Lifestyle UNION
A-Mazing field of fall fun. Martha Stewart and me. ‘Tag, you’re it,’ say new authors. Not eggs-actly 46,800,000 eggs. Sept./Oct. 2012 t www.UnionLifestyle.com
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Lifestyle UNION
46,800,000 eggs roll out of Union County – but who’s counting!
Contents Union Lifestyle September/October 2012
8
19
The art of balancing work and life.
Mother-daughter team brings art walk
10
21
‘Tag teaming’ to write a children’s book.
South African volunteer role changes her life.
Nancy E. Stephen
12
24
Union Lifestyle
Artist tackles a new role – illustrating a children’s book.
Mom turns triathlete to raise funds for non-profits.
14
26
Turning a cornfield into an A-Mazing site.
Seek out Thai-Viet in Indian Trail; you’ll be glad you did.
16
28
Vineyard’s treehouse a special little treat.
26 entertaining and fun things to do in Union County.
September/October 2012 Vol. 1, No. 6
Editor Nancy E. Stephen
Contributing Writers Deb Coates Bledsoe Luanne Williams
Photographers
to Downtown Monroe.
Deb Coates Bledsoe
A publication of Cameo Communications, LLC PO Box 1064 Monroe, NC 28111-1064 (704) 753-9288 www.UnionLifestyle.com
www.facebook.com/ UnionLifestyle
On the cover A child runs through the corn maze at Aw Shucks Farms on Plyler Mill Road, just outside of Monroe.
26 Oct.
Union Lifestyle l September/October 2012 3
Editor’s Letter: My BFF Martha and The magazine mogul and millionaire celebrity homemaker Martha Stewart and I have a very lot in common; it’s quite amazing.
“Remember, you are weeding and pruning, not tarring the roof,” the article begins. Within one paragraph, we read about editor and writer Katharine White tending her Maine flowerbeds in Ferragamo shoes and cotton dresses. I wear cotton, too, but my current gardening shoes came from Walmart’s clearance section.
We’re both blonde (and I’m betting there’s a tad of color on her locks, too.) Our birthdays are five days (but a few years) apart. We both publish magazines – her Martha Stewart Living had a circulation of 2,060,304 in 2011 and my Union Lifestyle has a few hundred (thousand) fewer. We both lived in West Virginia, although I was born in the Mountain State and have never lived at the federal women’s prison there.
In her July magazine, Martha outdid me again. There’s a very short story
“While gardening clothes should be comfortable and washable and, ideally, protect you from sun and insects, they shouldn’t prevent you from inviting a friend to lunch to admire the fruits of
called “Garden Getups,” which I found to be a catchy little headline. Obviously she didn’t write the article or take the photographs, but. . . .
your labor,” the article concludes. I probably won’t invite friends to join me for a garden brunch after I weed the flowerbeds, unless they’re willing to
make my own stock, it takes seven hours less time.
We both like to cook, throw parties, decorate and garden, albeit on different scales. While she apparently raises chickens on her upscale New England estate, I have approximately 30 goats, one llama and a lot of transient geese on my Unionville property. I feel certain that just as I am not raising the goats, she really is not raising the chickens! But along with those similarities, Martha and I (we’re good friends, as you might imagine) have many differences. Years ago, when I first saw her television program, I was amazed and stunned. She made beef stock, which I could almost smell, and she gushed loving descriptions of the bits of charred meat from the roasted beef bones. Although the program was just 30 minutes long, the stock itself took more than eight hours. And that’s when my eyes glazed over. Obviously, she has a lot more time on her hands than I do. I typically use the low-sodium canned type, but when I do
4 Union Lifestyle l September/October 2012
d me settle for grocery store iced tea and a few stale crackers. I don’t dress as snappily as Martha when she poses for photos in her garden, but I do have some rather spectacular garden getups. Maybe not in her definition of “spectacular,” but still spectacular. And I don’t – and won’t – spend the money she recommends on gardening outfits. Last year’s sale items (below right) will do just fine, thank you very much. Editor@UnionLifestyle.com
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46,800,
(plus or m
roll out e By Luanne Williams
Y
our hands may have been the first to touch the egg you cracked for today’s breakfast omelet. It’s just between you and the hen at Simpson’s Eggs, a hightech family-owned egg business that supplies more than 4.5 million eggs each year to grocery store chains, small food service operations and the public. The ultra-modern systems at Simpson’s can take a fresh-laid egg through the necessary washing, weighing and quality control checkpoints, tuck it gently into a carton and send it on its way to the grocery shelf in about 48 hours without it ever having been touched by human hands. That’s quite a change from when Richard Simpson’s grandfather, Z.K. Simpson, began hauling eggs to Charlotte in the early 1920s. “He started delivering eggs in a 1925 Tmodel touring Ford,” Richard said. “He carried eggs to Charlotte as a way to get through the Depression.” Richard was 10 years old when his father and Z.K.’s son, Leroy, gave up crop farming and turned his full
6 Union Lifestyle l September/October 2012
attention to the family egg business. By the time Richard was 22, the farm was home to 20,000 laying hens.
Fast-forward another four decades, the bird count is roughly 1.2 million and the business produces, processes, packages and distributes about 900,000 eggs per week. Simpson’s Eggs supplies so-called “hen fruit” to some 300 Food Lion stores, ships two to three loads to Florida each week and sends about 20 loads a year to foreign markets. They also sell to Sam’s Club, Compare Foods, small food service operations and the public. As vice president and general manager, Richard attributes the firm’s success to his parents’ leadership and looks forward to passing the baton to the next generation. “When I got out of school and started here, we lost all of our business during the first six months I was here,” Richard said, laughing. “We struggled, but we made it through, regained some business, added some new customers and those grew.”
,000 eggs
minus a few)
each year soon packed, 30 dozen per case, and headed out the door. Simpson’s has enough cold storage to hold about 10,000 cases, but the goal is to keep the eggs headed out and on their way to the consumer, especially since chickens don’t seem to understand scheduled “days off.” “We can stop for Sunday and do OK,” Richard said, “but if we have to stop production for an extra day, we can’t catch up with the eggs in a week, even running 16-hour days.” While he still enjoys the work, the 61-year-old has given up many management responsibilities. A bout with meningitis last year proved that the operation could survive without him. “I’m not ready to give it up and retire yet, but I am getting ready to unload a little more,” he said. “It’s been a learning experience,” he added, reflecting on the operation that now employs 45 full-time workers. His father, Leroy, was active until recent health concerns and his mother, Nell, keeps the general ledger.
For more on Simpson’s Eggs, see www.SimpsonsEggs.com. To buy fresh eggs, visit the plant at 5015 Hwy. 218 East, Monroe. Luanne Williams is a former newspaper editor and a freelance writer.
Swing by
It’s their legacy he plans to hand down to another generation of egg growers, including his son, Alex, the farm’s production manager; and son-in-law, Jake Simmons, who heads up sales.
Monroe Country Club
Currently, Simpson’s buys baby chicks, grows them to 18 weeks of age and then moves them to the plant where each of the 3- to 3.5-pound birds will lay about 270 eggs a year.
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With the touch of a button at the plant, Simpson can monitor environmental conditions in the chicken houses and see how many eggs the 15 white flocks and two brown flocks are sending toward the processing facility at any given time. A conveyor system allows fine-tuning so that some 14,000 eggs per hour roll decorously into the plant. After being washed and sanitized, eggs are carried past a series of cameras used to detect any dirt. Then it’s on past ultrasound equipment that identifies cracked eggs and sends the others on toward the scales.
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Includes greens fee and cart. M-F all day, S-S after noon. Call for a tee time. Must present coupon to receive offer.
The good eggs move along to their proper size cartons and are
Union Lifestyle l September/October 2012 7
Contribute d
T
he kids are clamoring for your attention. The dog wants to be fed. The washer’s off-balance buzzer is about to drive you nuts and, oh yes, you didn’t finish today’s work that a client expects to see at 9 a.m. tomorrow. Is that normal life or is that a life out of control? More importantly, is that your life? Articles abound that suggest life is overwhelming many of us and that unrelenting stress is jeopardizing our health. What do we do? It’s easy to rhetorically throw up our hands in despair, but that doesn’t get us anywhere. Dana Lehnhardt, an attorney in Monroe, doesn’t claim to have all the answers, but she 8 Union Lifestyle l September/October 2012
The art of balancing work and life photo
Dana Lehnhardt enjoys a game of laser tag with her sons, Joey and Drew.
does have a few that work for her. She’s created eight steps to a better-balanced life, which she recently shared at a Women in Business program of the Union County Chamber of Commerce. If you follow her on Facebook, you know that Dana practices what she preaches. Somehow the 39-year-old manages to juggle home life with her husband, Karl, and their two boys – Joey, 10, and Drew, 7; her role as a partner at Stepp Lehnhardt Law Group; occasional evenings with the girls and frequent family vacations. And she keeps on smiling. Here are her tips to balancing work and life.
1
Show appreciation Count your blessings and express gratitude frequently, whether it’s to your child who put away his toys, an associate who handled a work situation in your absence or your spouse. It is said that we treat our spouses worse than everyone else simply because we’ve become accustomed to them. They deserve appreciation, too, sometimes for just putting up with us.
2
3 4 5 6 7 8 Be nice
Our mothers told us this continuously, and they were right. Praise others whenever possible. Save your energy for the positive; don’t join in with negativity. Avoid passing on rumors or engaging in pettiness. It’s just not worth it!
Give back
Everyone has something to give to his community, whether it’s time or money. Giving to others helps us put our own lives in perspective.
Delegate and ask for help
This is difficult for most of us, but it shouldn’t be. Our friends, family and co-workers want to help us when we need that extra little bit of assistance – we just have to ask. When someone offers help, take it; they’re offering because they want to help.
Plan your days
Our lives are so busy, it’s no wonder that we can’t keep everything we need to do in our heads. So don’t even try; use schedules, lists and reminders – or all three – whatever works for you.
Unplug
It’s as if we’re tethered to our work by electronics. Remember when we didn’t have cell phones? Today we have phones that do everything but tie our shoes. Turn everything off after work or at a designated time and fill that unplugged time with core habits that work for you.
Learn to say no
Just because someone asks doesn’t mean you have to do what they ask. Evaluate each request and choose what you do, keeping in mind your other commitments to family, friends and work.
Know where you are in life and what your current goals are
The goals you had when you were 20 probably aren’t the goals you currently have, so create new ones and embrace them. Life is a circle, not a straight line. There’s no goal line that you have to reach. As we approach middle age, our needs change just as our lives have changed. Consider where you are in your career or life goals and modify as needed.
Union Lifestyle l September/October 2012 9
Women ‘tag team’ to write first children’s novel Laura Schmitt reads “Oscar” to a somewhat squirmy audience: neighbor Jack Waldbillig, 5; daughter Scarlett, 7 months, and son Jacob, 2 1/2.
T
ag, you’re it! Laura Schmitt and Jennifer Hendrix used a version of the child’s game as they wrote their first children’s book – “Oscar.” It’s not a process many authors could use, but for them, “somehow it worked,” commented Laura, a Monroe resident. The two, close friends since meeting 15 years ago at Appalachian University, talked almost every day, despite Jennifer living in Chapel Hill. “We talked about writing books,” explained Laura, “not about what type, but we both loved writing. “One day, we both had an inspiration about a children’s book – not the same book, though. Hers was about a little boy who asks his mother ‘what is a soul.’ She can’t quite answer, so it sends him on a journey to find out what a soul is,” Laura said. Her own idea involved the symbolism of a spider, “how we weave our own destiny in life.” They combined ideas and “Oscar” was born in January 2011. “We said ‘OK, let’s write this out and email to each other.’ We never sat down and planned it; we never brainstormed in the traditional fashion. “I wrote the beginning of the book. When I realized that 10 Union Lifestyle l September/October 2012
nothing was coming to me, I’d pass it to her. It’s been literally a sharing back and forth” by email. “It’s been perfect; Jennifer would always know what should come next.” Within two months, the writing was finished and the coauthors started on the next books. “We did envision a series almost immediately,” Laura said. “We could feel, as we were writing this, that it wouldn’t finish in one book.” Meanwhile, Laura discovered artist Bill Colt, who after reading the book, agreed to create the illustrations. They selfpublished the book last fall through Balboa Press, which printed an initial 500 copies. “We know we have something really special; we really feel it,” Laura said. “There’s nothing really like this book. There are a lot of books about doing the right thing, but most are all non-fiction. We thought this would be a more fun and exciting way that kids will relate to and enjoy. “I think as we go on our journeys as adults, we would like to empower children from a young age that they do create their own life, that they can have whatever life they want, choose how they feel, bring good things to themselves.” The softbound book was “very much a labor of love,” Laura says, but not a painful one. “Even when we were working on it, it didn’t feel like work. Sometimes still, I see it and gasp, ‘it’s really here, it’s really a book’.” “Oscar” is available through Balboa Press, Amazon and Barnes & Noble and some local stores.
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By Nancy E. Stephen
I
and illustrated a couple of children’s books – years ago – but have done nothing with them, never submitted them. They’re collecting dust in my studio,” he said.
When the paintings were complete, he finished them with varnish to give the deeper, richer colors of oil paint. It was a fun project, “but boy, there’s a lot of it . . . it’s a lot of work involved.”
Book illustration a lot of fun but a lot of work
t started when Laura Schmitt met Monroe artist Bill Colt at a downtown Monroe art event and asked what kind of art he did. Bill quipped, “pretty good art.” That began a partnership and friendship between Laura, who with Jennifer Hendrix was polishing their first children’s book, and Bill, who became the book’s illustrator. Bill is known locally and out west – where his work is shown in four galleries – for mixed media paintings of acrylic on textured canvasses layered with joint compound, raw cactus, cheesecloth and scraps of wood – not the typical medium for children’s book illustrations. He was concerned that his style would not be adaptable to a children’s book, where illustrations “are tight and hardedged,” Bill explained. “From day one, Laura said ‘That’s not what we want. We want loose, something that’s not your typical children’s book’.” It was anything but a quick decision for Bill to illustrate the book. In fact, he remembers his first response as a flat “no,” he says laughing. “It took a lot of persuading for me to do it. Sometimes I say I should have my head examined for doing it.” After reading the book, he signed on, maybe because it reminded him of his own earlier projects. “I have written
“I thought it would be good to do something like this book; it’s different from what I do. “I started thinking about what the illustrations would look like and began sketching. The book is esoteric, about soul and with a lot of conversation. “But there are a lot of animals – frog, deer, a spider – and the little boy, Oscar.” After 30 to 40 sketches, the trio reviewed his work. From then, it was Bill Colt in his studio for two weeks. Although his paintings typically feature collages of photos on top of textured canvas, he eliminated the collages to keep the art cleaner, less cluttered for their final eight-inch square format.
12 Union Lifestyle l September/October 2012
A corporate pilot for a Charlotte firm, Bill flies executives across North America as his “real job.” Sometimes it’s a normal day job; other times he’s gone for nine or 10 days at a stretch or he’s in his studio painting because a pilot isn’t needed. He started painting “a long time ago,” when he was about 7 years old. After his mother saw him copying Superman comics, she immediately enrolled him in a museum art school, where his love of art blossomed. That love continued through an art major in college and to today, where at age 64, Bill still “loves” painting. “If I’m not working, I’m down at the studio six or seven hours a day. I love it.” While he illustrated “Oscar” as a spec job, Bill’s paintings sell for upwards of $4,000 each.
Proud to present
‘She made the sun stand still . . .’
the 5th Annual Alex Kahle Memorial Scholarship Golf Tournament. October 22 l Rolling Hills Country Club
We invite you to join this fun event that benefits Union County Christmas Parade Princesses. Call us for an entry form or email AlexKahleMemorial@gmail.com.
Serving our community with pride! American Red Cross Union Symphony Orchestra Monroe Rotary Union County Community Shelter Weddington United Methodist Church Dana Lehnhardt, partner; Robin Goulet, associate; Donna Stepp, partner
Family Law
Carolina Club of Sweet Union
Criminal Matters
110 E. Franklin Street, Monroe, NC 28112
Traffic Violations 704.289.8585 or 704.283.5353
www.MonroeLaw.net Union Lifestyle l September/October 2012 13
A-Mazing! From sketch to opening day, a corn requires both high-tech and low-tec By Nancy E. Stephen
B
onnie Griffin can attest that “if you build it, they will come.”
In her case, though, it’s more like “if you plant it, they will come.” And she would know. Each year, her Aw Shucks corn maze, just outside of Monroe, draws more than 25,000 people who are not just willing, but eager and excited about wandering around a six-acre corn maze . . . sometimes in the dark. In its fifth year, the maze takes a different design each year, based on “what’s happening in the world,” Bonnie explains. This year, the maze celebrates the Girl Scouts of America’s 200th anniversary. Previous mazes honored Lowe’s Motorsports, Boy Scouts and the City of Monroe. The work begins eight months before the maze opens. Bonnie hand draws her design – “and I don’t draw well” – and sends it to a draftsman who creates a computerized blueprint with exact measurements for the design, down to inches. Then the work really begins. In early spring, when other farmers are planting their
cornfields, Bonnie just waits. “We plant later than farmers in the area because we want the stalks to be green when the maze opens in September.” And she plants differently, too, double planting or crisscrossing rows to make the field dense and visitors unable to peer through, much less, walk across the rows. Just a couple of weeks after planting the corn in late May, Bonnie and a teen take to the field with wooden stakes, tape measures and orange spray paint for laying out the design. “There’s a small window of one to two weeks when we can really see what we’re doing, when the corn is about six inches high,” she explains, adding if the weather is right, the corn can shoot up very quickly. “Once I think the design is really right, we pull out the lawnmowers” to create the walkways. “Corn is really hardy, though,” Bonnie says. “It grows back.” So they mow and mow and mow it again, interspersed by weed killer as needed. The aisles are wide enough to accommodate children in strollers and wheelchairs. In July, when the corn gains some height, a photographer in a helicopter flies over – and the results are confirmed. Of course, by then it’s too late to really modify the maze; the corn is several feet high. Does she ever worry that a word is misspelled or the design is off kilter? Not really, she says. “We’re very exact in following the blueprint. We measure e-v-e-r-y-th-i-n-g,” she stresses. By opening day, the corn “ is well over people’s heads. I’ve seen it 10 feet tall; but most of the time it’s between 6 and 8 feet tall,” depending on Mother Nature’s whims of the year.
maze h skills Visitors of all ages walk the maze, which takes about 25 minutes on average. “No one wants to walk around a cornfield for hours,” Bonnie says, adding that she’s seen other mazes take two hours to complete. Visitors are given a maze map, which some promptly stuff in their pockets, determined to complete the course on their own. Others, however, keep a firm grip on the map, following it to the nth degree. The most adventuresome visitors use flashlights to find their way at night.
A visit to Aw Shucks doesn’t end when you (finally) exit the maze. A general admission ticket (generally $8) also includes hayrides, animal barn (lambs, goats, miniature horse, chickens, turkeys, etc.), a new grain bin slide, kids’ play area, a boy’s clubhouse, girl’s castle and kiddie corral. There’s also a general store chock full of what used to be penny candy, plus games and gifts; McCain's Grocery, a 1910 store and Esso station moved on site from Waxhaw; and an original 1800s wooden train car. There’s so much to see and do at Aw Shucks that we recommend a visit to the website – www.AwShucksFarms.com – to plan your time. No only do families visit, but eight area school systems schedule field trips that are correlated to state curriculum, area businesses use the facility for teambuilding, and couples schedule weddings and engagement parties. This year, the 13th Acre haunted house promises a terror-ific time, but not for small children.
“Even after all these years, I still get excited about the maze,” Bonnie almost gushed. “I feel guilty telling people that, Contributed photos but really, I get to do what I like to do. Every day is so different; so many people Aw Shucks hosts field days for eight school systems. Owner Bonnie Griffin are coming through here.” matches her program to state requirements to ensure that not only is the Visit www.AwShucksFarm.com for seasonal hours day a lot of fun for students, but also a learning experience. and pricing.
Vineyard’s treehouse a special little treat
16 Union Lifestyle l September/October 2012
By Nancy E. Stephen
M
y father used to tell me it was time “to climb the golden stairs” at bedtime. I was never really certain what that meant. But his words repeated in my mind recently as I climbed the stairs – wooden, not golden – to spend a night in Papa’s Dream Treehouse at Treehouse Vineyards. The treehouse is as popular as the vineyard itself, which is just a block or two off highly traveled streets in Downtown Monroe, but a world away. It’s a cute, but tiny little cottage on stilts. And, oh yes, it’s nestled in a tree 15 feet above ground. If you’ve spent time on a sailboat, you can appreciate the two-story cottage’s highly choreographed closeness. Everything’s there, but closer together than a typical house. (You can actually multitask in the bathroom!) Just 220 square feet combined on both levels, the treehouse is cozy enough for a romantic weekend, which the visitor’s log indicates is a common occurrence. Couples enjoy quiet anniversaries, away from the bustle of the world, and pledge to return. You can still receive email on your cell phone; you just don’t want to. It’s a wonderful opportunity to unplug and to enjoy the sounds of nature from the deck perched in a tree. Watching the sun set over the vineyards with a glass of Treehouse Vineyard muscadine wine in hand while sinking into a rope swing and listening to the crickets and the babbling brook that
flows through the property is almost heaven. Even the train whistles that echo in the distance seem poetic, not annoying. The small porch offers a variety of views as well as sounds. At left, a turquoise canoe sits overturned on the bank of a pond, where visitors can fish to their heart’s content. Ahead are the vineyards, with their rows lined up ever so straight. At some point, you’ll notice the two resident horses – Seven and Bailey – sauntering through the fields, maybe nibbling on the ripe grapes. The snug quarters offer more amenities of home than you might first imagine – refrigerator, microwave, coffee pot, shower and a queen-size bed. No TV. An outside gas grill is there for the willing, but the owners offer a cache of menus from Monroe restaurants, should you wish to leave briefly, which I did. But it was a quick bite to eat before returning to my cottage aloft for a little more R&R. As the twinkling lights that line the rooftop clicked off automatically at 11 p.m. I knew it was time to go inside. Far more time had passed as I sat in quietude than I realized. But for me, it was a weeknight and I was headed to the office the next morning. Another flight of very steep stairs – think sailboat again – and I was in the bedroom, which didn’t seem as small as
it should have. The queen-size bed consumes most of the space, but, again, it’s cozy. With the window air conditioner on low and the ceiling fan on high, the heat and stickiness of that hot August day were gone. And so was I very quickly, gone to the land of Nod. Relaxed from the hours of outdoor peace and quiet, I had no need for a book or even a last peek at email. The morning came quickly and silently, but real life beckoned. My own little private vacay (as they say on Facebook) was at an end, and it was back to the real world. Rental of Papa’s Dream Treehouse is $100 a night, which includes a wine tasting for two and souvenir glasses. Reservations are required; call (704) 283-4208.
Union Lifestyle l September/October 2012 17
‘Crazy’ idea turns into novel vineyard
C
all it a crazy idea; that’s what Phil Nordan calls developing a vineyard in Downtown Monroe. In 2000, after leaving the textile business, he was looking for something to do, but didn’t know what. He thought he might build a golf course and studied at Sandhills Community College turf school, where students are required to work for a golf course. Phil ended up at the Country Club of North Carolina in Pinehurst, where his education was broadened. “There was no growth for golf courses at that time,” he soon discovered. So there he was, no golf course possibility. Plus the couple had six acres of land which his wife Dianne’s family had owned for more than 200 years just sitting there. “We’d been looking for things to do with the property, and I’d been making wine for 15 years as a hobby,” Phil explained, so the hobby was expanded.
He started a couple of arbor-type grapevines, but wasn’t thinking about planting a vineyard. After visiting a friend in Florida who sells his grapes to a vineyard, “that gave me the bug. I came back and said ‘I’m going to plant 50 vines.’ “It was a lot of fun, so I thought I’d plant a few more – two acres the next year, two the year after that. “It’s a hobby that kind of got out of hand,” he said. That college turf education came in handy when he was planting the vineyard, as he “had really learned how to grow things, not just grass. Although I’d grown up on a farm, I hadn’t learned the technical aspects of growing.” In just a few years, that hobby grew into a burgeoning business. In the vineyard’s first full year, Treehouse Vineyards sold 12,000 bottles of wine. This year, it’s on track to sell 30,000 bottles. While Phil doesn’t talk about adding more vines, he does talk about building more treehouses – four more, in fact. “The treehouse concept is what attracts people here,” he explains. The business
INSPIRE
has seen visitors from as far away as South Africa, folks who were visiting family and friends in the area. “We’ve been very fortunate,” he said. “Word of mouth has been fantastic.” Treehouse Vineyards currently features seven wines, all made from the muscadine grape, which is native only to North Carolina and Florida. Many visitors, who are unfamiliar with the grape, are surprised by its sweetness.
Treehouse Vineyard wines White Wines Crystal Creek – Off Dry Windy Hill – Off Dry Sweet Union – Sweet Date Nite – Sweet Red Wines Tack Shack Red – Off Dry Bailey’s Blend – Blush, Semi-sweet Sunset Hills – Sweet, the best seller. Wine-A-Rita kits are available as well as a non-alcoholic muscadine cider. Visit Treehouse Vineyards at 301 Bay Street, Monroe, NC 28112 or at www.TreehouseVineyards.net.The tasting room is open daily.
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Mother-daughter team proves Monroe was more than ready for an art walk By Nancy E. Stephen
T
he idea was batted around for years, but many residents didn’t believe an art crawl in Downtown Monroe could be viable. “We don’t have enough artists.” “We don’t have enough good artists.” “We don’t have enough facilities.” “We don’t have enough . . .” Enter the mother-daughter team of Joyce Rentschler and Andrea Price who quickly proved those naysayers wrong. Not only does the county have many talented artists and enough downtown venues, it also has a highly interested public. Now working on their ninth or tenth Downtown Monroe Art Walk – they’ve lost track – the duo is long past the initial
organizational kinks and well into “new and improved” ideas to keep the walks fresh. They also don’t agree on how the idea became more than an idle thought; it was either at dinner club or in a bar. Andrea says the dinner club or bar conversation with artist Bill Colt ended with him saying: “That’s a great idea; you should do it.” So she took that jested challenge and, with her mother, did just that. Andrea had moved back to Monroe from Chapel Hill, which has a successful art crawl, and missed the downtown experience. “I saw people out and about in Chapel Hill, enjoying the community and other things, with art being the stimulus. Why not here?” Andrea said. “It wasn’t just the recreation of art walk that I was wanted; it was the whole downtown experience.” How did her mother get involved? The two just laugh. “Andrea announced ‘Guess what we’re doing’?” Joyce said. “We do everything together,” her daughter explained. “She’s at my house pretty much every day; we have dinner together four plus times a week. She comes to see the kids every day. Union Lifestyle l September/October 2012 19
“We’re in a lot of the same groups . . . If she’s a volunteer for something, I somehow get involved. If I’m doing something, she’s involved.”
Have they ever thought of quitting this non-paying labor of love? “Oh, yeah,” says Joyce laughing, “pretty much every time.”
Both knew in their hearts that an art walk could succeed. And it has. What started as a bit of a challenge has developed into a highly anticipated event, for both the public and the artists. The first year, artists weren’t clamoring to participate. In fact, they had to cold call artists to get enough participation. “Now we have to turn away artists.” Andrea said. “We now have a waiting list of 12 people, which is wonderful.”
Andrea explains further. “It’s not like we don’t get to have any fun, but when it’s Friday night and you’re in the middle of it, you don’t get to enjoy the event that much. Because you’re the hostess, you’re literally running up and down the streets making certain that the artists are happy, that there are people in every spot and that everything is OK.
The art walk experience can be anything visitors want it to be, the two agree. “It’s a very low key event for visitors; it doesn’t cost you to go,” Joyce explained. “You can spend money if you want by buying art and enjoying a dinner out, or you can eat dinner at home and come out and not spend a dime. You can do whatever you like.”
“Once things are going well, we’re able to relax.” “It has been so much fun to get to know artists and work with them. It is so gratifying,” Joyce said. “They generally are so nice, so much fun, and you have to think about what they’re doing. They’re dragging 100 pieces of art from their studio to an empty building, putting it up on bare walls sometimes, hanging out for two days, taking it down and hauling everything back home. It’s a commitment on their part.”
Many art walkers return for each event, taking the opportunity to see different artists’ work, which can range from Downtown Monroe Art Walk traditional oil, watercolor and Friday, Oct. 11 t 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. acrylic paintings to threedimensional wall or standing art Saturday, Oct. 12 t Noon to 5 p.m. to pottery and more “We always try to get different arts, different artists,” Joyce said. “It keeps it interesting that way.” Working on a shoestring budget, the mother-daughter team footed the out-of-pocket expenses in the early years. “We don’t spend a lot of money,” Joyce said, “and we do have a lot of good donations; it’s just not cash.”
Main and Franklin streets in Downtown Monroe Art walk maps are available in most businesses.
Scheduled Artists Amy Helms, collage Bill Colt, multi-media with acrylic Jeanne Byrd Howell, painted shoes Marsha Gail Rushing, painting Susan Doss, sculpture and tiles David Doyle, jewelry Shakeeka Watts, quilts Debra Farnum, fiber and wood Robbie Fogel, painting Deborah Wall, painting Carol Mann, painting
Very rarely has the stereotypical image of a flamboyant artist appeared at the art walk. And then, he’s only there one time. “We want everyone to have fun, but if you’re a partypooper,” Andrea says, “we probably won’t invite you back. We want you to have a good experience and we appreciate your time, but . . . .” Some artists have sold thousands of dollars of art during the spring and fall twoday events; others are happy for a few small sales and the opportunity to meet potential future buyers. “Not everyone is prepared to buy art right then,” Joyce commented.
The City of Monroe and WIXE radio help with promotion, a friend makes banners for free, Music by Union Symphony youth and Josh Holland and last year, the art walk received its first grant from the Artists range from internationally known potter Andy Smith of Union County Community Arts Council. Other friends, such Marshville to students at South Piedmont Community College as John Wiggins and Joe Beeson, lend their buildings every and Union Diversified Industry (UDI) clients. time. Wiggins, who owns the old Belk building, has so embraced the art walk that he “does his own thing,” Joyce said. “We occasionally help him recruit an artist or two if he needs to fill in. but he makes the arrangement for live music, buys his own food and beverages, cleans and helps move art.” 20 Union Lifestyle l September/October 2012
“We love to work with UDI,” Andrea exclaimed. UDI is the county’s oldest nonprofit for adults with developmental disabilities. “They have been part of our art walk for several years. They are such a fun group, so easy, so supportive, and it’s such a good thing for them. They sell a ton!”
South African volunteer ‘I was expecting it was going to be hard, but I never imagined the poverty these children were experiencing.’ By Luanne Williams
TA
A A t terrified, hurting child is headed to surgery, and it's your job to help calm her down so she'll cooperate with medical staff. But she has no clue who you are and you don't speak her language. Sound like a challenge? This is what certified child life specialist Emily Beauchemin faced on a daily basis during a recent three-month stint as a volunteer at Red Cross War Memorial Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa, a country with 11 national languages.
As part of the pain and palliative care team, the 23-year-old from Weddington spent much of her time in the burns unit. As a child life specialist, her job is to “help children and families overcome some of life's most challenging events,” she said. And at the hospital there were plenty. “The children there are not only experiencing the stressors that the hospital stay brings about, but they are experiencing so much stress in their home life, they have a greater need for psychological and social support,” she said. “The children I was working with, 95 percent of them were from impoverished areas.” Although she had been briefed by an earlier volunteer, Emily was still shocked by the living conditions in some areas. “I was expecting it was going to be hard, but I never imagined the poverty these children were experiencing. It is difficult to convey, even with pictures and stories, their hard lives. It is difficult to put into words.
“Everything in South Africa is either beautiful or disastrous,” she added. “You have the beautiful ritzy areas on the beach and then the townships which are photos d e t u extremely poor.” Contrib t s li specia the Emily said many of hild life c e nts at h e t m d t e a children’s burns were hot e lp r he ainful t p , Wally, k g . ic n in k o w e water scalds that sid pe To nd e r g Emily’s ildren u al in Ca h it c p s h Whether she was reducing a child's o it happened in the home. H teract w ar Memorial in anxiety by acting out how various o ss W “It was a combination of lack of education and tight and Red Cr medical tools would be used, reading poor living conditions. Sometimes a child accidentally would with young patients via her puppet friend reach up and knock a hot water kettle on themselves because Wally or using guided imagery to help an older child through the stove would be right by their bed.” a painful dressing change, Emily was learning a couple of Emily tried to give support to parents who were typically important lessons: One, flexibility and creativity go a long overwrought with guilt about their child's injury. way; and two, anyone can make a difference in the world. “That was a real barrier at first. I'd think ‘how am I going to go in and prepare a child for surgery when I don't speak the language’?” Emily said. “Then I realized I had to go back to my basics, remembering how children learn. It was amazing to see how much I could communicate with these kids through play.”
Union Lifestyle l September/October 2012 21
One burn patient was a 13-year-old girl. “At that age, body image is important. And for her, her self-image had drastically changed,” she said. “We spent a lot of time talking about what is beautiful as opposed to what society says is beautiful.”
the toddlers, allowing them to sit up and giving them some semblance of control, letting them choose which bandage a nurse would change first. Her role as an educator to staff required understanding and tact.
While it was difficult to see the children leave the hospital, knowing that many were going home to abject poverty, she focused on the positive aspects of her work. “I knew I was able to provide them with emotional support while they were here,” she said, and to instill coping skills that they could use at home.
“I tried to build relationships with all the medical staff. I would bring them in muffins, talk to them and get to know them,” she said. “In the field of child life specialist, that's so important because nurses aren't going to call on us if they don't see the benefit in what we're doing . . . . Children who are happier heal faster.”
During time off, Emily got up close and personal to an elephant at Knysna Elephant Park.
She also gave procedural support when dressings were changed, an often very painful process. Faced with dozens of bandages to change, nurses often held children down flat on the table to complete the procedure, adding to their fear. Instead, Emily would cradle
In addition to seeing formerly terrified children being discharged with smiles, Emily was rewarded with the relationships she built with staff, seeing them implement some of the child-friendly techniques she was modeling.
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22 Union Lifestyle l September/October 2012
Life in Langa Townships, one of the oldest townships in South Africa, can be difficult for families. A 2011 graduate of Appalachian State University with a bachelor's degree in child development, Emily always knew she wanted to work with children. After she heard about the career during her freshman year at college and shadowed a specialist at an area hospital, she was sold. Appalachian didn't have a specific child life program, so Emily researched classes and tailored her learning. After an internship at All Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg, Fla., she moved home, took a job at a preschool and began saving money and fundraising so she could afford her trip to Africa. Altogether her travel and February-to-April stay ran about $9,000. Emily now drives about 20 miles each day to her job at Jeff Gordon Children's Hospital in Concord, but it was her 8,000mile journey across the Atlantic that most influences how she does her work there.
War Memorial Hospital, a team that includes art, music, aroma, play and yoga therapy specialists in addition to child life specialists like her. Luanne Williams is a former newspaper editor and a freelance writer.
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“On my current job, I'm able to be more flexible and creative and it also has increased my confidence level,” she said. “Now if I go into work and a patient has an illness I have never heard of, I'm still confident because in South Africa I was experiencing that kind of thing every single day.” Emily is still in contact with volunteers in South Africa and is helping a non-profit organization whose goal is to expand the Creative Art Therapy and Wellness Program at Red Cross
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Union Lifestyle l September/October 2012 23
Mom turns triathlete to By Nancy E. Stephen
K
atie Caniglia never intended to be a runner, much less a triathlete. But that changed in July when she competed in – and finished – her first Ironman Triathlon in Lake Placid, N.Y., a grueling event that featured a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride and the brutal daunting conclusion, a 26.2-mile run. The mother of two still laughs at the idea. “I was not a runner; I was on the high school track team throwing discus. I was never a swimmer, although my cousins were swimmers. Certainly, other than bikes that we rented at the beach, I never was a cyclist by any stretch.” A triathlon was not remotely in her mind when she and her husband, Kyle, ran a half marathon two and a half years ago. You might think Kyle and Katie trained together for the marathon, but no. “We’re very competitive with each other. The first time we ran together, it was the day of the race.
When the race started, “people around us started to fly. I was running faster than I’ve ever run in my life In her alter-life, Katie Caniglia is a stay-a because of the pace group. Weddington. At mile three, I told him to get away from me. We haven’t run together since then,” she said, still laughing. At the end of the race, Katie’s perspective on running changed for life, and not just because of the race. “We came home and got a phone call that my cousin (who with 24 Union Lifestyle l September/October 2012
o raise funds for non-profits his wife was running another race the same day) had collapsed on the race course. He died at age 37. It was horrible. And to watch what his wife and boys went through, it was a big wakeup call. “I spent a lot of time thinking ‘what do I want to do when I grow up?’ Life is so short; it can be taken from you in an instant. What do I want my story to be?” A few months later, the answer was obvious. “What if I did triathlons to fund-raise for non-profits?” The connection is not odd. The Ironman Foundation has a program, Your Journey, Your Cause, which gives athletes a non-profit vehicle to raise funds as part of their experience for a non-profit beneficiary of their choice. “I started telling people I was going to do a triathlon to keep me focused, then started investigating what was involved.” She found a coach, got on a bike and started training intensely. “Because it’s me, I always have drama first,” Katie said of the weeks leading up to the triathlon. She ran into a bike rack two weeks before the event and suffered a concussion, but fortunately, no broken bones. A few months removed from the race, Katie remembers the experience positively. “I don’t feel like it was brutal,” she said, “but it was a long day. It was scary when I realized that I had done all the distances, just not together.” But while the day was long and she was somewhat incoherent at the end due to overhydration, “I started talking about next Ironman before we started the ride home.”
Contributed photo
at-home mom in
Contributed photo
Katie Caniglia smiles during the 112-mike bike ride portion of her first Ironman Triathlon. many beautiful things, including the people.
She’s eager to continue racing and fund-raising for three non-profit organizations:
“The people that we met and the kids that go to the feeding centers to get their one meal a day – they have nothing, but they are these joyful people. They are filled with joy and have nothing. They have pride and they have nothing.
t Stop Hunger Now, which serves 76 countries and hopes to end world hunger in our lifetime;
“You are so moved by what you see and hear, but it’s so overwhelming.”
t Foundation for Tomorrow, which provides quality education and emotional support for 82 orphaned and vulnerable children in Tanzania, and
Her Ironman race raised $4,000 for Stop Hunger Now, enough for 16,000 meals, but that’s just the beginning. She started a website “ITRIFORGOOD,” which she plans to make a non-profit organization to make giving easier.
t Water is Basic, which empowers the people of south Sudan in their fight for clean water. Katie visited Nicaragua with Stop Hunger Now in April, a trip that was “life changing for a lot of reasons. I have never seen with my own eyes and been in a place where there were so
Her method of fund-raising is: “Read about me and donate. I want to bring attention to these organizations that I love.” You can read more about Katie’s Ironman experience and donate by visiting www.ITRIFORGOOD.com. Union Lifestyle l September/October 2012 25
Seek out Thai Viet in Indian Trail;
U
nion County has some great restaurants tucked away almost obscurely in shopping centers. You learn about these delightful secrets by word of mouth, then you have to seek them out. Thai Viet Noodles House in Indian Trail is one of those secrets. Open just five months, the small restaurant offers authentic Thai and Vietnamese food, as experienced by John and Victoria Konchan, whose family is a combination of both heritages. The night our party of six visited, John explained the menu and helped select meals that accommodated our preferences, not knowing we were reviewing. His assistance was good because we’d still probably be there trying to decide! Like many Asian restaurants, Thai Viet’s menu is expansive – almost too much so for us amateurs, until we realized that they can and will modify anything you want and that many dishes are a variation on a group theme. But still, more than 80 dishes are on the menu – some hot, some not and many vegetarian; something for everyone, certainly. Our three shared appetizers ($3.75 $9.95) were varied: a summer roll with a rice wrap that is not deep fried; Mi Krob, a wonderful wrap you make at
the table with crunchy noodles and a flavorful peanut sauce wrapped in lettuce, and Kai Tod – giant Thai chicken wings.
Restaurant Review
Chicken, pork, beef or tofu curries are $8.25; seafood versions are a few dollars more.
Contrary to popular belief, many Asian dishes are quite spicy, but because its patrons are American, Thai Viet sometimes tones down the heat a bit. For the adventuresome, the biggest bottle of sriracha sauce we’ve ever seen adorns each table. Tread lightly if you haven’t tried the sauce – it makes wasabi seem mild.
Mi Krob, a delicious appetizer with lettuce, crunchy noodles and peanut sauce. The summer roll was our least favorite; the slightly glutinous-like rice wrap was disconcerting for some, but others enjoyed the difference from fried. Mi Krob, the night’s featured appetizer, was termed “delish” and “amazing,” and the chicken wings were flavorful with a crispy skin. A plate of the oversized chicken wings could serve as an entrée, as could the Mi Krob. On to the entrees. A yellow curry, which was billed as the least spicy of the three curries, still packed quite a wallop, while the green curry, the spiciest, wasn’t as hot as anticipated.
26 Union Lifestyle l September/October 2012
Sweet and sour shrimp with cashews (Pud Him Ma Pan for $8.95) was not spicy, but instead a nice fusion of delicate flavors – and like all dishes, beautifully presented and served with steamed rice. We love the names of the dishes, even though we don’t always know what the words mean. Thai-Viet Angry Dish wasn’t angry at all! It combines stirfried garlic, pepper, bamboo shoots, mushrooms and your choice of meat in a brown sauce.
Com Tom, Ga Nuong, Thit Bo, Cha Gio, Thit Heo, house special.
it’s a secret that shouldn’t be hidden
Thai-Viet Angry Dish combines stir-fried garlic, pepper, bamboo shoots, mushrooms and your choice of meat.
Crispy fried noodles topped with scallops, vegetables and a brown sauce were yummy. Our diner thoroughly enjoyed the chicken version and called the vegetables “very, very fresh.”
Because we were already lying back in our chairs and couldn’t eat another bite, we shared just one.
Someone always has to order the house special, this time called “Com Tom, Ga Nuong, Thit Bo, Cha Gio, Thit Heo” ($9.95), which is a large combination of chicken, pork, beef and shrimp, plus an egg roll. Our diner, who could hardly move when she finished, “loved every bit of it.”
Most of the diners thought it was a bit bland, but we really didn’t need it anyway.
!
" #
One diner was excited to see crispy fried noodle dishes on the menu, a dish she’s enjoyed in New York and San Francisco restaurants but hadn’t found locally. Her dish (Mi Krob Lad Na for $9.95) featured delicately seasoned scallops cooked just right, combined with broccoli and carrots in a brown sauce atop the crispy noodles. If you’ve eaten in many Asian restaurants, you know that their desserts typically are not as sweet as Americans eat. This is true at ThaiViet, also. The staff prepares a special dessert every week; this week it was “sweet” sticky black rice with egg custard.
$ . 1*
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Ambiance: The small restaurant is newly and cheerfully
Service: You couldn’t ask for a more attentive staff. Very,
painted, clean and neat. However, a giant plant just inside the front door seemed to block it and initially made us believe the restaurant was not open. (3.5 stars)
very helpful in explaining the menu. Five entrees were served almost simultaneously, while the sixth was a little tardy. (4.75 stars)
Menu: All agreed there was a good variety, although the
Value: As one diner said, “Got to give a 5 here; $16 per
number of entrees overwhelmed one diner. Choose between a variety of spicy and not so spicy, as well as vegetarian. There is not a children’s menu, but we’re certain children’s version of most dishes would be served. A native-English speaker should proofread the physical menu; some errors are unintentionally funny. (4.75 stars)
person for all that food? You can't beat it! I'd say the place is a hidden treasure in Union County that needs to be discovered!” (4.75 stars)
Quality: Very fresh ingredients and generous, but not gargantuan portions. Presentation was beautiful! Other restaurants could learn from Thai-Viet for presentation. (4.75 stars)
Overall: 4.75 stars
Thai Viet Noodles House 14015 Independence Blvd. In Indian Trail (Across US 74 from the Crystal Shoppe) Sunday to Thursday: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday: 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.
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Email your resume to Editor@UnionLifestyle.com 28 Union Lifestyle l September/October 2012
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things to do in Union County
22
Weddington Country Festival
9 a.m. - 7 p.m. At Weddington Town Hall, Sept. Wedd. Corners. Features Art at the Corners and a Chili Cook Off. www.TownOfWeddington.com.
22
Live at the Vines
Music by Scoot Pittman 7 p.m.-10 p.m. At Treehouse Vineyards, 301 Sept. Bay Street, Monroe. Bring a lawn chair or blanket. No charge.
27
Music on Main
Music by Rough Draft (Motown, R&B classics) Sept. 6:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m. Main Street, Monroe. Bring a chair. No charge.
Live at the Vines Music by Mood Swingz 7 p.m.-10 p.m. At Treehouse Vineyards, Sept. 301 Bay Street, Monroe. Bring a lawn chair or blanket. No charge. (704) 283-4208.
29
29
Rocktober on the Ice Show
Figure Skating Show 7 p.m., dinner: 8:15 p.m. Sept. Extreme Ice Center, 4705 Indian Trail-Fairview Rd, Indian Trail. Adults $10, kids $6, seniors $6, spaghetti dinner $5. (704) 882-1830.
5th Annual American Red Cross Hendrick Chevrolet Cadillac Golf Classic
5 Oct.
1 p.m. Shotgun Start Monroe Country Club, 1680 Pageland Hwy. $95, includes green and cart fees, range balls, door prize and goody bag, lunch and dinner. (704) 283-7402 to register.
Jason Bishop Show
6
7:30 p.m. Batte Center at Wingate University, 403 N. Camden
Oct.
Road, Wingate. Sleight of hand, grand illusions. $25. www.BatteCenter.org, or (704) 233-8300.
12-14
USA Hockey Adult Classic Tournament
Extreme Ice Center, 4705 Indian Trail-Fairview Road www.xicenter.com or (704)882-1830
Oct.
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USSELL MOORE & RUSSELL RD T YME OUT OUT IIIRD TYME Deeper Shade S ha d e o lu e OPENERS: NERS: A Deeper off B Blue e Hinson Hinson Girls. G ir l s . & The -AR PM s PM s
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www.battecenter.org 704-233-8300
Union Lifestyle l September/October 2012 29
12 Oct.
Car Cruise In
Grill’n & Chill’n on Main
12-13
6 p.m.-9 p.m. Main Street, Monroe No charge.
Downtown Waxhaw BBQ competition, music, kids area and car show. (704)843-2195; www.Waxhaw.com.
Oct.
Fall Festival
13 Oct.
13-14
10 a.m.-6 p.m. Town Center and Gazebo, Lake Park No charge.
Autumn Treasures Arts & Crafts Festival
Sat. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sun. Noon-5 p.m. Downtown Waxhaw Hwy 16 & 75. No charge.
Oct.
12-13
Fall Monroe Art Walk
Friday, 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Saturday, Noon to 5 p.m. Oct. Main and Franklin streets in Downtown Monroe. Art walk maps available in most businesses. No charge. www.HistoricDowntownMonroe.org.
CORN MAZE & PUMPKIN PATCH
...where memories are harvested!
17-21
Menopause, The Musical
20 Oct. 233-8300.
20
Amy Grant 7:30 p.m. Austin Aud. at Wingate University. $37-$44 www.BatteCenter.org or (704)
Halloween Happenings
10 a.m.-2 p.m. Downtown Monroe www.HistoricDowntownMonroe.org.
Oct.
25
Music on Main
Music by The Stranger 6:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m. Oct. Main Street, Monroe Bring a chair, no charge.
2-4
Warbirds Over Monroe
Gates open at 9 a.m. each day Nov. Blumenthal Performing Arts Charlotte-Monroe Executive Oct. Center; South Tryon Street, Airport off Airport Rd, Monroe Charlotte $5 of each ticket will be donated to Turning Point Adults $10, veterans $5, 12-18 $5, under 12 free. Domestic Violence Shelter in Monroe www.WarriorsAndWarbirds.com (704) 372-1000 for tickets
Corn maze Hayrides Animal barn Grain bin slide (New) 1800s train car Kid's play area Horseshoes, corn hole Boys' club house, girls' castle General store Kiddie corral (5 & under) Pumpkin patch *Bonfires *Haunted trail (8 & up) *Paddle boats & pony rides *Spooky stories & s’mores
Open til Nov. 18 $8 Admission * small additional charge
See AwShucksFarms.com for discounts and fall hours.
3718 Plyler Mill Rd, Monroe (704) 709-7000
30 Union Lifestyle l September/October 2012
2-3
The Pirates of Penzance
7-8
7:30 p.m. Nov. Wingate University Opera, Union Symphony Orchestra Batte Center at Wingate University; $15 www.BatteCenter.org or (704) 233-8300.
Woman’s Club $20 each or four tickets for $60. (704) 256-4404.
2
Nov.
(704) 233-8300.
16 Dec.
18
Union County Christmas Parade
2 p.m.; Downtown Monroe. Presented by Alliance for Children. No charge. www.TheAllianceForChildren.org.
Nov.
30
Handel’s Messiah; Bach’s Magnificat
Wingate University Singers Batte Center at Wingate University; no charge. www.BatteCenter.org or (704) 233-8300.
Nov.
Sunday, Sept. 30 The Answer Union Symphony Orchestra Richard Rosenberg, Conductor Antonin Dvorák, Violin Concerto, Op. 53. Yulia Zharavleva, Soloist Union Symphony League reception following concert. 4 p.m. at The Batte Center
7:30 p.m. Batte Center at Wingate University; $32-$42. www.BatteCenter.org or
Dec.
Loudon Wainwright III
www.BatteCenter.org or (704) 233-8300.
Canadian Brass
7
Take out: 8 a.m.-until, Eat in: 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Unionville Elementary School Nov. on Unionville Road $8 for 3 sandwiches or plate, carton of BBQ or stew $8.
7:30 p.m. Batte Center at Wingate University; $25
10 a.m.-5 p.m. Presented by Waxhaw
Dec.
Unionville BBQ
9
Holiday Tour of Homes
4 p.m. The Batte Center at Wingate
University; $25. www.BatteCenter.org or (704) 233-8300.
Got an event the public would enjoy? Submit your activity with all the details – who, what, when, where and why – to Union Lifestyle for inclusion in the magazine and/or online. Send your information to Editor@UnionLifestyle.com.
Friday & Saturday, Nov. 2, 3 The Pirates of Penzance Wingate University Student Opera with Union Symphony Orchestra Dr. Kenney Potter, Conductor Dr. Jessie Wright Martin 7:30 p.m. at The Batte Center
The Gathering, A Holiday Concert
Sunday, Dec. 2 A Christmas Concert Union Symphony Orchestra with Central United Methodist Festival Choir & a Community Holiday Chorus James O’Dell, Director 5 p.m. at Central United Methodist, Monroe
Season subscriptions available at The Batte Center, Wingate University
t
(704) 233-8300
Section A - $75, Section B - $55, Senior Citizen (B) - $45, Student - $45 t (704) 283-2525 t www.UnionSymphony.org
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