Lake Norman Woman May 2017

how does YOUR GARDEN

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May

volume x, number xi

mothers & daughters

I J U S T WATC H E D my baby drive off to take his SAT exam. As I stood in the driveway watching his car go around the corner and out of sight, tears filled my eyes.

I just can’t figure out where the time went.

It was only yesterday, or so it seems, that I was walking with him hand in hand to his first-grade classroom.

I must have blinked. Kenny Chesney strongly warns against this fluttering of eyelids in his hit song, but apparently, I didn’t listen. At least that’s the only explanation I can come up with for why when I look at my sons I now see three grown men instead of the little boys I know should be there. One son is talking seriously about marriage. His twin just bought his first house. Their baby brother is taller than all three of us, has a part-time job, and is deciding which college he wants to attend.

If only I had kept my eyes open, maybe they wouldn’t have grown up so darn fast.

I’ve never been much of a helicopter mom.

In fact, when Ryan’s college orientation offered parents a session on “Coping with the Empty Nest,” I skipped that class and celebrated with a glass of champagne at a local establishment instead. Don’t misunderstand; I loved the boy and I would miss him, but my phone number had been on his principal’s speed dial for the previous two years. I don’t have the space here to regale you with tales of all his antics, so let’s just say he had quite the knack for making life … interesting. I was more than ready for him to hold his own feet to the fire.

When I was growing up in the ‘70s, the only helicopter parents were moms and dads who flew helicopters. Today, moms don’t let their children play outside unattended (We were told to go outside and play and not to come home until dinner time); they don’t let their children hang upside down from the monkey bars for fear they’ll get hurt (“You’ll live,” was my mother’s common response

to a ‘boo-boo’); and they don’t allow their children to eat anything that isn’t sugar free, gluten free, and dairy free (In my house, it was “Eat your TV dinner [which only vaguely resembled actual food] … There are starving children in Africa, for goodness sake!”).

As soon as my sons arrived, I found myself saying or doing things that sounded exactly like my mother. And if I’m being honest, I’ve been a better parent, and my children have been better served, as a result. They are independent thinkers, they take risks, and they’re self-reliant. The only thing I regret is blinking. Those days of waiting at the bus stop, volunteering in classrooms (until they were too embarrassed to be seen with me), and long conversations punctuated by teenage sarcasm, exasperated sighing, and eye rolling are nearly over.

Another thing my mother always said, when I was complaining about my boring teenage life, is, “You’re going to wish these days hadn’t gone by so fast”—a ridiculous notion to which, of course, I would sigh heavily and roll my eyes. But as usual, she was right. Time has a way of sneaking up on us; there’s no better reminder of that for me than looking into the man-like faces of my sons. So hear me, mothers of young children: Whatever you do, don’t blink!

-dana

DANA NIETERS

. PUBLISHER

C O N TAC T D A N A V I A E - M A I L AT D A N A @ L A K E N O R M A N W O M A N . C O M

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CHARLOTTE PARRIS & ANITRA MITCHELL,

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Mainstream Boutique

8 THINGS MY MOTHER TAUGHT ME

woman CONTENTS LKN

M AY 2 0 1 7

FEATURE S

in every issue 32

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5 THI N GS TO D O I N MAY

| MAY 2017

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SCENE WI T H L KNW

SHE SAID WHAT?! : What's Your Favorite Mom Quote?

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SUCCESS STORY: I Love You More …

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WHAT I KNOW NOW: Suzanne Meyer

28

COVER STORY: Life By Design

36

HERE SHE IS: Tiffany Suber-Riddle

42

WOMAN TO WATCH: Christina Melton

48

SHE'S MY HERO: Bobbie Gettler

{

LISA CRATES PHOTOGRAPHY

10

O N THE C OVER: STARR MILLER OF

STARRMILLER INTERIOR DESIGN PH OTO G R A PH Y BY: CHELSEA BREN

LISA CRATES PHOTOGRAPHY

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GRANDMA EDITH'S HOMEMADE STRAWBERRY JAM

F A M I LY

14

MAMA'S MAMA KNOWS BEST

36

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TIFFANY SUBER-RIDDLE, Two Strong Dudes & Carolina Cleaning Solutions

10

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WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE MOM QUOTE?

H E A LT H

24

SPRING ALLERGY SURVIVAL GUIDE

46

DO I REALLY NEED A GYNECOLOGIST?

HOME

38

HOW DOES YOUR GARDEN GROW?

IN THE KITCHEN

22

OLD FASHIONED HOMEMADE STRAWBERRY JAM

SELF

18

8 THINGS MY MOTHER TAUGHT ME

26

A NOVEL APPROACH

40

WHEN A CAR SERVICE IS RIGHT FOR YOU

44

A BOOK LOOK: The Carolina Table

50

MIND, BODY, SPIRIT: This Year, Celebrate You!

42

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CHRISTINA MELTON,

Nue' Brows To Brazilians Salon

BRIDGETTE AIKENS PHOTOGRAPHY

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she said what?! leslie ogle

MOMS

“IF I WAS HAVING A BAD DAY, MOM WOULD ASK, ‘WHO LICKED THE RED OFF YOUR CANDY?’”

can be famous for bestowing indispensable advice. And in hindsight, some of the things we remember our moms telling us are comical.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MOM QUOTE?

stephanie sullivan

“MY MOM SAID TO ALWAYS make sure you’re wearing underwear—and a bra—when driving, just in case you’re in an accident!”

dana

nieters “WHEN I WAS A TEENAGER, Mom would say, ‘When you have kids, I hope they pull this same stuff on you.’ Now, when I complain about something inane my children have just done, she smiles, 'I once knew a girl who acted just like that.’”

amy hallman

michele

schuermann

chelsea bren

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“IT SOUNDED SO SILLY at the time, but anytime I wanted to honk at someone while driving, my mom would exclaim, 'Don't honk! They could have a gun!' While it sounds like typical-momparanoia, it is a sad reality in today's world of angst that I still adhere to." | MAY 2017

“MY ENTIRE LIFE MY MOM would not let me wear black t-shirts.

Why? She said, ‘People judge girls who wear black tshirts—and not in a good way!’”

“ONE THING MY MOM always used to say to us when she learned something we’d done but weren’t supposed to do was, ‘A little birdie told me.’”

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MAY 2017 |

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late 30s,” Anitra confesses, “that I could do something I actually love.

Mom and I were doing trunk shows and other clothing events, but a brickand-mortar location was not even a thought at first. However, within the first six months we decided we needed a true location and now, just a little over six years later, our second location in Mooresville is a reality.”

Equally enthusiastic, Charlotte is grateful for the partnership with Anitra. Although she recognizes that there will always be a hole in her heart without Gene, she has found her way back to being her old self again and loves her life in Lake Norman, the boutique, and with the women who come into the store. “Each morning, I pray that we will build up the women who enter our boutiques so that they can go into our community and make a difference,” Charlotte says. “I pray that God will send the women in who need to feel special that day and that we’ll be able to make that happen. It doesn’t matter to me if they purchase something; it’s about loving the women who enter our doors and letting them know that we truly do care.”

Anitra Mitchell & Charlotte Parris MAINSTREAM BOUTIQUE MOORESVILLE, NC

I Love You More …

The mother-daughter bond is indeed a unique one—the love, immeasurable; conflict, inevitable; admiration, inexplicable.

of any such relationship lies something so profound it is difficult to describe with words. Such is the case for the motherdaughter team of Charlotte Parris and Anitra Mitchell, co-owners of Mainstream Boutique in Winston-Salem and Mooresville.

AND BEN EATH TH E S U RFAC E

Charlotte and husband Gene, who passed in 2014, have three grown children: Anitra, Jay, and Nicole. Known as “Yaya” to her four grandchildren, Charlotte is blessed

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with Claire (13), Cooper (12), Rich (11), and Turner (8). Charlotte and Anitra began doing trunk shows out of their respective homes years ago, but neither realized what this hobby would lead to—and how!

Anitra worked for a prom and bridal store in high school and a women’s clothing boutique in college. She earned a degree in marketing from Clemson University, but she wasn’t sure exactly how to put the degree to use. “It didn’t hit me until my

Both women have their priorities straight, focusing on faith, family, and hard work—with a common goal of making a difference in others’ lives and within their community. They both are avid readers, love to travel, and enjoy spending time with family. “My mom has made so many sacrifices,” Anitra says. “I can truly see how much, now that I’m older. She’s always been my biggest influence, showing me that it’s okay to be a working wife and mother.

I learned so much by watching her succeed and never felt neglected growing up. She is a remarkable mother, business partner, and friend … my biggest fan, and I admire her more than she may ever know.”

That admiration extends both ways.

“Watching the wife, mother, and successful business woman that Anitra has become makes my heart happy!”

Charlotte says. “She is a joy to my life, and I love every moment we are able to spend together.”

Renewal

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family

Courtesy of Brandpoint

Mama’s Mama Knows Best

(BPT) - The millennial mom-to-be uses an app to track her fertility and pregnancy progress, to pin nursery ideas on Pinterest, and to research baby gear on YouTube. She reads online advice on everything from what to eat (or not), to when to talk to a doctor about prescription prenatal vitamins, to what to do with the placenta after delivery.

N E V E R W I T H O U T A S M A RT P H O N E in hand, armed with an app for everything, and always connected or “on,” millennials were born in an era of emerging technology between 1980 and 1995, and have grown up in an ever-increasing digitally enhanced environment.

Access to technology and social media has defined every aspect of her life, including the expectant millennial’s approach to pregnancy. It’s a drastically different world than when her own mother was pregnant.

But what does this over-abundance of connectivity and information mean for the digital-savvy millennial mom-to-be? Per a recent poll, for nearly 60 percent it means there is too much conflicting advice on tips for a healthy pregnancy. In a poll conducted by Exeltis, the company that produces the prenatal vitamin, Vitafol, 500 millennials and 500 baby boomers were asked to reveal details on their approach to pregnancy. While sifting through all the information available today was overwhelming to expectant millennials, only 36.2 percent of baby boomer moms, whose pregnancies were “pre-Google” and social media, felt this way.

In addition, in our constantly connected world it’s common for people to feel license to dispense unsolicited advice to expectant moms. Twice as many millennial moms report they received advice while they were pregnant that they disregarded or didn’t agree

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with as compared to baby boomer moms. That’s why it’s no surprise that with so much (often conflicting) sought-out and unsolicited information and advice, 51.8 percent of millennials said they had a hard time deciding which pregnancy advice to believe.

Surprisingly, these millennial moms seem to be turning their backs on—or at least second guessing—the digital information and turning to their own mothers for advice instead, even more than their mothers turned to the generation before them. Millennials are using the “grandma filter” to essentially qualify and validate information that they are receiving from other sources.

In fact, when it comes to preparing for parenting, millennials turn to their mother figure more than any other resource on a variety of topics. The “grandma filter” is number one when it comes to emotional and family concerns, relationship advice, and determining what supplies to register for. And, millennial moms also turn to their mothers nearly three times more often than baby boomer moms would have regarding financial concerns in preparing for a new baby.

All indicates that regardless of when they are pregnant, moms ultimately want what is best for their babies, but in determining what that is exactly, it’s definitely mama’s mama who knows best. © Stelado | Dreamstime.com

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MAY 2017 |

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3

8 THINGS

8 interesting milestones, events, scoops, trifles, or just cool stuff

LIFE ISN’T FAIR. BEAUTIFUL AND GOOD? YES! FAIR? NOT SO MUCH.

THE PRETTY TOWELS HANGING IN THE BATHROOM? THEY’RE FOR GUESTS ONLY.

8 things

MY MOTHER TAUGHT ME

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By: Dana Nieters

WHO NEEDS A MAN WHEN YOU’VE GOT A GOOD BOOK?

6

I CAN ALWAYS … ALWAYS …

COME HOME.

7

FRIENDS MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE IN THE BAD TIMES … AND THEY BRING WINE! | MAY 2017

4

SING, EVEN IF YOU’RE LOUSY AT IT. AND, GO AHEAD AND DANCE, TOO.

© Vetkit | Dreamstime.com

1

2

THERE’S NOTHING THAT A SONG FROM THE SOUND OF MUSIC CAN’T MAKE BETTER.

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HOW TO MAKE “GRANDMOM’S ROLLED MEAT” (YES, THERE ARE ABOUT 10 JOKES THERE) FOR THANKSGIVING DINNER.

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Toby Keith may lament he’s not “as good as I once was,”and John Cougar Mellencamp may want to “hold on to 16,” or at least that’s what they say in their songs, but the women of Lake Norman are proof that life just keeps getting better and better. With life experience comes wisdom, and we’re asking area women to share what they’ve learned on the topics of lifestyle, attitude, beauty, self-confidence, relationships, and, yes, getting older.

WHAT’S THE ONE SKILL EVERY WOMAN SHOULD HAVE? How to cook

a few signature dishes really well.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE THE YOUNGER YOU? It’s never too

early to start planning for your financial future. Invest at least 10 percent of every paycheck. The key to accumulating wealth is to start early and stick with it.

HOW DO YOU KNOW WHEN IT’S TIME TO WALK AWAY? When the

other party just isn’t listening or doesn’t care … don’t waste your time or breath.

WHAT DID YOU LEARN FROM YOUR MOM? Growing up, I wasn’t allowed

to play outside with my friends until I practiced the piano and finished my homework, so she taught me timemanagement and organizational skills at an early age.

WHAT IS THE ONE THING YOU HOPE YOUR CHILDREN LEARN FROM YOU?

what i know NOW!

M E ET:

Suzanne MEYER By: Dana Nieters

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AGE:

56

OCCUPATION:

President & Founder of The Welcome Committee; and sponsorship consultant for the Town of Cornelius PARC Department (I founded the first job, the second found me!)

LKN TOWN:

Mooresville

It is my hope that they continue to find their passion, to be an encouragement to others, and to continue giving back to the community to help make a difference.

WHAT ADVENTURE CHANGED YOUR LIFE? When I was 22 years old, I was

tired of living in the frigid Northeast, so I packed my car and drove to West Palm Beach, Florida. I found an apartment and a job as a conference center manager with Hilton Hotels Corporation. I lived there for ten years and met so many amazing friends, including my husband!

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Old-Fashioned Homemade STRAWBERRY JAM A recipe by Edith Eppley (Dana’s grandmother)

3 PINTS

IN THE

kitchen

INGREDIENTS 6 cups strawberries 3 cups sugar (4 cups if you want jam “gooier”) 3 pint-sized jars 3 tablespoons lemon juice PREPARATION Jars: Wash pint jars, lids, and bands.

Place clean jars in a large pot in at least two inches of boiling water, and place lids in small sauce pan of boiling water. Cover with water and boil for 10 to 15 minutes.

Fruit: Remove green stems and halve or quarter berries with paring knife.

Let strawberries sit until they are room temperature. Place in a sauce pan, and mash with a potato masher.

Add sugar and lemon juice to the fruit in the saucepan.

Turn heat to medium-high and bring fruit mixture to a quick boil, stirring frequently.

Do not let it boil over. Once boiling, turn to low heat, and continue to cook until the sugar dissolves and the fruit and syrup thicken (about 30 minutes). Add more lemon juice to flavor or more sugar to increase “goo.”

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Jam will gel when cooked to 224°F (G R A N D M A ’ S T I P : To be sure your jam gels, place a teaspoon on a cold plate and set it in the freezer for 2 minutes; if the jam gels you are ready to put it in jars—if it doesn’t, cook it just a little longer.).

Pour jam into sterilized jars, to 1/4 inch of the top, and spoon off any foam. Tightly screw lids onto the jars.

Let jars cool to room temperature (G R A N D M A ’ S 2 N D T I P : Press the lids with your finger. If the lids stay down, they are sealed. If you should ever open a jar of jam and find mold on it, throw it out.). Label the jars and enjoy on bread, pancakes, waffles, vanilla ice cream, or just by the spoonful!

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health

Spring Allergy SURVIVAL GUIDE By: Dr. Emily W. Langley

S P R I N G I S U P O N U S , and Lake Norman-area residents agree it's our most beautiful time of year! The days are longer and warmer, and the trees and flowers are blooming.

However, for nearly one-third of you, spring is not enjoyable due to seasonal allergies.

Allergy sufferers experience a range of symptoms including sneezing, itchy and watery eyes, stuffy nose, nasal drainage, fatigue, headache, itchy throat, and even cough and wheezing in severe cases. Not fun! Here are a few ways to combat those spring allergies so you can better enjoy the beauty of the season. Š Poznyakov | Dreamstime.com

Start early.

Treat your allergy symptoms before they begin. If you know the spring season is a difficult time for your allergies, start taking a daily allergy medicine ahead of time. Taking a daily antihistamine or nasal spray can reduce symptoms of seasonal allergies. There are several types of allergy medications in over-thecounter forms, but it is important to talk with your doctor or allergist to find the right medications for you.

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Monitor pollen levels.

Watch pollen levels using our local pollen tracker at www.carolinaasthma. com/pollen-mold-counts.

If you know you are more allergic to certain pollens, limit your exposure when those pollen counts are high. Also, exercising in the evening when pollen counts are lower may be more tolerable.

Stay indoors and limit outside exposure.

Limiting exposure to pollen is the first step in reducing allergy symptoms. Keep your house and car windows closed when pollen counts are high. If you need to get outside for sports or yard work, wear a mask to avoid direct pollen inhalation.

Rain showers can help clear pollen, making the days after a good rain more tolerable for pollen sufferers.

Shower after outdoor activity.

This allows you to rinse away any pollen that may be on your skin and on your hair. Pollen is a sticky substance. You and your animals bring pollen inside and transfer it to your bed or sofa, where continued exposure may cause even more sneezing and congestion. Rinsing off after outdoor activity is an easy and effective way to protect yourself and your family.

Consider seeing an allergist to determine your allergy profile.

This will allow you to understand your pollen triggers and manage your symptoms. Allergy shots or immunotherapy allow patients to control their allergies with less medication and to enjoy activities that they avoid due to their allergies.

Immunotherapy is an individualized therapy, which can provide lifelong results for many allergy sufferers. Also, keep in mind that oral immunotherapy is available for patients with specific allergies, such as grass or ragweed pollen. The important thing to know is that you have to start it several months before pollen season starts.

Dr. Emily W. Langley is a board-certified asthma and allergy specialist at Carolina Asthma and Allergy Center. Areas of specialty include food allergy, drug allergy, venom allergy, and asthma. For more information, visit www.carolinaasthma.com, or call 704.980.8855.

The North Mecklenburg Woman’s Club wishes to express its sincere gratitude to the following 2016-17 Partners and Sponsors:

gh North Mecklenburg WOMAN’S CLUB BRAN C H IN G O U T TO T HE COMMUNITY

GOLD PARTNERS Langtree Plantation

SILVER PARTNERS Christianson Design

Purser Oil Co.

Metrolina Greenhouses

James Funeral Home

SweetNotes

Starr Miller Interior Design

Jeff & Denise Carter

The O’Co

Your Personal Jeweler of Lake Norman

Judith Roberson

North Mecklenburg Woman’s Club PO Box 1872, Huntersville, NC 28070 www.nmwclub.org

Celebrating over 100 years of community service to the Lake Norman area and the support of dozens of local charities

FRIENDS OF NMWC Al’s Auto Repair of Cornelius

Edmond & Lisa Vadnais

Aspire Private Capital, Inc.

Holly Hopkins Jazz

Bill & Dawn Bradford

Jane & Jim McLean

Cantelmi & Associates: Southern Homes of the Carolinas

Janice Caesar & Steve Oliver

Capt. Christopher K Kohlmeir (USMC)

Karen Walker: Halo Hair Salon

CGC Wealth Management Chris & Lauri Kohlmeir

Joe & Cara Devine

Kathy Holden: Home Helpers/ LKN Homecare Keith & Lu Ann Driscoll

Michael Honeycutt: Fisher Phillips Robert Schrader The Grill Doctor

Trisha Rathke: The Travel Planner Victory Chevrolet

Wanda Howell: Alcova Mortgage

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A Novel Approach: How Reading Makes Your Heart Happier

B I B L I OT H E R A P Y I S N OT A N E W C O N C E P T.

For centuries, books have led us in our search for self and greater life meaning. Certainly the self-help section of any book store will amuse and overwhelm even the most ardent reader. But, research says, reading fiction as a direct form of therapy is emerging with new results. Here are a few reasons why: Reading (no surprise) is an escape. As a result, we are able to let go of daily stressors if only for a brief amount of time.

A 2011 study in the Annual Review of Psychology showed that when people read about an experience, they displayed stimulation within the same regions of the brain as when they actually go through the experience themselves.

A similar 2013 study in Science found that reading literary fiction improved participants’ empathy and social perceptions.

Cognitive psychologist and novelist Keith Oatley noted, “We have started to show how identification with fictional characters occurs, how literary art can improve social abilities, how it can move us emotionally, and can prompt changes of selfhood.”

An article in Psychology Today states, “Fictional reading allows us to become more intuitive about other people’s feelings (as well as our own), and to self-reflect on our problems as we read about and empathize with a fictional character who is facing similar problems.”

Reading fiction has been shown to have the same health benefits as meditation. The deep relaxation and inner peace (as well as self-discovery) that accompanies curling up with a good book improves sleep, lowers stress, increases selfesteem, and reduces depression—all good for heart health!

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For more research and articles on bibliotherapy, visit www.psychologytoday.com.

LIFE BY

DESIGN By: Dana Nieters | Photography By: Chelsea Bren

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S

tarr Miller fell in love with design when she was 13 years old,

thanks to the confidence her mother had in her. When Starr was in the seventh grade, her mother allowed her to work with an interior designer to decorate her room. It was at that moment she began to understand that you could express who you are through how you lived—that your designs could reflect your life. Of course, in seventh grade that meant yellow and green contrasting walls and custommade flower power bedspreads!

Despite this early experience, Starr didn’t start her professional life as an interior designer.

In fact, after graduating from the University of Alabama with a degree in business, she began a very successful career managing the merchandising and product selection for some of the nation’s largest retailers and Fortune 500 companies. Part of her job at that time, though, did involve design through the development of products, packaging, store layouts, and store displays. When she decided she had had enough of the corporate life, it was to design that she turned.

With the unequivocal support of her husband, Tom, Starr applied and was accepted to Parsons School of Design in New York City, one of the most prestigious design schools in the country.

For two years, Tom commuted back and forth from their home in Florida to New York, while Starr learned from the industry’s leaders and collaborated with design students from around the world. And though Starr gained invaluable design skills and learned expert techniques while studying at Parsons, she never forgot the lesson she learned as the 13-year-old designer of her own room: that your environment should say loud and clear, “This is me!”

In fact, that lesson was reinforced in one of her very first projects out of Parsons when she designed for an HGTV show called “Save My Bath.” Though she did not actually meet the clients prior to designing, Starr was able to glean a few tidbits about their life through the producer’s interview and a written questionnaire. And "(mom) had an though the project was quite extensive, it was a detail that incredible reflected the couple’s life sense of that made the most impact. style, and Starr recalls: “When I went to the set (their house), the her eye for wife grabbed me to show me all things their wedding invitation. It beautiful, had autumn leaves on it. I had included in the design i think, a special handmade tile that rubbed off had real autumn leaves in on me!” the glass as a focal point. I couldn’t believe how in sync

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we were without ever meeting prior to that day!”

“IT’S PAYING ATTENTION TO THEIR STORY AND THEN TRANSLATING THEIR THOUGHTS AND GOALS— THEIR LIFE— INTO THEIR HOME.”

This focus on collaboration and consultation has stayed with Starr, becoming—and remaining—an integral part of the methodology she uses in her design process, despite the fact that the digital revolution has changed the industry in many ways. While Starr and her team now use a plethora of computer software in all stages of their projects, there is one traditional design instrument that has remained essential: listening to the client. “And it’s not just listening,” Starr notes. “It’s paying attention to their story and then translating their thoughts and goals—their life—into their home.”

Starr and her team start every design process with a questionnaire that helps them to understand how

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clients think: their likes and dislikes, who they are, and what they value in life.

From there, Starr develops a specific, unique design vocabulary for the client that guides design decisions throughout the project—and depending on the scope of that project, there could be tens of thousands of those decisions, big and small.

“Our best projects,” Starr notes, “are the ones in which clients are open to our process … who show us who they are and let us use our imaginations and design skills to bring that out in their homes!”

Starr attributes much of her success (she has won a multitude of national and local awards) to this collaborative business philosophy—well, that and her mother’s unwavering belief in her. “She is the

reason I am confident in myself,” Starr explains.

Ironically, Starr believes that her mother, born in 1924, and whom Starr describes as a “lovely Southern woman” who firmly believed that a woman’s place was in the home, would not have approved of Starr’s decision to move away from Tom those two years and attend design school.

Nevertheless, Starr feels her mother’s influence in all that she does, even her career: “As an adopted child, I was raised being told that I was chosen.

She made sure that we felt loved and special. She was perfect for a little girl because she loved everything girlie.

We went to luncheon fashion shows and antiquing. She had an incredible sense of style, and her eye for all things beautiful, I think, rubbed off on me!”

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5 THINGS AN LKN

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OMAN SHOULD DO IN MAY

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SATURDAY, MAY 7:

HELLO HUNTERSVILLE MUSIC AND ARTS FESTIVAL Downtown Huntersville 2 to 6 p.m.

This annual local arts celebration will include live music, demonstrations, food trucks, arts and crafts vendors, the Huntersville Growers’ Market, and local businesses.

Photo courtesy of Huntersville Parks & Recreation Facebook Page

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S ATURDAY, MAY 13: Photo courtesy of Arvind Bhandari / NCBMF Facebook Page

SAT. & SUN., MAY 12 & 13:

NORTH CAROLINA BREWERS & MUSIC FESTIVAL Historic Rural Hill Noon to 10 p.m.

This two-day festival has 12 great bands and lots of North Carolina ales and lagers—plus a few select out-of-state craft breweries.

Enjoy beer tasting, great food, and kids’ activities. All proceeds will go toward the preservation and advancement of Historic Rural Hill and its mission.

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SHIRLEY’S ANGELS: LOVE YOUR HEADLIGHTS 5K & 5.5 MILER Huntersville Business Park, 9735 Kincey Ave., Huntersville 7:30 a.m. 10K start; 8:45 a.m. 5K start; 9:45 a.m. Fun Run start Registration costs vary; see www.shirleysangels.org.

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SSATURDAY, ATURDAY, MAY 13:

RACE CITY FESTIVAL

Downtown Mooresville 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Photo courtesy

of Shirley's Ange

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Shirley’s Angels Love Your Headlights 5K, 10K, and Fun Run is being held to support Shirley’s Angels, local nonprofit, which helps those battling breast cancer. Music will be provided by 107.9 The Link. There will be medals for all children under 12.

This annual outdoor street fair attracts people from all over every year, showcasing the various cultures, arts, businesses, and people.

The family-oriented festival is held rain or shine. There will be 200 vendor booths, a food court, live entertainment on two stages, and a beer garden.

SATURDAY, MAY 13:

ASIAN FESTIVAL AND DRAGON BOAT RACE

Ramsey Creek Park, 18441 Nantz Rd., Cornelius Festival 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.; heat races start at 9 a.m.

This annual festival is family-oriented for the Asian and the non-Asian communities in and around Mecklenburg County, to celebrate Asian culture and history. The boat race is an exciting team competition, open to anyone 15 and older, which is rich in Chinese tradition. Please note that there is no public parking at Ramsey Creek Park. Organizers say parking is available at Kenton Place at 17220 W. Catawba Ave. with complimentary shuttle service to the festival site.

Photo courtesy of Race City Fesitval Facebook Page

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Our medical team is committed to saving lives through early diagnosis, treatment and prevention of skin cancer. Please find out more on our website.

Cosmetic Procedures Botox® • Juvedérm® • Voluma Kybella® • Dysport® Restylane® • Rejuvapen • SilkPeel® • Chemical Peels Hair Removal • Photorejuvenation • miraDry®/miraSmooth

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Naomi Simon, MD • Scott Paviol, MD Board Certified Dermatologists

Kristin Prochaska, PA-C • Lauren Wilson, PA-C Certified Physician Assistants 128 Medical Park Road, Suite 201 Mooresville, NC 28117 MooresvilleDermCenter.com

704.235.1827 MAY 2017 |

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““ Scene

WITH

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BE SCENE

LAKE NORMAN WOMAN is getting out and about each month, looking for great events and the fabulous and exciting Lake Norman people who are making them happen! So next time you’re at a chamber event, a new business in the area, or just out having fun, look for Lake Norman Woman and our camera. Who knows, you just might

find yourself in next month’s “SCENE

WITH LAKE NORMAN WOMAN!”

LKNW’s Michele and Dana with Claudia Kepner, from Raymer-Kepner Funeral Home, and Julie Mills, owner of Progressive Pilates, which hosted a private ride for the grand opening of CYCLEBAR Lake Norman LKNW’s Michele with Cara Dempsey and Christina Melton, from Nue Brows to Brazilians Beaute Bar in Huntersville

LKNW’s Chelsea with her baby shower cupcakes from Smallcakes in Huntersville

View more Scene photos & more at our Facebook page: Facebook.com/ LakeNormanWoman

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LKNW’s Chelsea, Michele, Dana, and Amy at a staff lunch at EeZ in Birkdale

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{ H E R E she I S }

AN LKN WOMAN WHO PERSONIFIES WHAT MAKES LAKE NORMAN WOMEN SO GREAT

What do you like most about owning your own business? I love being able to parlay my experiences and business acumen as a vice president for a Fortune 500 Company to assuring the success of my own businesses. I enjoy seeing and benefitting from the fruits of my labor, knowing that I have two successful businesses that were organically grown from the ground up.

How do you manage both operating a business and your family responsibilities? I have assistance from

my parents, who live nearby. They help a lot with caring for our daughter, AydenElizabeth. Also, I stay extremely organized in every aspect of my life since my time is so valuable and limited!

What keeps you motivated? I am motivated by the overwhelming desire to build a legacy for my daughter.

Entrepreneurship is a way of life! My parents taught me of its importance in building personal wealth, and I want to pass that lesson—and that gift—on to my daughter.

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i am an LKN oman because…

I love that Lake Norman is such a warm and caring community with great activities, shopping boutiques, and great restaurants. This is an overall great area to raise a family!

tiffany

SUBER-RIDDLE

H O M E TO W N : C H A R L OT T E

L K N TO W N : H U N T E R S V I L L E

H O U S E H O L D : H U S B A N D DAV E , DA U G H T E R AY D E N - E L I Z A B E T H R I D D L E , AND BICHON FRISE, JAXSON

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Has anyone inspired you along the way? I’m inspired by my husband, Dave! He

literally built Two Strong Dudes from the ground up, starting with only a car and a handtruck. Today we have 15 employees.

What would our readers be surprised to know about you? I am a classically

trained pianist and a lover of classical music.

What are your favorite motherdaughter activities? My daughter and I

love to go roller skating, and I am teaching her to play the piano. My mother and I love to play checkers and go shopping for knickknacks. We also have a strong love for, and desire to give back to, our communities. We give our time to organizations and causes that are impressionable upon us.

Tiffany Suber-Riddle is the co-owner and director of business operations of Two Strong Dudes Moving Company and Carolina Cleaning Solutions, LLC, with her husband, Dave. For more information, visit www.twostrongdudesmoving.com, www.carolinacleaningsolutions.com, or call 704.777.7533.

BY: DANA NIETERS | PHOTOGRAPHY BY: LISA CRATES PHOTOGRAPHY

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How Does Your

Garden Grow?

The springtime beauty of the Piedmont’s flora and fauna makes it perfectly clear why there is truly nothing finer than to be in Carolina. Below are some sun-loving blooms that will look fantastic in your garden right through fall no matter how hot or humid the weather gets this year.

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Love butterflies and hummingbirds as well as beautiful blooms? Then you’ll love the Penta—its blooms are irresistible to them. Named for their five-pointed petals on the flowers, the plants come in a profusion of colors and can add year-round color and texture to your landscape.

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The large, daisy-like orange flower of the

“Tiki Torch” Echinacea is vivid and

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You’ll have cheery pink or beautiful red blooms with the Mandevilla Vogue.

It’s an upright vine with gorgeous trumpetshaped flowers that bloom all summer long.

And it’s great in hot, humid areas like the Piedmont of North Carolina. This plant grows 18 to 24 inches tall and is ideal for large containers and hanging baskets in sunny locations around your garden.

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maintains its color over a long period. Bold and beautiful, the tall clumps stand erect, holding large, single flowers well above the foliage. It will produce plenty of nectar that attracts bees, butterflies, and other insects into your garden as well as goldfinches in the fall and winter.

5 With flashes of red and yellow in its daisy flowers, Coreopsis is prized for its dependable nature. It has a long bloom period and is generally trouble-free and easy to grow as it’s tolerant of a variety of soil types and environmental conditions. Another common name is tickseed.

3 Peacock White Phlox has a vivid, fresh, bright tone, and the blooms are long lasting and have a bewitching fragrance that’s attractive to bees, butterflies, and birds. This easy-care perennial produces tall wands of white blooms from midsummer through fall.

It will also make a terrific cut flower.

6 Scaevola is an evergreen perennial with spoon-shaped leaves and fan-shaped bluish flowers that are heat and drought tolerant. It will produce an abundance of lavender-blue or white fan-like blooms all summer. It’s great in sunny gardens and is ideal for cascading from pots and baskets in hot, dry spots that are difficult to keep watered.

Self

When A Car Service Is Right For You

BUSINESS TRAVELERS ARE MOST FAMILIAR WITH THE IDEA OF A CAR SERVICE. WITH THE RIGHT TRANSPORTATION COMPANY, THEY KNOW THE HASSLE-FREE PLEASURE OF DOOR-TO-DOOR SERVICE IS SIMPLE, EASY, AND CONVENIENT. BUT ANYONE CAN BENEFIT FROM A CAR SERVICE—AND IN MANY SITUATIONS.

DO YOU TRAVEL TO THE AIRPORT? WHETHER YOUR FAMILY IS COMING INTO TOWN OR YOU ARE SENDING YOURS OUT OF TOWN, A CAR SERVICE CAN BE A GREAT ASSET. CONSIDER HOW GREAT IT WOULD BE IF YOUR NEXT TRIP, WHETHER BUSINESS OR PLEASURE, DIDN’T INCLUDE:

. Fighting the road construction and traffic back ups . Begging family and friends for a ride to the airport . Having to find a parking spot . Waiting for that awful shuttle bus . Loading and unloading your luggage . Trying to remember where you parked when you return INSTEAD, YOU COULD ENJOY:

© Candybox Images | Dreamstime.com

EVEN IF YOU ARE NOT A TRAVELER,

consider using a car service as your “designated driver” for:

*

. Date night . Concerts . Sporting events . Uptown with friends . An evening at the theater . Museums . Fun in Birkdale Village . NASCAR . A shopping day at the outlet malls

. A trip to the vineyards

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. Being picked up at your front door . Eliminating that extra time for parking and shuttling to the airport . Having your luggage taken care of for you . A bottle of water or cup of coffee waiting for you in the back seat . A quiet, smooth ride in a well-maintained vehicle . A quick nap or a jump on the day’s email—or a favorite game on your device . Being dropped off right at the curb in front of your departing airline door . Round-trip ground transportation reserved with just one phone call Another reason to consider a car service is if you have had surgery and cannot yet drive to work. Or your aging parents need help getting to their doctor appointments, the pharmacy, and grocery store. Or your child needs to get home from college for break.

The right car service is an invaluable number to keep on hand.

Kim Ebersberger-Heil owns Car-olina Car Service, based in Davidson and serving the Lake Norman area. For more information, visit www.car-olina.com, or call 704.589.1548.

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christina MELTON LKNW RECOGNIZES A WOMAN DOING EXCEPTIONAL WORK IN THE LAKE NORMAN COMMUNITY, A LEADER WHO IS PAVING THE WAY TO CHANGING OUR ATTITUDES AND INSPIRING CONFIDENCE IN THE FUTURE.

on FOLLOWING HER PASSION: In college, I was an elementary education major, but I soon realized it wasn’t my passion. With the encouragement of some of my best friends, I decided to pursue a career in the beauty industry. I always enjoyed making other people look and feel beautiful, and 15 years later, I am happy I made that decision. I found that I can make other women feel beautiful by giving them a gorgeous set of brows. Brows, especially, can dramatically change the appearance of a woman’s face. It can be life changing for some and is always a confidence booster!

Christina Melton Nue' Brows to Brazilians Salon HUNTERSVILLE, NC

on ACHIEVING BALANCE: I am the proud mother of 9-year-old, identical twin boys, Brayden and Maddox; and a perfect day is spending time with them, whether it be on the lake, at the beach, or just taking a swim at the neighborhood pool. We spend as much time outside as possible. When I am home with my sons, they’re my focus. But when I am at Nue’, my main focus is Nue’ and our amazing clients. The balance between my work and personal lives makes me a better esthetician and a better mother. on LIVING LIFE “BIG”: My dear friend, co-worker, and the founder of Nue’ Brows to Brazilians, Olivia Chapa-Baltimore, knew how to live life big. She worked hard but knew how to enjoy life and have fun. She followed her dreams, made them a reality, and showed me that you literally can do anything you set your mind to. She made me want to be better at everything.

After she passed, I realized I could no longer wait for life to happen, I had to make it happen—I had to be bold, challenge myself, have fun, and enjoy every second. on MOM: The lesson my mother taught me that has stuck with me the most is the importance of honesty and integrity. She and I are both strong willed, determined people, but we enjoy spending time away from it all at my grandparents’ beach house in Oak Island. It is so peaceful and relaxing there.

Christina Melton is the manager of Nue’ Brows to Brazilians Salon in Lake Norman, located at 9121 Sam Furr Rd., Ste. 103, in Huntersville. Christina is the lead esthetician in performing Nue’s 3D eyebrow embroidery microblading service.

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By: Dana Nieters | Photography By: Bridgette Aikens

Children’s Resale Sizes 0-14

20% off entire purchase Not valid with any other coupons or promotions. One coupon per customer.

LKNW-3/17 Expires 7/31/17

Stock up for summer!

Tank Tops • Sleeveless Tops • T-shirts Dresses • Skirts • Swim Wear Jeans • Khakis • Capris • Shorts Sandals • Athletic Shoes • Bows Equipment • toys & so much more!

MOTHER’S DAY GIVEAWAY: Visit our Facebook or website for details on how to enter!

10035 Biddick Lane, Huntersville | 704-237-4441 Northcross Shopping Center (beside Staple’s)

childrensorchard.com | find us on

MAY 2017 |

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AMY HALLMAN reviews The Carolina Table: North Carolina Writers on Food edited by Randall Kenan

a book

LOOK

B E C A U S E O F A L L T H E negative press that our state has endured in the last year, a book that spotlighted Southern food, and specifically North Carolina, wasn’t something I was necessarily eager to read. But I soon realized that The Carolina Table: North Carolina Writers on Food Food, edited by Randall Kenan and published by Eno Publishers in Hillsborough was a welcomed delight to my literary tastebuds.

Right off, readers may think this is another cookbook. It’s not. There are only nine recipes—but they illustrate the saying, “Less is more.” The recipes included in this book are steeped in memories of love and family. I learned terms (foodway) and concepts (microregional Southern food); and after reading Fran McCullough’s robust discussion about the different theories of preparing butter beans, I was believing that even I could cook them.

This collection of stories, poems, and excerpts has none of the frontporch-sittin’, seed-spittin’ stereotypes.

The contributors represent different aspects of our great state: different counties, different towns, different places in time. Diya Abdo reminds us of food as currency, sometimes even as weapon. Emily Wallace pays homage to ToastChee’s—and Lance

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Corporation’s—Charlotte history. And Wayne Caldwell reminds us: “At this table we ate, pasted S&H Green Stamps into premium booklets, and studied our Sunday school lessons” (29).

The book also includes realistic dialogue that is celebrated, not mocked, (“‘y’all’es food,’” p. 52). Every piece has vivid character descriptions, such as Rivenbark’s “[Annie Faye] reminded me of those owls that people put on their houses to scare off woodpeckers. She never moved but she was working all the time” (53).

Though much of the food mentioned in this book does not have a companion recipe, readers still see, feel, and smell— and even taste—everything: “The inlaid glass sideboard was majestic with a centerpiece of magnolia, camellia, and gardenia blossoms fresh-cut from my grandmother’s flower garden, and cutglass pedestals of scrumptious coconut cake, frosted lemon pound petit fours, homemade mints (pink, green, yellow), fresh strawberries, chocolate-covered peanuts, and my grandmother’s famous secret-recipe egg custard” (14). Similarly, Jill McCorkle shares such a personal story of her own mother’s dementia, that by the time readers turn the page to Annie Collins’ Pound Cake recipe, they feel part of the family.

There’s just something magical in the lines: “When my precious daughter, Imani, died, people came with their stories of her life neatly folded in the corners of picnic baskets. They delivered their stories of her whimsy, her sass, and her bravado rolled inside a fresh loaf of sourdough bread, slithering across roasted vegetables laced with slow drizzling balsamic, baked inside a piping hot strawberry rhubarb pie” (Green 17).

And it wouldn’t be a Southern food collection without Crisco—although, as with any good book, there’s a twist: it is “The Gift of Crisco.” Just reading this book and its decadent descriptions, I’ve taken in so much good food that I’ve forgotten about my own lunch a time or two. I’m fed. And I’m as convinced as ever that grits don’t get enough love.

VISIT OUT OF TIME ESCAPE

ESCAPE www.outoftimeescape.com

MAY 2017 |

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health

Do I Really Need a Gynecologist?

By: Dr. Yvette E. Bessent

Insurance costs have gone up, “high” deductible plans have become a mainstay of health care, and preventive care has sometimes become a hassle to schedule, as well as a financial drain.

M E D I C I N E H A S C H A N G E D A LOT I N T H E L A S T F E W Y E A R S .

done based on each woman’s individual risk factors.

The famous “Annual Pap” isn’t annual anymore! In 2012, changes to the screening guidelines for women vastly changed how the pap smear is used. The “gynecology annual” is important and consists of a complete history, evaluation of possible problems, physiciandirected breast exam, cursory total body exam, and specific exam of the female organs.

© Olena Yakobchuk | Dreamstime.com

It’s no wonder that many women are now attempting to “package” their health care, combining their gynecologic needs with their primary care visit. After all, doctors are pretty much the same. Do women really need a separate physician for their gynecology?

Once physicians complete medical school, they then embark on a path to specialize and be considered expert. Gynecologists have chosen to deal only with women, to address their issues, complaints, and perspective. As new concepts occur, gynecologists have the most up to date information on what those are and how to interpret them.

Did you know that for the first time, the method in which women are screened for cervical cancer has changed? The old edict “Women need a yearly pap screen” is a thing of the past, and now screening is

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Unlike in the past, the gynecologic review no longer definitely involves a “pap smear,” the test to evaluate the risk of cervical cancer.

This test involves specifically sampling the cervix with a brush or broom, collecting it in a liquid medium, and then separating other aspects of the sample from what needs to be seen for the identification of precancerous cells. We now have the ability to check the sample for high-risk components due to virus.

Based on these findings, women are now screened with pap smears only every three to five years from the age of 30 to 65. Younger women do not start the pap test until age 21 and should also adhere to a three-year interval.

This virus, the human papillomavirus, or HPV, leaves a viral message when acquired that may come and go throughout a woman’s life and is checked at intervals to assess its presence. Yearly testing is no longer appropriate automatically and should only be performed in women with risk factors.

As medical technology advances, the average woman’s ability to interpret the changes becomes more challenging.

Preventive health care for women requires a detailed evaluation of multiple factors.

Primary care involves the prevention of heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity, and other widespread complaints. Gynecology, however, involves a thorough appreciation not only of each woman’s current status, but the appropriate interpretation of current medical literature to apply the best care.

Dr. Yvette E. Bessent, FACOG, is a local physician practicing at Northcross ObGyn, 16455 Statesville Rd., Ste. 400, Huntersville. For more information, call 704.801.2130.

Sex doesn’t have to be painful!

MonaLisa Touch laser therapy is a procedure postmenopausal women and breast cancer survivors call “life-changing.”

MonaLisa Touch is a gentle fractional CO2 laser that stimulates the cells in the vaginal wall to yield a noticeably healthier vagina. The laser energy is virtually painless. Similar to your annual exam, the physician will insert the probe into your vagina and deliver laser energy pulses.

The entire procedure takes less than 10 minutes, but can give you back the intimacy you both want!

Call TODAY For Our FREE SEMINAR May 9 @ 5:30 With Dr. Vickie Lovin

Pure Reflection Spa for Wellness

915 Tate Blvd SE | Suite 174 • Hickory, NC 28602 • (828) 345-1290 MAY 2017 |

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SHE’S MY HERO:

Bobbie Gettler

LKN TOWN:

Mooresville NOMINATED BY:

Michael Gettler, her husband

REASON FOR NOMINATION:

"Bobbi is a hero to so many people … those she helps through her work, her family, her friends, and anyone in need.

Most of all, she is a hero to me!"

She is ambitious.

Since leaving Lowe’s, Bobbie has started two successful businesses: a consulting company for retail vendors and a kickboxing franchise.

She puts family first.

Bobbie has employed all of her children to help them along in their lives and to give them desperately needed business experience.

She is a go-getter.

Bobbie worked her way up through Lowe’s Home Improvement Company to become a major player in the merchandising division. She managed several multi-million dollar divisions and was recognized as merchant of the year for her efforts.

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She’s always there when you need her.

Bobbie is always looking to help those in need. To know her is to also know that she is incredibly generous—she would give the shirt off her back to help someone in need.

WHO’S YOUR HERO?

If you have an LKNWoman hero in your life, tell us all about her. Email Dana at dana@lakenormanwoman.com with My Hero in the subject line.

Asthma & Allergy Center of Lake Norman is becoming Carolina Asthma & Allergy Center Beginning April 3, 2017 2017, offices of Asthma & Allergy Center of Lake Norman in Mooresville and Huntersville will become part of Carolina Asthma & Allergy Center. As members of the CAAC family, Christina Collura, DO, MPH, FAAAI, FACAAI and Julia Parkhurst MS, PA-C will continue to provide the personalized care and service patients expect at the same locations and office hours, while enjoying system, support, and process improvements that Carolina Asthma & Allergy Center will provide.

We look forward to offering additional convenience, technology, and support through this merger.

Huntersville Office 15940-C Northcross Drive Huntersville, NC 28078

Mooresville Office 311 Williamson Rd, Suite 100 Mooresville, NC 28117

TO

breathe Âť live Âť thrive | www.carolinaasthma.com

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…

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MIND body spirit better me

better you

better world

This Year, Celebrate You! By: Julie Mills

T H I S M O N T H , we honor the woman who gives tirelessly to her children and family. She makes sure that the clothes are clean, meals are prepared, homework is done, the house is clean, everyone gets to their activities and doctor appointments, her professional responsibilities are met, and on and on and on. She is Mom. Where would we be without her?!

As women, we put our family’s needs ahead of our own every day of every week of every month of the year. It’s what we do, right? One of the biggest challenges for moms (and women, in general) is achieving a balanced life that allows us to meet our work obligations, family responsibilities, pursue outside interests, enjoy friendships, and take care of our health and wellbeing. With all the pressures of everyday life, we tend to let our personal interests and self-care take a backseat to the needs of everyone else in our lives.

Unfortunately, putting everyone else’s needs above yours every day can leave you feeling depleted. While your loved ones

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are thriving, you are running on empty.

What can you do about this? How can you feel like your needs are being met, too?

Here is an idea: On this Mother’s Day, I encourage you to give yourself permission to be just a little more selfish. That’s right, I said it … selfish. Just a little bit. So many women feel guilty if they take some time to put their own needs at the top of the list—even if it’s only for one hour a week.

Then, there’s the planning that goes into just carving out an hour a week … but it is so worth it.

Making yourself a priority can do so much for your body, mind, and spirit. Taking an hour for a Pilates session has obvious benefits for the body. We know that it will make you stronger physically but the emotional benefits are just as significant.

Joseph Pilates said, “It is the mind itself that shapes the body.” So, doesn’t it make sense that, if you give your mind a break from your hectic day to reconnect with your body, you will leave that session feeling renewed and ready to tackle what life sends your way? Our clients find that it rejuvenates them and allows them to

be more productive than they would be if they didn’t take that time.

Of course, I use the Pilates example because I’m a little biased—it’s my business! But if Pilates isn’t your thing, I get it. What is it that you are missing the most? Is it a walk in the park (without your phone)? Is it another form of exercise that energizes you? Is it getting together with a friend that you haven’t seen in a while? Maybe, you and that friend can take a walk together (again, without the phones)—you both would feel better physically and emotionally.

Give yourself permission to take care of you … your family will, in the end, thank you.

Julie Mills is the owner and a certified Pilates instructor at Progressive Pilates, LLC, in Cornelius.

For more information, visit www.progressive-pilates.com, or call 704.987.5005.

©Andybor | Dreamstime.com

THE MIND, BODY, AND SPIRIT ARE INTIMATELY CONNECTED. Because unhealthy thoughts and emotions can create a vicious cycle that leads to unhealthy physical patterns, we can choose a victorious path that includes a positive, healing, uplifting spiral. By mixing the ingredients of attitude and action, we can change the flavor of our own lives. Learn to nurture your body and soul to lead a more balanced life.

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MAY 2017 |

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The world's smartest people have found that a SMILE is THE MOST attractive physical feature

Spring is a time for new Smiley beginnings To all our peeps, getting your smile enhanced will brighten your life. After all, it's science.

(Also, bring in these marshmallow treats for Dr. Matt at the exam and you will receive a discount as they are his fave sweet treat.)

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