections and wood features that defined it (including chair rails on virtually every wall) to the relaxing, light-hearted vibe present in every room.
“To me, it’s just so happy,” Savio says about the remodeled rooms as we walked through the home. From the kitchen to the dining area, from the living room to the primary bedroom and bath areas, you wouldn’t know that this home was built when we were all either rocking tracksuits or listening to Alice in Chains and Stone Temple Pilots (or all of the above, in my case). Out with the old and in with the new has never been more pronounced than in this home’s interior.
Designer Lori Savio introduced calming shades of pinks and greens in the home’s primary bedroom, accented by beautifully embroidered window treatments.
The footprint of the home remained essentially the same, save a bit of a shift in the primary bath to get rid of the dated jetted bathtub and uncomfortably small shower space. And Savio says the kitchen was a total gut except for the existing Bosch appliances. She lightened up everything with the very subtle pink tones of fresh Sherwin Williams “Marshmallow” paint as well as cabinetry that rises to the high ceilings, with backsplashes and countertops with a waterfall edge in Carrera gold marble that has highly sought-after green accents.
Savio says much of the furniture selections came from North Carolina-based Hallman Furniture in Taylorsville, Parker Southern Furniture in Maiden and Sarreid Limited in Wilson. The beautifully embroidered draperies are works of art from Fringe Benefits in Charlotte. All of it adds up to exactly what Savio was tasked with –light, bright and refreshing.
“I can’t wait to have a spring here,” homeowner Fridley says. She’s about to get her wish.
Interior Design with a strong focus on the client’s vision
space planning, lighting, furniture, new construction or renovation, color consultation, window treatments, art and accessories
704-906-7469
www.homestylesinteriordesign.com
Homestyles Interior Design
@homestylesdesign
Far left, a view of the dining area and the cabinetry in the breakfast nook from the home’s living room. Above, one of several works of art by the homeowner on display.
From the owner of Barrel & Fork, comes a brand-new seafood concept with a purposeful lean towards the romance of the 70’s in Savannah with a coastal ethos of seasonality, vibe, and true southern hospitality. With Northeastern attention to seafood, sustainability, and a robust raw bar, we invite you to a thoughtfully presented menu that is delicate yet approachable. The space has an unapologetic energy, for some a little noisy for others completely infectious. An evening out should be driven by the entire experience; with worldclass hospitality, a culinary approach to cocktails, and a savory menu that promotes humble ingredients with a sophisticated touch. Cheers!
At a time when vintage seems cliché and yet modern is over-poured, Barrel & Fork embraces the past as we fight for the future.
We invite our guests to indulge in the whimsical times when bourbon and wine on a Tuesday meant a good start to the weekend. We have built a home where the food stops short of being pretentious and out of touch, and is exactly what you were looking for.
All in Good Fun
comedian in town to support Yay!DAY
by Lori Helms | photographs courtesy Jon Reep and Zoey Boukedes Famous
When the long career of a popular, nationally known stand-up comedian comes to mind, it would be fair to assume that it would be loaded with a series of non-stop engagements all over the country at a wide variety of venues, diversified with maybe some acting work sprinkled in over the years for good measure. For comedian Jon Reep, that is all true. But what even his most ardent fans might not know about his body of work is that some of his time and performances have been spent in the name of charity.
“I do it all the time,” Reep says, and this month is no exception. He will be at Cain Center for the Arts in Cornelius on April 24, and his performance will be dedicated to local nonprofit organization Yay!DAY, founded by Hough High School student Zoey Boukedes.
I spoke last year with Zoey’s father, Chris Boukedes, about how Yay!DAY was brought to life:
“She had some situations at school, watching friends getting bullied,” he said at the time. “We were having dinner, and she said, ‘I just want to help them.’ So, I told her to keep talking.” Zoey wanted not just her schoolmates but the community to focus on one day –Yay!DAY – when everything is just positive, or as she put it to her father, “You just say ‘yay!’ no matter what happens.”
Five years later, the Yay!DAY Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization which has raised more than $100,000. Through the Yay!DAY club she established at her school and several nationally
Hickory native and nationally known comedian Jon Reep will be in Cornelius this month to support Hough High School student Zoey Boukedes (far left) and her Yay!DAY foundation.
known partners, Zoey is using those funds to commit to annual scholarships for graduating seniors who perform not only community service but have shown to commit to a positive lifestyle and maintain a positive attitude in the community.
And nothing screams positivity more than the upbeat, likeable comedic brand of Jon Reep. It’s a natural fit. After all, who can claim their own wedding as a fundraiser – that not even his guests knew was a wedding, let alone a fundraiser? Joke was on, well, everyone except Reep and his bride-to-be.
“We didn’t want to make a big deal about our wedding, but we wanted to have fun,” Reep says about their big day two years ago. This is where his comedic genius took over, and he decided to disguise his wedding celebration to look like a “second chance prom” for grownups – all of those folks who may have missed (or may have gone to but hated) their prom in the 1980s or 1990s. The event was promoted to the community (in his hometown of Hickory, N.C.), and tickets to get in were $35 a piece.
About two hours into the “prom,” Reep took to the microphone to thank the event sponsors, make a few announcements and then a video screen came down so he could share a “special message from new friends of mine” with the promgoers. Those special friends were Trisha Yearwood and Garth Brooks (whom he’d gotten to know following a gig in Nashville), who let everyone know they were actually there for Reep’s wedding and their entry fee would go to a local food ministry for the homeless. The more than $11,000 raised included a 100% match from Yearwood and Brooks.
As Reep describes it, that’s when the screen disappeared, the lights came up, the chairs and family came out, and the entire crowd (a few hundred people) became wedding guests. A fantastic public prank for an equally fantastic cause, but his “charitable works” didn’t end that evening. He now has a weekly podcast called Carolina Reeper, and during part of it he’s made a game out of giving away his residual checks (he has several television and movie roles to his credit). He takes calls from three random listeners and whoever comes closest to guessing the amount of the check wins it – literally wins it. He endorses the check and mails it to them.
It’s all in good fun, and like all good comedians, Reep likes to keep the good fun rolling. He’s on a new national tour called “Popsicle,” with his April 24 charity performance at The Cain Center one of several in a North and South Carolina swing of the tour this month. It will be a fun and upbeat evening, much like the mission behind Yay!DAY! itself.
“One of my main goals for Yay!DAY is to help kids learn at an early age that a positive attitude can be helpful and impactful in everyday life,” Zoey told me last year. She’s found a great partner in Reep to keep cranking out that message.
“One of my main goals for Yay!DAY is to help kids learn at an early age that a positive attitude can be helpful and impactful in everyday life... ”
Zoey Boukedes and her Yay!DAY foundation are at work in so many parts of our Lake Norman community, whether it’s a senior living facility or a local elementary schoolthey’re spreading the positivity around.
Learn more about Jon Reep and purchase tickets to his shows at www.jonreep.com. Cain Center for the Arts is at 21348 Catawba Ave., Cornelius. Learn more at www.cainarts.org or call 704.689.3101.
Bags of Hope fights food insecurity and
so much more
Feeding
A Hunger
“Many people think in the Lake Norman area there is not a lot of hunger and that’s just not the case,” says Ashley Nydish, President of Bags of Hope. Dedicated to alleviating food insecurity among school-aged children, Bags of Hope is a nonprofit organization serving Lake Norman and North Charlotte areas. It provides free weekend food provisions to students who might otherwise go hungry.
“Most of these students are receiving breakfast and lunch at school,” she says. “The bags [we provide] have enough food to cover them from when they leave Friday afternoon until they return Monday morning.”
Nydish was one of the founders of the organization, which started as a church backpack ministry in 2012 at Davidson United Methodist Church. Eventually, DUMC joined forces with Journey Church and Mosaic Church, which both had similar programs. Together they expanded their reach and formed an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation known today as Bags of Hope.
With the help of Program Director Nicole Fiehler, the board of directors, the leadership team and hundreds of volunteers, Nydish says they are able to serve 33 local schools, delivering 750 bags of food each week. By addressing this basic need, Bags of Hope aims to provide families with hope and stability and set children up for success.
“There’s so many different things that go along with food insecurity,” says Nydish. “If a student is hungry, they can’t learn. There are behavior issues, cognitive issues that go along with food insecurity. We are trying to meet this need at a very basic level. We want to not just change their weekend; we want to change their life because they were able to do what they needed to do in school and give them more options as they go through life.”
Bags of Hope works directly with its contacts at each school to identify students that would benefit from their services. Each bag sent home contains three dinners, two lunches, two breakfasts, two servings of veggies, two to three servings of fruit and a minimum of
by Allie Spencer photographs courtesy Bags of Hope
Students from Christ the King High School donated 50 bags for winter break.
A packing event with a NASCAR corporate team.
A Bags of Hope volunteer with a food bag for a student over an extended school break.
five snacks. In addition, Bags of Hope delivers extended break bags at Thanksgiving, winter break and spring break — providing enough food to cover students Monday through Friday as well as a $20 Food Lion gift card for a few more items.
The nonprofit has nearly doubled the amount of students it serves since 2020, and Nydish says their biggest challenge now is finding funding and ideally a bigger warehouse to sustain their growth. She encourages anyone interested to visit the group’s website. There are opportunities to donate, volunteer time at a packing event or as a driver, or to organize a neighborhood food drive.
“We are always excited to get new people involved,” says Nydish. “Our volunteer base is our lifeline.”
Bags of Hope recently wrapped up its spring break food drive on March 29. Its next big initiative will be focused on back-to-school which starts in July. Information is posted on the organization’s social media pages and sent out by through its newsletter.
“I can’t think of anything more stressful than trying to meet the basic needs of our children,” Nydish says. “There’s no need to have hungry people in our country — whatever we can do, we can take a little bit of stress off these parents.”
Give a little hope by visiting the organization at www.bagsofhopelkn.com, or follow its social media sites on Instagram or Facebook.
Bags of Hope volunteers enjoy their time at a recent packing event.
Limitless
For the area’s 55+ adults who place no limits on living their best lives!
Dogs add a wonderful, loving dimension to our lives over time.
Heaven goes by favor. If it went by merit, you would stay out and your dog would go in.
A Family’s Best Friends
The dogs who brought us love and laughs
by Mickey Dunaway
Anyone who has read almost any of my columns over the last few years knows if country boys had to be certified, I would proudly be a dues-paying member. I am an educated Alabama and Auburn redneck through and through. Love hunting dogs. Love country music. Love southern cuisine, especially what came out of my Mama’s kitchen — particularly her nightly biscuits. Grew up a Southern Baptist but hunted and fished on Sundays and went to every high school dance, although my preacher railed against it.
A defining part of my growing up was always dogs. Not just any dogs — hunting dogs. What follows is “Canis Lupus Familiaris - Part I” of a two-part piece about the dogs who left living impressions on me and my family’s psyche.
In 1997, life’s journey took us to Owensboro, Kentucky, where we rented a small, immaculate house, in a 1960s neighborhood. Unfortunately, the landlord had a “no dogs policy,” so we had to adopt out our Yellow Lab, Major, before we moved. After a few months, our landlord agreed to let us bring a dog into our family again after seeing how we kept up the place. That dog was a nineweek-old, 33-pound, black bundle of Labrador energy whose AKC name was Kentucky Coal Dust in honor of our new home.
Next door lived three youngsters. They loved Coal when I would walk him, and he loved them back. Sitting in my easy chair at the end of a long day of work, there was a knock on the front door. It was the sweet neighbor kids. The oldest mounted up his courage and asked, “Mr. Dunaway, can Coal come out and play?”
I said, “Sure,” and put Coal’s leash on. I handed the leash over to the youngster — maybe a second grader — and the next thing I knew, Coal was running down the sidewalk like a jet taking off from a carrier. He jerked the little boy off his feet, and the next thing I saw, the neighbor boy was in the air parallel to the Earth. Gravity took over, and the first thing that hit the sidewalk was his elbows! Coal and I rushed over to see if he was okay. No crying, but his elbows were scraped up a bit. Yet, he dusted himself off and asked if he could still walk Coal. Of course I said, “Absolutely,” but I walked with them this time!
The first winter after Coal came to live with us, we had a good snow, and I put my snow shovel on the patio to keep the back entryway to the house clear. A few days later, I heard a banging on the back door. There would be a rest, and then WHAM! about every other minute. I looked out the backyard window and saw Coal grabbing the shovel like a big stick he could chew on. He would head for the back door
~ Mark Twain
Boomer
Chloe
only to hear WHAM! again and again. What a headache he must have had. But Coal never did anything half-speed. We laughed until we cried.
One of the most valuable things a dog gives us is unconditional love, but it is not the only thing. They make us laugh or just smile every day. Coal was a master of both traits. To my mind, he still is — EVERY DAY.
In 2005, we moved to Charlotte for my professorship in Educational Leadership at UNCC. Coal came with us. Coal was another dog whose relationship with our family left his imprint on us for a lifetime. One day, coming in from work, Coal did not run to meet me. I called to Sandy in the kitchen, and then we yelled as loud as possible: “COAL! COAL!” But he didn’t come. Worried, afraid and very alarmed, we found him upstairs in the back bedroom, where he had gone to die peacefully.
Coal was 10 years old. A physical specimen. He had a heart attack. Our law-breaking trip to the vet brought an hour of CPR and tears from every staff member in the vet’s office. Coal was loved by everyone who spent time with him. So big. So loving. So kind. So gentle.
On his last day, Coal did one of his favorite things — he stole an apple off the side table! There is a lesson in there for all of us.
Editor’s note: Please return to this section in May for Part II of Mickey Dunaway’s “Canis Lupus Familiaris” to learn about the joy that Boomer and Chloe have brought to the Dunaway family.
Spring Cleaning for Your Estate Plan
Spring has sprung! It’s time for spring cleaning – time to declutter and de-stress (at least temporarily). This year, add cleaning up your estate plan to the list. Here is a short checklist:
• Review your existing documents. Make sure they still reflect your wishes as to who will inherit your estate and who will serve as your executor. If not, now is the time to update them.
• Review/update beneficiary designations. Retirement accounts, life insurance policies and investment accounts all allow the owner to designate the person(s) who will receive the account at the owner’s death. These assets transfer directly to your designated beneficiary and are not transferred by your will. Make sure to update them from time to time, especially in the event of divorce or upon the death of a designated beneficiary.
• Discard old estate planning documents. If you still have previous wills that have been replaced by more recent wills (and photocopies of old documents), you should purge those from your files or at least note clearly on them that they have been revoked and/or replaced by a more recent will. If the “old” will is accidentally probated at your death, the process
of having the more recent will probated is not as simple as probating the newer will and can be somewhat time consuming and complicated. Best practice is to keep only your most recent estate planning documents to eliminate confusion.
• Organize your documents and make sure those who need access to them know where they are and how to access them. This should also include a list of the accounts you own, contact information for your attorney and your financial and tax advisors. Ideally, you should also provide a list of login credentials/passwords for your “digital” assets, such as social media accounts, online shopping, airline miles, etc.
Amy Shue Isaacs is an Estate Administration/Probate Attorney with The McIntosh Law Firm, P.C. Contact her at 704.892.1699 or at www.mcintoshlawfirm.com/ attorneys/amy-shue-isaacs/
Memory Care Now Open
• Assisted Living & Memory Care
• Deluxe, Private and Companion Suite options
• Residence Medical Director
• Full Service Dining Room
• Pet Friendly
• Transportation Services
• Social, Educational, Cultural, Devotional & Recreational programs
• Medication Management
• Assistance with activities of daily living such as bathing, dressing, toileting and ambulation.
• Independent Living
• 1 and 2 Bedroom w/single car garage
• Full Kitchen w/ applicances including washer & dryer
• Weekly housekeeping
• Lunch & Dinner served daily
• Electricity, Cable, internet and Life Line Alert sysytem included
• Pet Friendly
Dine + Wine
Eating, drinking, cooking and fun
Executive Chef Antonio Resendiz brings his 25 years of experience to 16 Prime, a new high-end dining spot in Denver.
The Sancerre
Region
A ‘loner’ of a place with tasty terroir-driven wines
by Trevor Burton photograph courtesy Trevor Burton
Let’s start with some context about “terroir-driven wines.” Terroir is a completely untranslatable French word. The best way to get to its meaning, in vinous terms, is “the whereness of wine.” What it really means is the combination of climate, soil and the soil’s archeological history that give a unique quality to a wine.
Now for the “loner” description. Sancerre is located in the northern part of France and it doesn’t really belong to any wine region. It’s grouped in with the Loire region but it’s a long way from it and completely different from it. It features a wine from a completely different grape — Sauvignon Blanc rather than Chenin Blanc. It’s also close to the Burgundy region, but again, it’s different. It features a wine from a completely different grape — Sauvignon Blanc rather than Chardonnay. It is, in my opinion, a completely, stand-alone region.
Its soil is a thing of beauty and history. It ages back to when the region was an ocean bed. Geology helped. It converted a seabed to a dry, internal location. Sancerre’s soil is named “Kimmeridgian.” It’s a mix of limestone and clay made several eons ago. It was where ancient sea creatures, mostly oysters, passed on and let their shells sink to the ocean bottom. What they also passed on is a perfect scenario for wine to reach its finest. Sancerre’s Kimmeridgian soil is stoney — its full of small rocks and pebbles. And that shows through in the wine. It’s very flinty and tastes pleasantly of the minerals in the soil.
At a wine seminar recently, I showed a (highly managed and staged) example of wines. We had just tasted a crisp refreshing wine from New Zealand, and I compared it with a wine from Sancerre. I
Stoniness and minerality — Sancerre’s lasting impression.
showed two photographs: one of a sunny seashore with a vineyard in the foreground, the other of a drizzly Sancerre scene. I asked the seminar group which wine came from which photo. I’ve never got a wrong answer to that question. Of course, the Sancerre wine came from the drizzly photograph. Where else would it pick up the stoniness in the wine? As I said, “highly managed and staged.”
There was one visit to Sancerre that left a lasting impression for me. It was an atypical drizzly, winter day — I have been in the region on bright, sunny days. The “tasting room” we were in was, in fact, a cave in a hillside of rocks. I thought it was an appropriate place to taste a wine famous for its stoniness and minerality. Maybe that was the impression that was the source of my seminar question about the two Sauvignon Blanc wines. Anyway, the impression lasted. It stayed with me over these many years.
In my opinion, Sancerre is that “loner” I was talking about. Although it is part of the greater Loire region, it has nothing in common with that region’s wines. Although it is geographically close to the Burgundy region, it has nothing in common with that region’s great wines. It is, from a wine perspective, all alone. It has its unique soil type. It has its unique wine grape, Sauvignon Blanc. It has its unique tasting wine. Nothing could define a “loner” better than those differences.
Whether it’s a loner or not, it has a desirable wine. One that’s unique and very tasty, it’s different than other white wines. It’s worth giving it a try — in other words, a taste test. Your taste buds will be forever thankful that you did.
A Win for Your Health
And your taste buds will thank you, too
Protein-Packed Pistachio Crusted Salmon
Eating more protein is on everyone’s mind these days, and a tasty way to do that is by trying out Pistachio Crusted Salmon. Did you know that a four-ounce piece of salmon packs 23 grams of protein? It’s the perfect mix of flaky and crispy, and the pistachio crust really takes it up a notch!
This dish is delicious served over a fresh salad with a light vinaigrette, or you can enjoy it with brown rice and roasted asparagus for a hearty meal.
The FDA suggests eating fish twice a week, and salmon is a great pick because it’s loaded with omega-3 fatty acids, which can help lower bad cholesterol and blood pressure. Plus, pistachios are also thought to help with bad cholesterol, so this Pistachio Crusted Salmon is a win for your health.
Servings: 4
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Kathy Dicken lives in Huntersville and is the author of The Tasty Bits food blog. For more meal ideas that are simple and delicious, you can follow her blog at www.thetastybits.com or on Instagram @thetastybits.
Ingredients:
by Kathy Dicken photography by Kathy Dicken
1 lb. salmon fillets (4 - 4 oz. filets)
Salt and pepper
1/3 cup shelled crushed pistachios
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 tsps. Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp. honey
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 tsps. lemon juice
Lemon wedges for garnish
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a bowl, mix the crushed pistachios, Dijon mustard, garlic, olive oil, honey and lemon juice. Pat dry the salmon and season the fillets with salt and pepper. This will help to create a crispy crust. Spread the pistachio mixture evenly over the salmon fillets.
Place salmon on prepared baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees. Drizzle with a squeeze of fresh lemon before serving.
‘Everyone’s Living Room’
Enjoy the vibe at Hop & Vine
by Bek Mitchell-Kidd photographs
Co-owners Casey Ashlock and Kevin Milbredt opened Hop & Vine in Davidson five years ago and have not looked back. As the name suggests, the bar focuses on wine and beer.
“We love to support as many of the local breweries and wineries as possible,” Ashlock says. “We particularly love Eleven Lakes, Ass Clown, King Canary, Royal Bliss, 760 Craftworks and Hoptown.”
Milbredt’s favorite craft beer is Deep River Brewing’s Big Chocolate Porter, while Ashlock is partial to any type of Hazy IPA and will debate anyone on his position that the North Carolina region is putting out the best collection of Hazy IPA in the nation.
The tap list maintains customer favorites but also cycles 15 of the 17 taps to keep a constant rotation of beer that deserves representation according to the Hop & Vine team – mostly North Carolina-centric but also a few from vendors located throughout the United States. While the majority of the beer is local, the wine list is international.
“Our wine selection comes from all over the world,” Milbredt says. “We try to provide a boutique selection that you will not find in large wine stores and grocery stores.” In addition to their offerings, the co-owners say their location on Jetton Street is key.
“I have always loved Jetton Street,” says Ashlock. “‘Mine by Sandy’, formally ‘Monkee’s,’ laid the foundation on this street for foot traffic. Kevin and I saw a great opportunity to come in and immediately be a part of the community.”
There is no kitchen, but true to the community spirit that enticed them to the location, Hop & Vine encourages their guests to order food from neighboring businesses, including Romeo’s Pizza, who will deliver to
your Hop & Vine table, or you’re welcome to bring in your own picnic. This also speaks to Hop & Vine’s family and dog-friendly vibe.
“We strive to make this place everyone’s living room and provide shelves full of games, sidewalk chalk and window markers for the kids and sometimes adults,” Milbredt says. “We have been known to get heavy with pet treats and pup cups.” There is also plenty of entertainment, including trivia nights and local artist showcases.
“On Saturdays, there’s a great group of musicians that perform and we have been lucky enough to build two strong entertainment nights on Tuesdays with ‘Music Bingo’ hosted by Lake Norman Entertainment and Wednesdays with ‘Good Answer!’ — a family-feud style game night hosted by Margaret Rollins,” Ashlock says. Keep an eye out for stand-up comedy nights and monthly open mic nights coming soon.
Hop & Vine also hosts Christmas and Valentine’s Day pop-up bars and is rapidly becoming a go-to for hosting birthday parties, showers, company meetings, holiday parties and local influencer events.
“Things have gone better than we had originally imagined,” says Milbredt. “We never imagined that the community would stay so involved and plugged in with us. We are constantly trying to come up with new ideas to keep people engaged and involved while trying to stay productive and contributing members of our community.”
“I cannot speak more highly of the Davidson town government, especially Kim Fleming,” says Ashlock. “Davidson goes so far above and beyond by taking care of their small businesses. We actually think that our town government has been one of the largest contributors to our continuing success.”
courtesy Hop & Vine
Bring your own food, bring the family, bring the dogit’s all about that living room feel at Hop & Vine.
Hop & Vine is at 605-C Jetton Street in Davidson. Learn more at www.hopvinedavidson.com or call 704.207.4037.
Your ‘Not-So-Average’ Steakhouse
by Tony Ricciardelli photographs courtesy 16 Prime
“The guests are here to be part of the family,” says Katherine Cuesta, general manager of the recently opened 16 Prime restaurant in Denver. “We have to perform above and beyond the usual dining experience.” Questa has been in the restaurant business for two decades, and as 16 Prime’s GM, she has the autonomy to curate the menu, the staff, the food and beverages, and the service. Cuesta clearly knows fine dining.
Situated at the former Pomodoro Italian Restaurant location, 16 Prime opened for business last November. The upscale steakhouse can accommodate 130 patrons within its dining room and outdoor patio area.
“The restaurant made itself,” says owner Joseph Acovski, who, along with his parents Joe and Agnes, also own the family-friendly Joey’s restaurants in Denver and Sherrills Ford. The Acovskis have decades of experience in the restaurant business, including prior ownership of several established restaurants. 16 Prime is the stylish and fashionable result of years of hard work and determination.
“With a talented chef and a great team, the ideas shaped themselves into the dream of opening a steakhouse,” Acovski says.
“We pretty much stripped down the previous restaurant to its bones,” says operations manager Chris Naue, explaining that re-designing and modernizing the space was no small feat. “Everything here is new. We tried 10 test kitchens over an 18-month period, and it paid off.” The result is a warm, dignified, intimate dining environment. And through careful selection, 16 Prime’s menu offers quality dining and eclectic choices.
“Our produce comes from local farms and growers, and our seafood is chosen from the finest available,” says Naue. “We offer salmon raised in hatcheries located at the side of a glacier in Antarctica, and our scallops come from New Bedford, Massachusetts.” Executive Chef Antonio Resendiz brings 25 years of experience to 16 Prime, transforming the highest quality ingredients into exquisite dishes.
The beef served at 16 Prime is bred and raised at Yon Family Farms in South Carolina, where they specialize in breeding high-quality Angus, SimAngus, and Ultrablack cattle. DemKota Ranch in South Dakota also provides the restaurant with top-quality beef products, while poultry is procured through Joyce Farms in Winston-Salem.
The bar serves top-shelf libations, and the wine list features carefully selected labels for the red or white wine lover alike. Signature drinks include the Apple Pear Martini made with Grey Goose La Poire vodka and the Blood Orange Boulevardier featuring Basil Hayden bourbon.
Ribeye, filet mignon, New York strip, prime flank and pork chops prepared by Chef Resendiz will satisfy any appetite for top-shelf beef as will the Poulet Rouge or the Chili Crusted Salmon. For a delectable second course choice, try the lobster bisque made with Maine lobster claw and knuckle meat, crostini and sherry cream.
16 Prime is “a fresh, seasonal take on your not-so-average steakhouse,” Cuesta says. “We hand-select ingredients, created with purpose, sustainability, responsibility and passion.”
Choose to relax or dine on 16 Prime’s patio, perhaps with an order of Chilean sea bass with roasted fingerling potatoes, bok choy and a miso glaze.
Audiology
Living Well
Your local resource for health and wellness services near you
PHC – Lake Norman Ears, Nose & Throat
Megan Mathis-Webb, AuD
Susie Riggs, AuD
Caroline Millsaps, AuD
140 Gateway Blvd. Mooresville, NC 28117 • 704-664-9638
Cardiology
PHC – Heart & Vascular
Jips Zachariah, MD
Naveed Rajper, MD 359 Williamson Road Mooresville, NC 28117 • 704-235-1829
Dermatology
PHC – Mooresville Dermatology
Center
Naomi Simon, MD
Kristin Prochaska, PA-C
Gina Noble, PA-C
Julia Parsons, PA-C
Susan Stevens, RN, BSN 128 Medical Park Road, Suite 201 Mooresville, NC 28117 • 704-235-1827
PHC- Lake Norman Dermatology
Joel Sugarman, MD FAAD
Allison Hanley, PA-C
Melissa Moser, PA-C
Betsy Benton, PA-C
140 Leaning Oak Drive, Suite 101 Mooresville, NC 28117
704-658-9730
PHC – Wolfe Dermatology
Steven F. Wolfe, MD
Molly Small, PA-C 114 Gateway Blvd., Unit D Mooresville, NC 28117 • 704-663-2085
Riva Dermatology
“Imagine your skin at its Best!”
General Dermatology for the Family, Botox, Fillers, Laser/IPL & more
Kerry Shafran, MD, FAAD
Lindsay Jayson, MPAS, PA-C
Erin Dice, MPAS, PA-C
Ashley Noone, MPAP, PA-C
Nikki Leahy, MSBS, PA-C
Mari Klos, CMA, LME 704-896-8837
Cornelius, Mooresville, Denver www.Rivaderm.com
Ears, Nose and Throat
PHC – Lake Norman Ears, Nose, & Throat
Keith Meetze, MD
Thomas Warren, MD
Herb Wettreich, MD
Fred New, Jr., ANP 140 Gateway Blvd. Mooresville, NC 28117 • 704-664-9638
Endocrinology
PHC- Endocrinology
Elaine Sunderlin, MD
Emylee Brown, PA-C
170 Medical Park Road, Floor 3 Mooresville, NC 28117 • 704-664-9506
Family Medicine
PHC – Nabors Family Medicine
Emily Nabors, MD 142 Professional Park Drive Mooresville, NC 28117 • 704-696-2083
PHC – Lake Norman Family Medicine
Timothy A. Barker, MD
Bruce L. Seaton, DO
Amanda H. Bailey, DO
Kyle Babinski, DO
Bilal Khan, DO
Sherard Spangler, PA
357 Williamson Road
Mooresville, NC 28117 • 704-664-7328
PHC – Sailview Family Medicine
Tiana Losinski, MD
Alexander Watson, DNP
206 Joe V. Knox Ave. Suite J Mooresville, NC 28117 • 704-360-4801
PHC – Fairview Family Medicine
Golnar Lashgari, MD
Erica Vollano, FNP-BC
146 Medical Park Road, Suite 210 Mooresville, NC 28117 •704-235-0300
PHC - Troutman Family Medicine
Amrish C. Patel, MD
Janeal Bowers, FNP
Kimberly Whiton, FNP
Jeanne Pierce, PA-C
154 S Main Troutman, NC 28166 • 704-528-9903
Gastroenterology
PHC – Gastroenterology
Brandon Marion, MD
Aerielle Sibert, PA-C
359 Williamson Road
Mooresville, NC 28117 • 704-878-2021
PHC –Comprehensive Digestive
Care Center
Vivek Trivedi, MD
Venu Gangireddy, MD
Tiedre Palmer, FNP-C
359 Williamson Road Mooresville, NC 28117 • 704-878-2021
PHC- Gastroenterology
Laila Menon, MD
Gabrielle Miller, PA-C
170 Medical Park Road, Floor 3 Mooresville, NC 28117 • 704-664-9506
Internal Medicine
PHC – Fox Internal Medicine
Jessica Fox, DO
Stephanie Michel, PA-C
435 East Statesville Avenue
Mooresville, NC 28115 • 704-663-5056
PHC – Internal Medicine & Weight Management
Manish G. Patel, MD
Julie Abney, PA
Andrea Brock, PA-C
128 Medical Park Road, Suite 101 Mooresville, NC 28117 • 704-658-1001
PHC – Lake Norman Internal Medicine
John C. Gatlin, MD
Swathi Talla, MD
548 Williamson Road, Suite 6 Mooresville, NC 28117 • 704-660-5520
Mental Health Services
PHC-Mastor Mental Health
Jason E. Mastor, MD
Kristin C. Brown, PA-C
Megan I. Flott, PA-C
Diana J. Remenar, PA-C
206 Joe V. Knox Ave. Suite F Mooresville, NC 28117 • 704-662-6500
Neurology
PHC – Neurology & Sleep Medicine
Dharmen S. Shah, MD
359 Williamson Road Mooresville, NC 28117 • 704-873-1100
PHC – Lake Norman Neurology
Andrew J. Braunstein, DO
Ryan Conrad, MD
Craig D. DuBois, MD
Roderick Elias, MD
124 Professional Park Dr, Ste A Mooresville, NC 28117 • 704-662-3077
PHC – Lake Norman Neurology
Andrew J. Braunstein, DO
Ryan Conrad, MD
Craig D. DuBois, MD
Roderick Elias, MD
9735 Kincey Avenue, Ste 203 Huntersville, NC 28078 • 704-766-9050
Obstetrics/Gynecology
PHC – Lake Norman OB/GYN
James Al-Hussaini, MD
Laura Arigo, MD
Grant Miller, MD
James Wilson, MD
Nicole S. Wellbaum, MD
NailaRashida Frye, MD
Krisandra Edwards, FNP-C
Alyssa Clay, DNP, FNP-C
131 Medical Park Road, Suite 102 Mooresville, NC 28117 • 704-663-1282
Oncology
Southern Oncology Specialists
William Mitchell, MD
Poras Patel, MD
46 Medical Park Rd, Suite 212 Mooresville, NC 28117 • 704-659-7850
Orthopaedic Surgery
PHC – Piedmont Bone & Joint
Brett L. Feldman, MD
Alex Seldomridge III, MD
Travis Eason, MD
Julie Glener, MD
Kim Lefreniere, PA-C
359 Williamson Road
Mooresville, NC 28117 • 704-235-1829
Orthopedic Surgery – Spine
PHC – Piedmont Bone & Joint
Alex Seldomridge, III, MD
359 Williamson Road
Mooresville, NC 28117 • 704-235-1838
Pain Managment
PHC – Pain & Spine Center
Harsh Govil, MD, MPH
Nathan Barkley, FNP-C
Samuel Sackenheim, NP-C
April Hatfield, FNP-C
Gracie Kern, PA-C
359 Williamson Road Mooresville, NC 28117 • 704-235-1829
Physical Medicine & Rehab
PHC - Spine & Sports Medicine
John Lesher, MD, MPH
170 Medical Park Road, Suite 302 Mooresville, NC 28117 • 704-664-9506
PULMONOLOGY
PHC –Pulmonology
Enrique Ordaz MD
Jose Perez MD
Ahmed Elnaggar, MD
Vishal Patel, MD
170 Medical Park Road, Suite 201, Mooresville NC 28117 • 704-838-8240
Rheumatology
PHC – Rheumatology
Sean M. Fahey, MD
Dijana Christianson, DO
Janice Clayton, FNP-C
128 Medical Park Road, Suite 101 Mooresville, NC 28117 • 704-658-1001
Massage Heights
If there was ever a textbook definition to describe the concept of a small business, Kristy Serdinsky has likely nailed it.
“One of the biggest things that sets us apart is the fact that we truly are locally owned and operated,” says the owner of Massage Heights, a massage therapy and facial treatments retreat in Cornelius’ Jetton Village. “We really are a part of the community,” she says. That is just one of the many reasons why Massage Heights has been voted as the place for “Best Massage Therapy” in our annual Lake Norman’s Best Readers Choice Awards competition.
“We support local charities, local elementary schools, as well as other local businesses and organizations,” Serdinsky says. In addition to regularly backing a variety of fundraising efforts at Cornelius Elementary School, she says last year Massage Heights collected more than 300 pounds of food for the Angels & Sparrows nonprofit in Huntersville, and that last Christmas she and her staff adopted a family with four children who attend church with her at Grace Covenant and donated to them toys and other presents when the family was experiencing some hard times. Add to that the large amount of water and nonperishable items collected during a donation drive for those devasted by Hurricane Helene’s march through the western North Carolina mountain towns, and you have the epitome of a local business that cares.
LAKENORMAN’SBEST
“We really do like to be involved in the community,” Serdinsky says. “I think that just really shows that we are a true small business, with small business personalities.”
But beyond that, she has surrounded herself with an exceptional group of professionals who have been with her from the start.
“It really is about my team,” she says. “It’s about our culture – we have very little turnover, and that’s something that our clients notice and feel. They like having a place to come and see the same faces over time.” That’s not an exaggeration. Her very first hire nine years ago, retreat director Hailee Hargett, remains at Massage Heights, as does her second hire, the retreat’s lead therapist. That’s exceptional, considering it’s very uncommon in this industry to retain staff for more than 12-18 months at a time.
“To build that team culture to where most of my therapists have been with me more than five years,” Serdinsky says, “that really shows the leadership that we have.”
by Lori Helms | photographs courtesy Massage Heights
$3,425,000
LOVE IN VERONA