Hickory Living Magazine December 2018

Complimentary December 2018

Living the Good Life

Fall in Love

With Taking Care of Yourself

HICKORY LIVING • DECEMBER 2018

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Holiday Open House on December 7th

Sparkle This Holiday Season Look for our 12 Days of Christmas specials coming in December

You will not want to miss the...

12 Days of Vitality Coming in December For 12 days,Vitality will offer deep discounts and freebies.

Offers change each day!

Get an early start on your holiday shopping with: Holiday Gift Items Gift Packages Gift Certificates & Services!

H Ho app lid y ay s

Like us on Facebook!

828.322.1498 Hours: M, T, TH 9-7 • W, F 9-5 & Sat 9-2 • 74 8th Street SE, Suite 101 • Hickory, NC • www.vitalitymedicalspa.com

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LOCATED AT VITALITY 74 8th Street SE, Suite 112 • Hickory

Dear Santa, I want my body back! I have two adorable children, but I don't recognize my own body!

December Specials

$1,000 Off Mommy Makeovers $500 Off Breast Augmentation Schedule A Consult TODAY! Offer ends December 31, 2018.

Mommy Makeovers

combine procedures that specifically targets those areas of post pregnancy concern –– breasts, thighs, abdomen, and hips.

OFFERING THESE PROCEDURES & MORE! • Breast Augmentation • Tummy Tuck • Vaser Hi-Def •

MEET OUR BEVERLY HILLS–NOW HICKORY–SURGEONS

Schedule Your Consult Today!

828.322.1498 74 8th Street SE, Suite 101 • Hickory www.vitalitysurgicalcenter.com Contracted with Most Major Insurance Companies

Dr. McCoy Moretz

Dr. Julie Edween Dr. David A. Feldmar

LIVI NG

from the publisher

Welcome to the December issue.

By now you’ve pulled out your sweaters and wool socks and may even have a steamy mug of hot cocoa in hand.

Maybe you’ve researched your trusty Farmer’s Almanac to check on winter weather predictions in this area. Hopefully you’ve tied a bow on your last gift and are now ready to settle in to enjoy the season. Either way, I hope you find as much exhilaration and merriment as I do during this most wonderful time of year!

Hickory

LIVING Living the Good Life

Mailing Address - P.O. Box 57 Harmony, NC 28634 (704) 546-5511 E-mail - HickoryLiving@gmail.com

I’m looking forward to pulling out that old box of decorations full of memories from Christmas past and seeing the glow of bulbs stringing from trees and houses and city sidewalks. I’m ready for choirs singing of peace and energetic kids playing in snow. I’m also ready to gather with those dearest to share tales and indulge in delicious recipes passed down through the generations from friends and relatives. Let us reflect on the closing of another chapter and look forward to a new year!

Until next month, Merry Christmas to all and thank you for reading the December issue of Hickory Living Magazine!

December 2018

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Kristie Darling • Meredith Collins Kathy Wheeler • Emily Buckley Lindsay Keisler COVER PHOTOGRAPHY Michael Allen Creative COVER STORY Vitality Surgical Center Editorial Stock photography, unless otherwise noted, is from iStock.

Distribution–Scottie Townsend Find Hickory Living Magazine on Facebook. http://twitter.com/HickoryLiving

Myron T. Gough Publisher–Hickory Living

W W W. H I C K O R Y L I V I N G M A G A Z I N E . C O M Myron T. Gough Publisher/Founder

Kathy Wheeler Marketing & Design

myronlivingmagazine@gmail.com (704) 546-5511

kathylivingmagazine@gmail.com (828) 238-3224

Don Forrest Advertising Sales

Linda B. Wilson Advertising Sales

donlivingmagazine@gmail.com (828) 244-6538

lindalivingmagazine@gmail.com (704) 657-0237

James Yates Business Development jameslivingmagazine@gmail.com (704) 877-4761

Bob Church Advertising Sales conradchurch@gmail.com (336) 686-7271

Hickory Living reserves the right to deny any advertisement or listing. Submissions are welcome, but unsolicited materials are not guaranteed to be returned. Hickory Living assumes no responsibility or liability for the information, services, products, claims, statements, accuracy, or intended or unintended results of any advertiser, editorial contributors, company, professional corporation, business or service provider herein this publication. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher is prohibited.

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HICKORY LIVING • DECEMBER 2018

You are important to everyone You everyone around aroundyou. you.

You are important important to to us. us.

You’re the mothers, daughters, sisters and grandmothers of our community. True caregivers that offer the comfort and encouragement that make us all thrive. Now we have a larger team with even more providers to give more women the OB/GYN care they need. Whether you’re in need of an annual exam, gynecological surgery or a personalized pregnancy plan, you can trust our doctors to provide professional and courteous care when and where it’s convenient for you.

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content

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December 2018

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• Simplify The Holidays

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• Vitality Surgical Center

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• Find The Perfect Gift For

20

• The Road To Finding Purpose

23

• What’s Cooking?!

Fall In Love With Taking Care Of Yourself

Everyone At Lou Lou’s Corner

30 •

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HICKORY LIVING • DECEMBER 2018

Holiday Cookies

Catawba County Chamber Of Commerce Defining The Catawba County Chamber

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food | holiday | local business

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BRACELETS Check out what’s new!

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram or visit us online at www.shopaquab.com to be the first to know about special deals, discounts and events!

262 Union Square Hickory, NC

(828) 323-7200

688-B Bluefield Road Mooresville, NC

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(828) 433-7204

110 Sunset Drive #1 Blowing Rock, NC

(828) 295-7200

HICKORY LIVING • DECEMBER 2018

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Simplify

THE HOLIDAYS

By Kathy Wheeler

© iStockphoto.com | Anetlanda

ecember is a busy time of year. Tis the season for buying gifts, decorating, baking for family get-togethers and neighbors, gift wrapping and delivering. Whew! I get exhausted just thinking about all of it. If you intend on doing all of the above, then you should have started in November or earlier! Maybe it’s time to take a breather and simplify the holidays. After all, the season isn’t about all of the hustle and bustle, but rather about spending quality time with family and friends letting them know you love them and giving to those all around us who are in need.

When it comes to gift giving, most of the people we know really don’t need anything other than maybe a day off!

Instead of buying them something they may not use, or even like, why not plan a day trip or overnight trip somewhere relaxing? Maybe rent a cabin for a night and invite a group of friends and family to sit on the porch, take in the view, and enjoy lunch. Maybe plan a shopping trip where they can knock a few gifts off their list, followed by dinner–your treat.

Or, buy tickets to a show that you would all enjoy. By planning an excursion for a group, you can mark all invited off your Christmas gift list while enjoying their company, which is more important than any gift you could wrap.

If you belong to a large family and are expected to bring gifts for everyone, make the suggestion that you draw names, or pool your money with others in the family to purchase parents and grandparents something that no one person could afford on their own, or just buy presents for the children. I bet everyone would be thankful for the break as well. Better yet, maybe you could skip gift buying and donate to a charity in their name instead. Part of the holiday season is about giving of your time and resources. So, in lieu of buying gifts for those who are already blessed with more than they need, maybe focus on giving to those less fortunate than ourselves.

If you love decorating, and I do, then enlist some help! This year my son has agreed to assist me. He couldn’t have given me a better gift. I get to spend time with him, enjoy the decorations after they are put up, and get them done much quicker than if I had done them by myself! You could do the same for whoever is hosting the family meal. Offer to show up early and help with the preparations, or help them decorate or clean. If you enjoy making handmade items or baking, do it with a friend who has similar interests. The holidays will take on a whole new meaning when you enjoy it with those you love instead of running around exhausting yourself trying to mark off a list!

Merry Christmas to you and may your life be filled with the love of family and friends!

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HICKORY LIVING • DECEMBER 2018

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HICKORY LIVING • DECEMBER 2018

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HICKORY HICKORYLIVING LIVING• •DECEMBER DECEMBER2018 2018

cover story

Fall in Love

With Taking Care of Yourself Vitality— Vitality—from the Latin vita which means life. The state of being strong and active; energy, as in liveliness, life, energy, spirit, exuberance, bounce, élan, verve, pep, zest, sparkle, passion, vigor, drive, get-up-and-go.

By Kristie Darling

Starting to look and feel like all your VITALITY has left you?

Constantly worried that your got-it-all-put-together look doesn’t look so put-together anymore? Would you like the vision you present to the world to match your outlook on life? Health and vitality—a sense of complete wellbeing—means that you feel alive on the inside and look alive on the outside. You have energy, sparkle, passion, and that get-up-and-go feeling that defines vitality.

Enter Vitality Surgical Center and you immediately feel a positive energy. “The professional surgical team at Vitality brings to our area one of the most talented aesthetic plastic surgery and wellness practices in the country,” shared Grace McLaurin. Grace is a partner and medical provider at Vitality. “Straight from Beverly Hills to Hickory, Dr. McCoy Moretz and Dr. Julie Edween are some of the most highly regarded and sought-after surgeons in the aesthetics business. You can now enjoy the benefits of their experience and top-quality surgical talents and skills without an airline ticket to the West Coast.”

VITALITY SURGICAL CENTER “Aesthetics means concerned with beauty or the appreciation of beauty,” Grace continued. “So, aesthetic surgery focuses on those procedures that enhance and improve the look of our body, our face and, of course, our sense of overall wellbeing. We see remarkable, life changing results in our patients.”

Photos:

On the cover– cover–Vitality Surgical Center brings the Beverly Hills VIP experience to Moretz Mills. Pictured Dr. Moretz and Dr. Edween (Photo by Michael Allen Creative) Opposite page–Dr. Mac Moretz, a Newton native, has deep roots in North Carolina. (Photo by Shane Greene Photography) Above– Above–With over 30 years of experience, Dr. Moretz specializes in innovative and revolutionary cosmetic procedures. (Photo by Shane Greene Photography)

THE SURGICAL TEAM— Left to right: Dr. McCoy Moretz Dr. Julie Edween Dr. David Feldmar (Photos provided by Vitality Surgical Center)

Left– Left–Vitality Surgical Center owners Dr. McCoy Moretz and Grace McLaurin, PA-C. (Photo by Shane Greene Photography)

Dr. McCoy Moretz I met with Dr. Moretz to find out what his work as an aesthetic surgeon involves. He is a calm, friendly man who obviously knows his stuff. “I believe we add ‘total rejuvenation’ through HICKORY LIVING • DECEMBER 2018

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our surgical practice to Vitality Anti-Aging’s many offerings. Vitality Anti-Aging is the medical spa and aesthetics side of the Center,” Dr. Moretz explained. “We can have a defining impact on a person’s life—an improved personal feeling of self-satisfaction, enhanced self-esteem, with more ease and comfort in their life. I see this after surgery all the time: a more positive attitude and pride that, ‘I’m doing this to look better, to take better care of myself.’ After our work, people blossom like flowers.”

Dr. Moretz is a Newton native who says he is “thrilled to be back home bringing his state-of-the-art techniques to our area.” As medical director and partner at Vitality Surgical Center, Dr. Moretz spends about half his time here in Hickory, specializing in innovative, cosmetic facial and body contouring procedures. When he’s not here, he performs surgery at F.A.C.E of Beverly Hills, the practice he founded in 2007, or in practices in China. Due to his skill, artistry, and innovative techniques and procedures, he has become a go-to for the who’s who of Hollywood, treating many patients from the film, television, fashion, and entertainment world—stars you know and love! His specialties blend Western surgical techniques with traditional oriental and herbal medicines. Dr. Moretz serves as an expert consultant with well-known TV shows, such as Hollywood Insider, E!, and Dr. 90210…Hollywood isn’t that far away anymore.

Dr. Julie Edween With a focus on aesthetic cosmetic plastic surgery, Dr. Julie Edween incorporates the newest techniques in non-surgical rejuvenation.

Patients have come to appreciate her female perspective, a keen attention to detail, and meticulous surgical expertise. She has attracted patients from across the US and around the world. Through her practice and consulting, both in Hickory and Beverly Hills, Dr. Edween empowers women in their understanding that your beauty is uniquely yours, not something set by the media or society. She follows her own good advice and is a model for living a healthy life.

“A smile is the best makeup any woman can wear,” Dr. Edween believes. “I can help you attain the body and face you have always wanted. I’ve worked with thousands of women, and men, in my 25-year practice, and I feel it’s important to always answer questions honestly and recommend procedures that suit you, individually, that will bring out the confidence behind your smile.”

Photos–Left, top to bottom:

• Grace McLaurin, PA-C, reviews surgical options with a patient.

• Surgical RN Shellie Bumgarner, Dr. Mac Moretz, and Brandie Finger, surgical coordinator • Brandie Finger will answer your questions during your surgical consultation and assist you in every step of the process.

• Vitality offers a personalized skin care regimen featuring their private label VSkin RX Skincare line.

(Photos by Shane Greene Photography) 14

HICKORY LIVING • DECEMBER 2018

Before and after photos of Vitality Surgical Center BEFORE patients.

BEFORE

&

AFTER  The patient on the left had a face lift.

The patient on the right had a neck lift and platysmaplasty (neck tightening) 

Sharing time between her practice in Beverly Hills and here in Hickory at Vitality, Dr. Edween’s uncompromising standards and expert surgical skills are balanced by her warm and approachable style. She has been showcased on Discovery Channel’s Plastic Surgery Beverly Hills and The Learning Channel’s Bodywork, and has been an academic lecturer in the field of cosmetic plastic surgery nationwide.

Dr. David Feldmar will join Vitality Surgical Center in 2019. His surgery specialties link cosmetic plastic surgery that enhances face and body with life-saving general and reconstructive surgery. “The best part about being a surgeon is my patients. I enjoy being able to help people become their best self,” Dr. Feldmar says. His reputation as a skilled, compassionate surgeon is well known—in Beverly Hills, he has a respected following of very satisfied patients. I suspect that distinction will build here in Hickory, too.

HOW CAN WE HELP? “The key to our successful outcomes,” Dr. Moretz said, “is our high-quality, high-tech approach to cosmetic surgery.

When I speak with a patient about any procedure, I only recommend those well-proven and best suited to her body and her desired outcome. For instance,

we are unique in using minimally invasive VASER Lipo, a big improvement on the liposuction people have heard about in the past. We use this technique because it is a safer, more desirable alternative for eliminating stubborn fat deposits—you can achieve that rippled athletic six-pack look—that creates the best results, with speedier recovery.” VASER Lipo more gently removes fat cells from almost anywhere on the body—abdomen, torso, arms, thighs, calves, ankles, buttocks, and even your shoulders, neck and face; truly sculpting your body.

The surgeons at Vitality offer a menu of services that can make life-changing improvements from head to toe: neck, face and eyebrow lifts; ear and nose surgery; drooping eyelids; breast augmentation, lifts, and reduction; tummy tucks; Brazilian butt lifts; a combination that targets post pregnancy body concerns called mommy makeovers; scar revision; and fat transfers.

Fat transfer uses your own fat removed with VASER Lipo and reinjects the liquid fat into an area that will benefit from it, like the face, breast, and buttocks. The use of this organic natural filler has the longest lasting and bestlooking results. Components of your own body, such as plasma rich platelets,

your own high quality stem cells and hormones, make fat transfer the procedure of choice. And, it’s less expensive than fillers.

WHEN VITALITY IS YOUR GOAL “Safety is our number one concern, that, and excellent patient outcomes,” Dr. Edween shared. “People know our reputation for quality work and our compassionate staff. We often see patients from out of town, and if they need someone to stay with them after surgery, we’ll arrange for that. We can set up and cover expenses for an overnight stay, when needed.”

Vitality Surgical Center is a convenient, welcoming place to achieve rejuvenation easily and comfortably. If you have ever wanted to make improvements to your looks, health, and self-esteem, call for a consultation. Get your questions answered by caring, reputable professionals who are at the top of their game.

They have helped so many achieve a beautiful new look, better health, and perhaps a new dress size! Questions are free…results are priceless.

Vitality Surgical Center

828.322.1498 74 8th Street SE, Suite 101 • Hickory www.vitalitysurgicalcenter.com HICKORY LIVING • DECEMBER 2018

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You have a CHOICE for Rehab Ask for Conover Nursing & Rehab!

Our goal is to get you back to those you love and the life you love living.

After an illness, surgery or • Rehab Wing with Central injury, Conover Nursing Gym and Indoor Track and Rehab Center’s team is • Results Oriented Physical, dedicated to your recovery Speech and Occupational and safe transition back Therapists on Staff home!

• Family Owned & Operated

Conover Nursing & Rehabilitation Center 828.695.8282

www.ConoverNursingandRehab.com

920 4th Street SW • Conover, NC 28613

{thanks} for your

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PARTNERSHIP INVESTMENT

We look forward to working for and with you to grow our population and fill jobs in 2018 and beyond.

W W W.C ATAW B AC H A M B E R .O R G

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HICKORY LIVING • DECEMBER 2018

Whether you’re enjoying some outdoor winter fun or spending your time inside where it’s warm, our high-speed nationwide coverage will be there. Feel free to connect whenever and wherever you please.

Find the Perfect Gift for Everyone at Lou Lou’s Corner

other fun motifs. Items can be special ordered.

• Fish Hippie: Located in Mt. Airy, Fish Hippie makes super soft outBy Meredith Collins | Photos by Shane Greene Photography door-themed tee shirts—high-quality With a wide selection of items for all ages, children’s ability level and how extreme button-ups, pullovers, and polos. and beautiful, free gift wrapping with you want the fun to be.

Customers are inspired to “drift off curbside pickup, Lou Lou’s Corner wants course” and get lost in the outdoors. your holiday shopping to be as easy as • Jellycat: These are the softest stuffed possible. Need to get a few more gifts animals you will ever invite home to Lou Lou’s makes a point to carry locally crossed off your list, but maybe you’ve run befriend your children. Lou Lou’s carmade products whenever possible. Here out of ideas? The friendly staff at Lou Lou’s ries an adorable menagerie of the cutest are a few cool Carolina pride brands Corner can help you find perfect gifts. elves, polar bears, and reindeer perfect made right here in North Carolina: for the holidays. Who doesn’t want Here are a few favorite ideas for this holimore adorable stuffed animals?

• Poppy Hand-Crafted Popcorn: From day season!

Asheville, Poppy makes yummy pop• Smathers & Branson: Teens and corn mixes with unique flavors such • American Ninja Warrior Officially Liadults will enjoy getting one of these as pimento cheese, salted caramel, censed Products: Have a fan of the hit needlepoint kits to work. A new line and cinnamon bourbon pecan. EveryTV show American Ninja Warrior or are at Lou Lou’s, Smathers & Branson’s one loves the delicious holiday flavors your kids just full of active energy? This needlepoint crafts include key fobs, Lou Lou’s carries this time of year. brand includes a line of kits in varibelts, and wallets. The needlepoint ous sizes so that you can build a ropes accessories are backed in leather, and • Mindful Supply: This Greensborocourse right in your own backyard. You the designs range from collegiate, NFL, based company makes very soft, can customize the setup to suit your NHL, and MLB to nature, patriotic, and colorful tee shirts. The company 18

HICKORY LIVING • DECEMBER 2018

encourages you to, “live in the now and wear what matters.”

• Chapel Hill Toffee: This delicious toffee is so good that it’s at the top of everyone’s wish list. Based in Chapel Hill, this mom’s favorite recipe evolved into a growing family business. Yum! • Freakers: Funky, high-quality drink insulators and socks from North Carolina. Lou Lou’s has a great selection of their stuff!

• Hudson & Lee: Another specialty gift idea from North Carolina, this company makes an all-natural honey simple syrup for cocktails and nonalcoholic drinks.

Lou Lou’s also carries glasses, hats, and other gift items for Carolina lovers.

Stop by today to find the perfect gifts for everyone on your list. Call ahead to have the gift wrapped and carried right out to your car—holiday shopping made simple and easy!

Photos

Opposite page–Known for having magical holiday windows, stop by to see what they come up with this year!

Above– Lou Lou’s, you will find Nest Above–At Fragrances’ scented candles, Jellycat’s cutest stuffed animals, and holiday books galore!

202 Union Square Downtown Hickory 828-324-7655 www.loulouscorner.com Find us on Facebook and Instagram!

HICKORY LIVING • DECEMBER 2018

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THE ROAD TO

Finding Purpose

By Emily Buckley

© iStockphoto.com | oatawa

Shakespeare once said, “Expectation is the root of all heartache.” In a world where news and social media are available every step we take, it’s easy to have high expectations and lose sight of what true happiness really means. We scroll through a timeline with update after update about fancy vacations, new cars, shopping trips, and achievements.

Media gives us a Photoshopped, high definition, picture-perfect expectation of who we should be. There are statuses complaining about first-world problems, people wishing they could be this or be that. Constant exposure to this cycle can lead to rewiring of the brain causing us to think that the measure of happiness depends on what we have or the lack of problems we face.

The interesting thing is, we would never know what happiness is if we don’t experience the opposing emotions of grief, anger, pain and fear. Joy would feel incredibly mediocre if it was all we knew and could process. Think about the pleasure of eating a home cooked 20

HICKORY LIVING • DECEMBER 2018

meal if you have been living off fast food and carry out for weeks. During that first savory bite, dopamine levels skyrocket. For someone who has learned to conquer the heavy weight of anxiety, the task of making new friends can become a riveting experience, whereas before, it was daunting and panic-inducing. It’s important to experience lows in order to realize when you hit the highs.

And sometimes between the ups and downs and fleeting serenity, there’s a period where it feels as though life adds up to a lot of nothing. Restlessness and frustration can begin to surface. We forget that a pathway can consist of a long-stretch. There’s the waiting. The meanwhile. This is the in-between time where we reflect and grow from either spectrum. We must trust this process of delay. We can avoid an abundance of disappointing circumstances if we embrace uncertain moments with gratitude and contentment. Life will throw plenty of unexpected failures and victories our way. We must appreciate every stretch

of the road—it means we’re still alive for the journey!

For me, true happiness consists of a meaningful life full of purpose. Material gain is temporary and can blind the eye to a purpose of substance. Developing intellect, skills, relationships, and character may take time, but they are the meaningful gain of substance you can use for a lifetime. Through these means, we can impact people and truly make a difference throughout a hurting world.

We can spread the hope of surviving and thriving, because we know there is no need to give up during a hard time.

You see, happiness isn’t everything.

Because whether we find our purpose through heartache, ailments, hard work or misfortune, it’s only then that we can strongly feel results of real love, healing, achievements, and good fortune. And that, my friends, is the everything that counts.

HICKORY LIVING • DECEMBER 2018

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La Bella Donna Happy Holidays!

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Special Holiday Menu Now through January 15th, 2018!

Specials Available On: Laser Facials • Combination Laser Packages Skin Tightening • Body Contouring Botox & Juvéderm Packages • Massage • Esthetics Huge Savings. Call for details.

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S PA T R E AT M E N T S

• Esthetics • Massage • glo minerals makeup

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1208 North Center Street • Hickory www.BellaDonnaLasers.com 22

HICKORY LIVING • DECEMBER 2018

What's Cooking?!

Holiday Cookies

The next best thing to baking cookies is baking them with friends.

Have a Christmas cookie party and try these recipes!

Peppermint Truffle Cookies 8 ½ 1 1 ½ 2 36

ounces bittersweet baking chocolate cup (1 stick) butter cup sugar, divided egg teaspoon McCormick Pure Peppermint Extract cups flour milk chocolate kiss-shaped candies, unwrapped

Directions

Heat oven to 350° F. In large, microwavable bowl, heat chocolate and butter on high 1-2 minutes, or until butter is melted. Let stand 10 minutes to cool slightly. Add ½ cup sugar, egg and peppermint extract. Beat with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended.

Gradually beat in flour on low speed until well mixed.

Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Press chocolate candy into center of each ball, forming dough around candy to enclose it. Roll in remaining sugar to coat. Place 1 inch apart on greased baking sheets.

Bake 9-11 minutes, or until cookies are set. Cool on baking sheets 5 minutes. Remove to wire racks; cool completely.

Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies

12/3 cups flour 1 /3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 1½ teaspoons baking powder ¼ teaspoon salt ½ cup (1 stick) butter, softened 1¼ cups granulated sugar 2 eggs 1½ teaspoons red food color 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ½ cup confectioners’ sugar Nonstick cooking spray

Directions

In medium bowl, mix flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt; set aside. In large bowl, beat but-

ter and granulated sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs, food color and vanilla extract; mix well. Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed until well mixed. Refrigerate 4 hours.

Heat oven to 350° F. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in confectioners’ sugar to completely coat. Place 2 inches apart on baking sheets sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.

Bake 10-12 minutes, or until cookies are puffed. Cool on baking sheets 2 minutes. Remove to wire racks; cool completely.

Recipe and photos courtesy of McCormick.

HICKORY LIVING • DECEMBER 2018

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Inside The Chamber

Defining the Catawba County Chamber

Lindsay Keisler President and CEO Catawba County Chamber of Commerce

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HICKORY LIVING • DECEMBER 2018

When you think “Chamber of Commerce,” what comes to mind? Powerful people in pinstripe suits or patent pumps sitting around board room tables? Fancy galas, clinking glasses, or exchanging business cards? Big business and big scissors cutting to applause? Do optimism, enthusiasm, patriotism, or pride come to mind?

Perhaps you think, expensive, unnecessary, or no clue!

The Catawba County Chamber has 850 shareholders and investors—business partners both small and large. We are the unified, probusiness voice working alongside local, state, and federal government officials to ensure a business-friendly and supportive climate for start-ups, entrepreneurial growth and expansion, and business competitiveness success.

Can I be frank? We jump at the chance to boast about our partners or our community, but as Chambers, we’re often poor at educating indirect beneficiaries of our organization’s work about exactly what work it is that we do. It is not that we don’t know how to market ourselves…we just don’t! As a result, people who have not experienced the organization from the inside have misconceptions about what we do and why we exist.

Business owners know that success comes by becoming a recognized brand to their customers. The Chamber is your one-stop, comprehensive business resource, your access to local leaders, future customers and referrals, and the starting platform for executing your regional marketing strategy.

Whether through legislative forums, business summits, professional development conferences, platforms to So, who is the Catawba County share best practices, or entrepreneurChamber of Commerce? ial and start-up assistance, we give you information you need to aim for Your Chamber is interested in tacksucess. Our goal is to provide eduling the problems that keep you up cational opportunities that make our at night. We want to listen more than businesses more informed and more we talk so we can identify and fill prepared to address the challenges of the needs that our business partners the day. have. We serve as the platform for discussion about key issues affecting We are a friend, partner, and a the business community in Catawba sounding board. We are a gatherCounty. A lively and prosperous ing point and the hub for busibusiness environment is a win-win ness, government, and education for everyone. partnerships. We are inclusive—we celebrate diversity and welcome new A community’s workforce is its most ideas and innovation. valuable asset. The Chamber is an engine for economic development by No other organization does exactly helping fill jobs through developing, what we do. If you would like to attracting, and retaining a qualified align with us, we would be honored. workforce.

For more information about the Your Chamber is Catawba County’s Catawba County Chamber premier leadership development Visit www.catawbachamber.org organization. We help develop comFollow us on Facebook at munity leaders on all levels through facebook.com/CatawbaChamber character development programming, mentorship, professional deOr contact me directly at velopment training, civic awareness, lkeisler@catawbachamber.org and engagement opportunities.

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