YOUR TRUSTED LOCAL BUTCHER SHOP & MARKET
[SINCE 1978]
For nearly five decades, we’ve proudly served our neighbors with fresh meats, everyday essentials, competitive gas prices, and a friendly smile. Whether you’re firing up the grill, filling your tank, or grabbing your morning coffee, Shop N Save has what you need – right when you need it.
Our main location at 1105 Mecklenburg Highway has been our flagship store for 47 years. The adage of “you can’t judge a book by its cover” applies to Shop N Save Market. Shop with us at our recently added second butcher shop location to see and feel our customer-focused experience and selections.
We offer, among many other items: Expert Butchers – Hand-cut meats, custom orders, and top-quality selections you can trust. Everyday Essentials – Snacks, drinks, household items, and more – fast and convenient. Old-School Local Service – Friendly, local, and here for you since 1978.
Local Products - Produced by local vendors.
Two locations, one great convenience.
1105 Mecklenburg Highway Mooresville, NC 28115
(704)-664-2155
Mon. to Fri. 6:00 AM to 8:00 PM, Sat. and Sun. 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM
356 Morrison Plantation Pky, Suite B1 Mooresville, NC 28117
(980)-447-8077
Tues. to Fri. 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM Sat. 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM Closed Sun. and Mon.
Shop_N_Save_Markets
Success Stories
This month we celebrate
‘Women
in Leadership’
I’ve shared this with you before, but perhaps with this year’s installment of our Women in Leadership series, it bears repeating. Since my very first job at the age of 16, I have worked for and with a series of incredibly interesting, talented, entrepreneurial and supportive women. Whether I was scooping ice cream at a New England ski resort gift shop and ice cream parlor, or serving as an executive assistant to the CEO of a San Diego nonprofit foster care agency, or working side by side with a gifted journalist at a small-town newspaper, I’ve been most fortunate to learn from – and in some cases, be mentored by – a wealth of women leaders. This month’s issue celebrates just such women, across several professions and industries, and their success stories are just as varied as their talents.
You’ll learn about Brooke VanderSpuy, an entrepreneur who turned her childhood fascination with all things horses into a thriving business with her husband, also a talented horse enthusiast. Now, Lenux Stables & Riding Academy in Huntersville and Lakeside Stables in Mooresville have combined to become the largest horse-riding program in the U.S.
We’ll introduce you to Nacole Wood, a practitioner of functional medicine who has joined the growing team at Renew Specialty Group in Cornelius. Through the group’s cutting-edge therapies and Wood’s focus on her patient as a whole rather than a collection of symptoms, she brings to the region her talent for connecting with her patients on their healthcare journey.
Those are just two examples of the exceptional women you’ll get to know this month. These women in leadership stories are as varied as their skills. They are entrepreneurs, real estate professionals, designers, health care practitioners and restaurateurs. Limited by neither industry nor locale, our Lake Norman area is all the richer for their talents. I hope you find something to take away from each of their experiences, and who knows, you may even become one of their clients and patrons. Their stories begin on Page 37.
It’s also fall, which means it’s time to celebrate the season with a visit to a pumpkin patch, or maybe with a trek through the mountains to see the beautiful fall foliage or even a weekend trip to enjoy the annual Lexington Barbecue Festival. Don’t forget to make time to witness the fantastic display of colorful hot air balloons at Statesville’s annual BalloonFest, and maybe on the way back stop for dinner at Bavarian Kitchen Restaurant in Troutman and meet the delightful owners.
While you’re contemplating some pumpkin carving, make sure you give some thought to carving out some time to enjoy everything else our region has to offer this time of year. We’ve got all the details for you here, so have a blast!
— LH Lori Helms Editor Lori@LNCurrents.com
Design & Production idesign2, inc
Contributing Writers
We had a great time visiting some of our Lake Norman’s Best award recipients!
Favorite Traditions
compiled by Lori Helms
Balloon festival returns
Colorful hot air balloons of all shapes and sizes will fill the sky over Statesville when the 2025 Carolina BalloonFest comes to town Friday, Oct. 17 through Sunday, Oct. 19. The event this year marks the festival’s 50th anniversary.
& New Additions
The main attractions at BalloonFest are always the hot air balloon ascensions and glows. The ascensions are typically held in the morning and afternoon, with the glows happening at dusk on Friday and Saturday when the balloons are inflated and light up the evening sky. There will also be tethered balloon rides, live entertainment, activities for kids, food vendors and the NC Wine & Craft Beer Garden. Ticket and parking information can be found on the Carolina BalloonFest 2025 Facebook page.
New chief in town
Huntersville’s newest Chief of Police, Brian Vaughan, has officially assumed his new role with the Huntersville Police Department following a decades-long career in town.
According to the town’s news release, Vaughan has served in a multitude of roles since joining the force in 2001. He started on patrol and moved to the traffic unit in 2003, where he became a state certified traffic incident reconstructionist before being assigned to the K9 unit in 2009. Vaughan was then promoted to Traffic Sergeant in 2014 before making the rank of Lieutenant and being in charge of Support Services for activities such as training and hiring. From there, he was promoted to Captain of Support Services, then became the Field Services Captain before being promoted to Assistant Chief in 2022.
“I have always had a heart for serving others and have always enjoyed
being in a position where I can do that,” Vaughan said. “For me, it’s always been about ‘What can I do to make the community better?’ and ‘What can I do to take care of the people around me?’ I’m looking forward to continuing to take care of our community and doing what I can to make it better.”
Play ball!
The Town of Cornelius Parks and Recreation officials have great news for area tennis and pickleball players, as both sports continue to experience a surge in participation.
At the end of September, the town’s public pickleball complex –sporting 10 lighted courts – was dedicated and opened for play at Bailey Road Park. And this month, also at Bailey Road Park, the town plans to dedicate and open the tennis complex, offering 12 lighted hard courts. Combined, these facilities make one of the largest collections of public courts in the area, according to Parks Director Troy Fitzsimmons.
A little funding, food in Davidson
The Town of Davidson is once again offering the Davidson Main Street Business grant, marking the 11th year of the program. The Davidson Board of Commissioners has approved $15,000 to fund the grants for fiscal year 2026 to support small businesses by creating jobs, providing financial benefits and spurring private investment in the town’s business districts. The first application period will run through Oct. 31, with additional application periods to continue on a 90-day rolling basis until all funds are allocated. For more information, visit www.townofdavidson.org/MainStreetGrant.
Another tradition continues this month as well, when A Taste of Davidson takes place on Saturday, Oct. 18, from 5 to 10 p.m., celebrating the flavors of Davidson’s food and beverages. There is no cost for admission, and local restaurants will offer samples of their most popular menu items for a small fee. The event will also feature live music by Pushh.
Jetton Street between Clean Juice and Mine by Sandy will be blocked off to accommodate the event, but there is plenty of public parking at the Circles @ 30 for festival goers. For more information about fall town events, contact Economic Development Director Kim Fleming at kfleming@townofdavidson.org.
Pick Your
Pumpkin Patch
Options abound around the lake
Compiled by Lori Helms
Don’t let October pass you by without a visit to one of Lake Norman’s several pumpkin picking options, where you can enjoy our lovely fall weather while you find the perfect jack-o-lantern at some of the region’s most beautiful and welcoming farms. Here is just a small sample of what’s waiting for you:
Carrigan Farms
A visit to this fifth generation working farm in Mooresville is almost a rite of passage for Lake Norman residents young and old during the fall, for a chance to personally pick your own carving-worthy pumpkin. And since you’ll be exploring the acres of pumpkins they grow and you’ll be doing the picking straight off the vine, farm staff strongly recommend you wear clothing and footwear (closed toed shoes or boots) appropriate for being on a working farm, and it wouldn’t be a bad idea to bring your gardening gloves (vines are prickly) and even a pocket knife to help make the cut. Tickets are $15 per person and include a hayride to the petting zoo and pumpkin field. Reservations are required. Learn more at www.carriganfarms.com.
Sweetwater Farms:
Open through Nov. 2, Sweetwater Farms in Huntersville offers free entry to its pumpkin patch to purchase a variety of orange, white, mini and ghost pumpkins, as well as decorative gourds to add to
your autumn decorations. Or stay for the day to enjoy a great family experience which includes plenty of activities for children and lots of friendly farm animals. Tickets are $7 per person at the barn entrance, no entrance fee for children younger than two. Visit www.sweetwaterfarmsnc.com for information on all the farm has to offer.
b&b farm:
Make a day of it and wander out to Lincolnton, where the folks at b&b farm say they “spare no expense transforming our farm into the perfect pumpkin patch for everyone to experience.” The patch is open to the public weekends throughout October, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays, and 1 to 6 p.m. on Sundays. Admission is $13 per person (two-year-olds and younger admitted for free) and includes wagon rides, playground access, meeting the farm animals and a train ride. Learn more at www.bnbfarmnc.com.
Lazy 5 Ranch:
Another option in Mooresville is the Lazy 5 Ranch’s Fall Festival pumpkin patch open through Oct. 26. Not only can you search for the perfect pumpkin (prices vary depending on size), you can also experience the Pumpkin Slingshot, play corn hole, purchase fall decorations and enjoy some of their weekend food options. General admission rates apply (cash only for extras such as the slingshot). Visit the ranch’s website for all the details at www.thelazy5ranch.com.
In Living Color
Time for leaf-peeping in western NC
compiled by Lori Helms
This time of year means it’s definitely time to load up the family truckster and head for the mountains to catch some of the most breathtaking fall foliage color our country has to offer. This map, as developed by Howard Neufeld and Michael Denslow of the Department of Biology at Appalachian State University, provides an estimate as to the timing of peak color in various areas of the state.
The map’s creators have added a few new features to their map for 2025 – the addition of notable towns as well as identifying the scenic roads that wind through the mountains to better help you plan your leaf-peeping trip. Using some new parameters, they have also distinguished this map from others that plot expected peak foliage.
“We constructed the map using the following assumptions,” say Denslow and Neufeld on their website (www.biology.appstate.edu/ fall-colors). “First, we assumed that fall color would start earlier at
higher elevations. We then figured (guessed!) that for each 1,000’ increase in elevation, peak fall colors would occur about one week earlier. ...” They also took into consideration each area’s latitude.
“For the latitude effect, we used data from published papers suggesting that each degree of latitude north is equivalent to going up in elevation by about 200 m (656’),” they say. “In other words, the same elevation in the north is cooler than the same elevation in the south, which causes the vegetation to differ. The resultant cooler temperatures mean that peak fall colors will come earlier to those same elevations in the north than in the south.”
But don’t let all the science hurt your brain. It’s really quite simple. Use this handy map as a reference and go pack a picnic or an overnight bag, fill up the gas tank and head for the hills. Our beautiful mountains never disappoint, no matter the color.
map courtesy Michael Denslow & Howard Neufeld, Appalachian State University
Business Expo 2025
Meet Justin Dionne
Playing a leading role at Cain Center for the Arts
Justin Dionne, Cain Center for the Arts’ founding executive director, has been with the organization from the beginning, guiding the project from script in 2017 to raising the curtain in 2023.
Located in the heart of Old Town Cornelius, the Center’s growth is evident, from the vibrant performing arts events and thought-provoking exhibitions to diverse education programs and classes, as well as lively social experiences. The Center welcomes approximately 25,000 visitors per year.
Dionne describes his time in the position as a whirlwind of growth, opportunities, challenges and celebrations.
“We have capitalized on opportunities such as hosting Davidson Community Players as our resident theater company and created a new outdoor summer concert series, ‘Lost at the Lake,’ with Lost Worlds Brewing,” he says. “And our challenges have included navigating things like the secondary ticket market.”
Dionne is not new to the theater community; he was selected from a cast of more than 80 candidates from across the country to lead Cain. He was an obvious choice, especially given his experience in building and managing a similar center — Dionne was the former managing artistic director of Lee Street Theatre in Salisbury.
“Definitely go enjoy a show at Lee Street Theatre,” he says. “Also, just go visit Downtown Salisbury; there’s lots to do and wonderful restaurants.” He recommends breakfast at one of the many BBQ
spots, or for lunch, grab a chilidog or burger at Haps Grille, with a Cheerwine in a glass bottle … if you want to look like you know what you’re doing. Or there’s always dinner at La Cava Restaurant, Sweet Meadow Cafe or Salty Caper Wood Fired Pizza. And if you’re so inclined, enjoy a beer at New Sarum Brewery.
A North Carolina native, Dionne has illustrated his love for the state with a partial tattoo sleeve on his left arm, weaving images and symbols as an homage to his home state. He now lives in Huntersville with his wife, Rachel; daughter, Vivienne, and his in-laws. The pack rounds out with Basset Hounds Charlotte and Bojangles, and cats Fae and Voodoo.
Dionne and his family love to take their show on the road in their RV, especially to New River State Park in the West Jefferson area, and Mama Gertie’s Hideaway Campground in Swannanoa (near Asheville). He also enjoys working out and crying over the Carolina Panthers when not at the Center. As a business leader, the arts and artists are essential to all areas of Dionne’s life, including decision-making in his daily routine.
“Creativity happens constantly,” he says. “One of these ways is in problem solving and literal creation of ideas.”
by Bek Mitchell-Kidd photographs courtesy Justin Dionne
Justin Dionne, the Cain Center for the Arts’ executive director, is enjoying both his professional role and his love of time and travel with family.
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Living with Purpose
Heidi Karant is the founder and Executive Director of a new nonprofit in Davidson — 210 Collective, a four-day-a-week vocational community for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), focused on meaningful work, real friendships and helping people live with purpose. After 27 years as a pediatric occupational therapist, Karant has spent a lot of time working with families through tough diagnoses and school transitions.
“One thing that has always broken my heart is how few options there are after graduation — especially in the Lake Norman area,” Karant says. “Then last year, my husband, John, and I moved our daughter to Austin and were introduced to a program called Brookwood in Georgetown, or ‘BiG’.”
She and her husband toured BiG and were impressed — adults with IDD were working joyfully, building friendships, creating beautiful products and fully integrating into the community. Karant immediately thought, “This is what our area needs. We’re going home to build this.”
BiG shared its model and has been instrumental in helping shape 210 Collective. The name for Karant’s nonprofit comes from the Bible verse Ephesians 2:10, “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works.” 210 Collective refers to members of their program as “Citizens.”
“These adults aren’t just participants,” she says. “They’re Citizens of 210 Collective, of Lake Norman and the world. They have talents, stories and so much to contribute. It’s a title that reflects dignity and inclusion.”
Unique in its purpose of providing purposeful work in the Lake Norman area, this fall 210 Collective is starting small with approximately 12 Citizens.
Collective committed to adults with IDD
by Bek Mitchell-Kidd
“Our Citizens will work four days a week, creating product lines — soap, paper goods, hand-stamped jewelry, bath salts and more,” says Karant. “But it’s about more than just making things. There will also be ‘one-off’ community events, pop-ups and chances to get out into the world and be seen and celebrated.” 210 Collective has partnered with KF Studios in Davidson, which will carry the products.
“We’d love to partner with other local retailers to sell our products and connect with businesses willing to sponsor a Citizen or donate materials,” she says. “We’re always looking for creative partnerships — if someone has a service, space or skill to offer, we’d love to talk.”
There is a monthly tuition fee to participate, but 210 Collective is committed to accessibility, offering financial assistance and actively fundraising to support a scholarship fund. “No one will be turned away due to cost,” Karant says.
The five-year dream is to have a more permanent home, with Karant adding they are grateful to Storyhill Church for giving them a place to launch. The goal is a space with a workshop in the back where products are made, a retail space out front and a small café where Citizens serve coffee, greet customers and shine.
“Locally, our board has been incredible — thoughtful, committed, and full of heart,” she says. “The support from this community has been humbling.”
Collective
Above, 210 Collective’s Executive Director Heidi Karant; right, two of the nonprofit’s joyful “citizens.”
Rock Your
Season-Ready Look ...
... with help from a local style coach
by Karel Bond Lucander | photography courtesy Christine Nelson
“In seven seconds, people form an impression of you,” says style coach Christine Nelson, who makes it her business to bring out your best. “When you’re getting dressed, you’re the artist and your body is the canvas.” A professional stylist since 2012, she can guide you to the colors and silhouettes that make you smile when you look in the mirror.
“We as women are super critical of ourselves,” she says. “I always ask, ‘What area do you want to accentuate?’ Often there’s a pause.
Once I pull it out of them, we accentuate the good and gloss over areas we don’t want to emphasize.” This Lake Norman resident helps style women of all shapes, sizes and ages throughout the country –from teenagers to seniors to those transitioning from college to the workplace.
Although her long-time day job has been as a pharmaceutical representative, her passion is styling. Her services include personal shopping, helping you evaluate and cull what’s in your closet, putting
existing outfits together, creating a style for an event or a special trip and color analysis. Pivotal to your style foundation, she’ll help you find your power hues.
“We can’t get to where we want to be if we don’t understand our colors,” she says. Nelson uses color drapes to assess what complements you and what drains you. “You need to understand which colors work for you and shopping will be a breeze.”
Nelson says for fall and winter the soft brown Pantone color of the year, Mocha Mousse, still dominates. Other earth tones, including rust, olive green, burgundy, mustard yellow, purple and red, are popular. As we transition from winter into spring 2026, watch for “transformative teal,” amber, fuchsia, mint green and light gray blue. While black is a staple, she suggests considering other neutrals – and accenting with a colorful scarf near your face.
“Navy is so classic and chic; I love a rich chocolate brown or deep charcoal gray – all appropriate alternatives to black.” Nelson says every woman should own a versatile blazer, a great fitting pair of jeans, white or off-white button-down blouse, basic pieces in solid colors and comfortable, fashionable shoes. This season, hot items include faux fur and shearling, leather, maxi coats, animal print and broaches.
She is also a proponent of sustainable clothing, which includes shopping consignment. Thirteen years ago, Keena Darland, manager of the Give Back Boutique (an upscale consignment shop in Mooresville run by The Christian Mission), asked Nelson to assist them with styling.
“She has a wonderful energy and our customers love working with her,” says Darland. “She’s so very talented and I cannot say enough good things about her. She’s in my closet, too.” Nelson says she is thrilled to help Give Back. All proceeds from sales support local families in need. The second Thursday of each month, she helps with Girl’s Night Out and at a monthly Saturday style event. “The boutique is a great place to shop. So many women work together, volunteering to make it thrive.”
When she is not styling, Nelson enjoys spending time with her husband and two college kids, “a “tightknit family.” She loves to travel, and recently headed to Paris, France, and the Bighorn River in Montana. She also really enjoys fly fishing, which she learned from her father.
“Fishing teaches you patience, gets you out in nature and is a technical, challenging, lifelong sport. Our whole family loves it,” she says. “And when I go fly fishing, I have my bling – I don’t look mainstream like the other anglers.”
Dynamic and charismatic, this Connecticut native learned to embrace her individuality as a 6-foot-3-inch 14-year-old who stood out.
“Growing up tall and lanky, I would hear, ‘how is the weather up there?’ and I was not comfortable in my own skin,” says Nelson. “When I got to college on a basketball team, I felt empowered. What I thought was my greatest weakness turned out to be my greatest strength. I really try to parlay that to the women I work with. My goal is to help bring out their confidence and celebrate what makes them unique and special. I say, ‘Own it, celebrate it and be confident in who you are! Live a little, have some fun and make your mark.’”
Nelson is a familiar face at Give Back Boutique in Mooresville, helping staff with merchandising and shoppers with their style.
Nelson is also a fly fishing enthusiast, a sport she enjoys with her entire family.
Keeping the Fire Burning
by Vanessa Infanzon
The Lexington Barbecue Festival covers at least nine square blocks downtown, offering delicious barbecue options.
Photo credits: The Dispatch/Donnie Roberts and @ HrizukPhoto
Stephanie Saintsing Naset, the executive director of the annual Lexington Barbecue Festival, remembers her mom, Kay Saintsing, starting the festival in 1984 with Joe Sink Jr., the publisher of the local newspaper, The Dispatch. As a teenager, Stephanie worked in the souvenir booth selling T-shirts and hats – it was an “all hands on deck” event and everyone had a role. Since the event’s 20th anniversary, Stephanie’s been running the festival.
“I am proud to be involved and proud to continue the legacy,” she says. “It’s important for our community, and that’s the driving force behind my motivation.”
The 41st Barbecue Festival, on Saturday, Oct. 25, begins on the grandstand with Lexington Mayor Jason Hayes taking the first bite of barbecue at the opening ceremony. Admission is free and more than 100,000 people from all over the southeast are estimated to attend the event.
“We highlight Lexington-style barbecue,” Stephanie says. “It’s not a cook-off. We don’t serve any other styles of barbecue.”
On the day of the festival, arrive early to take part in these activities:
• Eat Lexington-style barbecue sandwiches from the Barbecue Center, Speedy’s BBQ and Stamey’s Barbecue of Tyro, at tents along Main Street. Lexington-style barbecue is known for its slow cooked pork shoulder and red slaw (chopped cabbage mixed with ketchup and vinegar). Pitmasters have a proprietary blend of a thin tomato-based sauce, called “dip.”
• Purchase tickets to the Cork & Craft Hospitality Garden where local breweries and vineyards such as Bull City Ciderworks and Childress Vineyards serve craft beer, cider and wine.
• Enjoy live music – regional artists to country musicians from Nashville – on six stages.
• Get started on your holiday shopping. More than 250 artisans display handcrafted home décor, jewelry, pottery, woodworking and more.
• Catch one of the four high intensity BMX bicycle stunt performances. Recognized BMX riders are available for autographs after each show.
• Register your classic car at the Antique Car Cruise-In on site. Down the street, Clubvette and Country Corvette Club bring 30 to 40 corvettes for an additional Car Show Extravaganza.
• Take photos of the sand sculpture, a festival tradition for more than 25 years. It takes a week to sculpt the 50 tons of sand into a pig-themed design.
• Enjoy the Dare Devil Dogs, a high energy dog show, and Ed’s Dinosaurs Live, an interactive exhibit and performance with prehistoric creatures.
• Donate blood at the American Red Cross Blood Drive and receive a free BBQ sandwich from the Barbecue Center, a Red Cross t-shirt and a $10 eGift card.
• Try other barbecue joints in town such as Lexington Barbecue and Smokey Joe’s Barbecue for Lexington-style barbecue and popular sides such as baked beans, French fries, hush puppies and macaroni and cheese.
One day a year, Amtrak makes a stop in Lexington for the Barbecue Festival. Passengers board from Charlotte, Kannapolis, Salisbury, High Point, Greensboro, Burlington, Durham, Cary and Raleigh, and arrive at the Lexington Hospitality Center, a block from the festival. “We roll out the red carpet when visitors arrive,” says Stephanie Saintsing Naset, the festival’s executive director. “We set up a hospitality area that’s welcoming and festive. It’s a place to store your things and relax before you board to go home.”
www.thebarbecuefestival.com/p/travel/ amtrakspecialbarbecuefestivalstop
Enjoy live music, an antique car cruise-in, the traditional sand sculpture and fellowship over food . Photo credits: The Dispatch/Donnie Roberts and Lexington Barbecue Festival.
Girl Power Mooresville flag football will offer young girls an opportunity to compete while also building leadership and teamwork skills.
Let the Games
Girl Power Mooresville is a new youth flag football league launching this fall for girls from kindergarten through 12th grade.
Aligned with the NFL’s youth flag football initiative, the local league shares the goal of providing young female athletes with a platform to showcase their skills, build confidence and compete in a healthy and supportive environment.
“At Girl Power, we believe football is more than just a game,” says founder and league director Logan Sandate. “It’s an opportunity to develop strong character, leadership and self-esteem. With dedicated coaching and a focus on personal growth, we aim to teach life lessons that will benefit our athletes both on and off the field.” Sandate was inspired to start the league after her search to join a local flag football team proved futile.
“When I was looking for options to play in adult leagues, I quickly realized there were zero all-girls or women’s flag football leagues, not just for adults but especially for youth girls in the area,” she says. “To me, that felt like a major gap.”
Sandate grew up in Lake Norman attending Bradley Middle School and Hopewell High School. Adept at team sports, she played soccer throughout the area, starting with Strikers before moving on to
New opportunity arrives at the lake Begin!
by Bek Mitchell-Kidd photographs courtesy Logan Sandate
North Meck Soccer Club, and playing college soccer at Catawba College. She now manages Champions Sports Performance and Training Center in Cornelius.
Flag football is growing fast across the country, especially in the Northeast and on the West Coast.
“As a young girl, I know I would’ve absolutely loved the chance to play in an organized, recreational flag football league, and I don’t think girls today should miss out on that experience. I see the momentum and thought, why not here?” Sandate says.
Teams are divided by grades, not skill level, and most players in the league are trying flag football for the first time. Players stay within their age group, and while experience level may vary, coaches will adjust to meet each athlete’s needs.
The coaching staff is made up of passionate volunteers dedicated to creating a positive, fun and supportive environment. Many of the coaches have backgrounds in youth sports and share a genuine commitment to helping players develop both their skills and confidence. Families can expect to commit approximately two hours each Sunday for eight weeks. Each team has a 45-minute practice with their game immediately following.
“We know families are busy, so we designed the schedule to be simple, consistent and easy to plan around, while still giving the girls a great experience on the field.” The two hours will fly by as Sandate and her team focus on creating a fun, low-cost and low-commitment experience for families.
“There’s no cost for spectators — no tickets, no paid parking — just show up and enjoy,” she says. “The goal is to make Girl Power Flag feel like a true community event each Sunday, where families can relax, cheer on their athletes and connect.”
While the team will operate as an independent league under the official NFL FLAG umbrella, meaning all of the teams play other Girl Power teams, Sandate is quick to point out that being part of the NFL FLAG network has been a tremendous asset.
“The national recognition, access to high-quality official gear and resources, and the credibility that comes with being part of the NFL’s
youth development system have helped generate interest, build trust with families and lay a strong foundation to grow the game for girls in our community.”
Sandate also has plans for a winter season and to develop a travel team made up of top players from the league who are interested in taking their skills to the next level.
“I’m incredibly grateful to everyone who has stepped up to coach and support the league,” she says. “We continue to welcome sponsorship support from local individuals and businesses to help us grow and provide the best experience for the players.”
The Girl Power Mooresville fall season runs through Oct. 26. Visit www.girlpowerflagmooresville.com for information on the winter season or email logan@girlpowerflagmooresville.com.
All in good fun - whether learning to grab a flag, take guidance from their coach or make new friends, Girl Power Mooresville offers something for every young athlete.
Dwellings
How We Live at the Lake
A nursery in Davidson gets the “coastal grandmillennial” touch.
“coastal grandmillennial”
Designer Clarissa Oleksowicz envisioned a relaxed, almost beachy style for her newborn son’s nursery, including a beautifully detailed dresser with a leaf pattern bone inlay (right).
Peaceful & Calming
Everything and more a nursery should be
by Lori Helms photography courtesy Tiffany Ringwald
In the lead-up to a newborn’s arrival, expectant moms probably have some of the most eclectic to-do lists imaginable. Although it’s been more than 30 years since I had one of those lists, I do remember thinking that mine looked like the ramblings of a person on the verge of failing at multiple jobs at any given time. All at once – and even with my husband’s steadfast support and understanding – I felt I was responsible for everything from logistics to supply to finance to health and decorating.
Have a bag packed and ready to go for the trip to the hospital. Stock up on baby bottles, blankets, bibs and burp cloths. Maybe start a savings account in my son’s name. Remember to take my prenatal vitamins daily. Pick a theme for the nursery. I accomplished most of those things with relative success, but I so wish I had possessed the design talent of local interior designer Clarissa Oleksowicz. She shared with me recently the nursery she created for her son, and it is the calming, peaceful place all newborns — and just as importantly, new moms — should enjoy.
Nursery rhyme watercolors are just one feature of the nursery. The center image was created especially for Oleksowicz by her talented neighbor.
“It’s my style,” she says when I asked her to describe in design lingo the lovely tableau she created. “I tend not to specifically adhere to a single style when I design. I like to mix styles a lot with whatever feels right to me.”
But she did introduce me to a term I hadn’t heard before from my other designing friends – “coastal grandmillennial” is what she likened the theme of her nursery to. She says it’s a bit of a throwback to very traditional shapes and a beachy feel, with neutral colors such as pale blues, greens and yellows. Everywhere you look, in every corner of the room and at every piece of furniture or other décor, that coastal grandmillennial aesthetic is front and center.
The baby’s dresser and mirror initially caught my eye, due to the faint, whimsical patterns in both. In the dresser, the detail is achieved with bone inlay in the shape of small leaves. The mirror is also a bone inlay design but with a more geometrical pattern. Both are absolutely breathtaking, and Oleksowicz says the dresser was absolutely worth the expense as its design is timeless and doesn’t scream “baby’s room.”
“It’s a good, solid investment piece,” she says, adding she plans to use it well beyond baby’s first years.
And the bone inlay concept carries to the picture frames of the nine-piece matrix above the crib. Eight of the pictures are watercolor nursery rhyme illustrations, and the ninth centerpiece image was created for her by her neighbor, Chelsea Demarest. It depicts a song that Oleksowicz’s father would sing to her as a child – “You Are My Sunshine” – which she also sang regularly to her son when he was born prematurely and had to spend 57 days in the neonatal intensive care unit.
All is well with him – and mom – now, and she says his nursery is not just a pretty place to look but not touch.
“We use it all the time, it’s one of the few places that is completely baby proof in our home,” she says, which is important now that her 10-month-old is starting to become more mobile. “He spends a lot of time on the floor, playing on the rug and rolling around.” And there’s a lot to do and see from that vantage point.
There’s everything from a solid brass rocking horse from the 1960’s that Oleksowicz found on Facebook Marketplace, to a cozy recliner to relax in during those quieter moments, to a small side table that doubles as a bookshelf awaiting her son’s curious mind, to a beautiful ceiling detail of hand-crafted wood lattice work. There’s even a mobile strung from the ceiling decorated with rose shapes made from linen.
I don’t know what this designer’s new baby to-do list looked like, but I know she can absolutely check off the “create a breathtaking nursery” item.
“It’s very peaceful, bright and calming, with a bit of playfulness, too,” Oleksowicz says. Indeed.
CLARISSA OLEKSOWICZ DESIGNS
Bringing your visions to life by creating beautiful spaces
Natures Beauty, Artist Made
1. Kristen Baird Gemstone Bracelets
2. Tyler Swain Hummingbird Art
Steve Schererr Sunflower Ornament
Michael Hayes Wall Vase
5. Alex Mano Ginko Earrings
Kinzig Design Lamp
Houston Llew Spiritile
Women in Leadership
From financial planning to educators, interior designers, retail and hospitality experts and more, these women have so much to offer. We know you’ll be inspired to support them once you read their stories. Read on to learn how they got their start, what motivates them and how they pay their success forward.
Nacole Wood, MSN, FNP-C, has recently returned to her roots in Functional Medicine, joining the growing team at Renew Specialty Group. As a provider, she emphasizes the importance of truly getting to know each patient on a deeper level — moving beyond cookie-cutter medicine to create personalized, comprehensive plans that align with individual health goals.
Renew Specialty Group has gained recognition throughout Lake Norman and beyond for its multifaceted, progressive approach to anti-aging and integrative care. Their recently revamped medical weight loss and weight health management program is one example. Unlike traditional programs that focus solely on the number on the scale, Renew’s protocol helps patients improve inflammation, reduce A1C, lower cardiovascular risk and enhance both metabolic and cognitive health.
The clinic’s offerings extend well beyond weight management. Services include hormone replacement therapy (HRT), peptide therapy including NAD+, peptides, PRP and exosome treatment. Patients also have access to IV therapy, pain management, women’s and men’s health services, body contouring, hair restoration and advanced Class IV laser therapy. This range of services reflects Renew’s commitment to extending healthspan, not just lifespan — helping patients feel and perform at their best.
“I believe in treating each patient as a whole person, not just a collection of symptoms,” Wood explains. “Prevention and wellness should be the standard of care at every
encounter. When you view the body holistically, you can create treatment plans that produce lasting results.”
Renew’s reputation for excellence has grown rapidly, thanks in part to its ability to offer advanced, safe and medical-grade therapies not commonly found in standard practices. Their HRT program has restored balance, energy and vitality for countless men
and women. Their cutting-edge peptide therapies, tailored to everything from weight loss to cellular rejuvenation, are among the most advanced in the region. With the addition of Wood, the team has expanded its capacity to deliver patientcentered, individualized care.
For Wood, success lies in presence and connection: “Listening, understanding and building trust with each patient
18805 W. Catawba Ave., Suite #100
Cornelius
is the foundation of meaningful care. No two health journeys are the same, and my role is to walk alongside patients as a true partner in theirs.”
At Renew Specialty Group, patients find more than a clinic — they discover a team dedicated to functional, integrative and progressive solutions when traditional medicine falls short..
704.612.0011 www.renewhealthwellnessnc.com appointments@renew-hw.com
Nacole Wood, MSN, FNP-C Renew Specialty Group
TThe Serve Pickleball + Kitchen is bringing a new level of sports entertainment to Lake Norman with its Play–Drink–Dine experience. Featuring 10 indoor pickleball courts, six outdoor courts, four Topgolf Virtual Swing Suites with a full array of interactive games, and a full-service food and beverage program.
The dynamic team of Stephanie Lang, Events Director; LeAnna Dunlap, Event Sales Director; and Karen Payne, Executive Operations Director, are here to bring your vision to life. From themed bachelorette parties and milestone celebrations to corporate training with catered lunches, birthdays and team-building events, endless possibilities await. With both semi-private and private spaces tailored to your group size and needs, our team is ready to make your event exceptional.
When you are looking for a premier pickleball experience, look no further than The Serve! Program Manager Chloé Lambert and Sports Event Manager Kaitlyn Hutzel are dedicated to creating fun, fresh and exciting programs at The Serve, for both pickleball players and Topgolf Swing Suite players. Pickleball players will enjoy a wide range of offerings including beginner classes, skill development clinics, camps and special events for all ages and skill levels. All players — pickleball and Topgolf Swing Suite — will have tournaments and special events available as well.
The Serve isn’t just a pickleball facility, it’s a full Play-DrinkDine experience with a team of women helping shape the culinary vision. Angela Russo, Food & Beverage Director, brings over 20 years of hospitality leadership. Food & Beverage Managers Sher Gillespie and Ciaira Metz will ensure seamless daily operations. From crafted cocktails and chef-inspired plates to signature coffees and grab-and-go bites, The Serve’s food and beverage team will
ensure every guest enjoys a culinary experience as dynamic as the play itself.
No matter the occasion, The Serve Pickleball + Kitchen is ready to host you!
Gifted Travel Network is an innovative travel host agency serving both experienced travel advisors seeking a collaborative, business-minded community and complete newcomers wanting to start luxury travel businesses from scratch. Its core services include elite hosting with access to top tier commissions, elite hotel program benefits, commission processing and exclusive access to Virtuoso benefits, award-winning professional development through Travel Business University and its transformational 12-month Travel MBA Program for those new to the industry who want to build seven-figure businesses around their passion for travel.
Co-founder and Chief Membership Development Officer Meredith Calloway says she left a successful, well-paid Wall Street career to become a travel advisor due to a personally draining lack of fulfillment. Her leap of faith began quite rocky, but has led to an incredibly satisfying career that she wants to help others realize.
“For five years, I fell into the ‘accidental hobbyist trap’,” she says, “working 40-50 hours weekly but making no money. I made every mistake possible. When I got tired, feeling aimless while making no money, I invested in business coaching and mindset development, transforming my failing agency into a profitable luxury travel business.”
In 2011, Calloway established the Global Institute for Travel Entrepreneurs (GIFTE) to coach other advisors out of the “hobbyist trap,” and within two years, she and co-founders
Jennifer Cochrane and Vanessa McGovern founded sister company Gifted Travel Network to revolutionize travel hosting by combining traditional services with business coaching and community.
“While traditional agencies focus on basic hosting services providing little guidance and support for business ownership, we created a comprehensive business development ecosystem. ... The result? We’ve helped hundreds escape the accidental hobbyist trap and build businesses generating
two to 10 times the industry average income. I am so passionate about helping others build businesses and lives they love around a passion for travel that I wrote a book (to release next month), The 7-Figure Travel Entrepreneur: The Complete Blueprint to Building a Rewarding Business and Remarkable Life Selling Travel.”
“With women representing 70-80% of travel advisors, we guide them through building businesses while balancing the caregiver role, whether it’s children, grandchildren or aging
family members, showing them how the flexibility of the travel advisor career path makes it ideal for family life,” says Calloway.
Whether you are an experienced travel advisor seeking a collaborative community and meaningful business guidance or have a passion for travel with no industry experience, we have a path for you. You don’t need prior experience — just passion, determination and the right guidance to build a thriving luxury travel business.
Meredith Calloway, Co-Founder and Chief Membership Development Officer Gifted Travel Network
As an established broker since 1996, and with a successful real estate career since 1985, Christy Walker believes that integrity, knowledge and hard work are the most important character traits to have when helping her clients in buying or selling a home.
Christy Walker & Associates is a team of real estate professionals that commits to making the sale or purchase of your home a top priority. Exceptional customer service, truly caring about every customer every step of the way, as well as the commitment to making your transaction as flawless as possible are goals Walker and her team take seriously.
In just 2024 alone, Christy Walker & Associates placed in the Top 10 of Team Sales in the Carolina’s region, were number one in Team Listings Taken and Top Team in earnings of Gross Commission Income (GCI), and were recognized for more than 11 years in the Five Star designation of Charlotte Realtors and for more than seven years as LKN Top Women in Real Estate. But what truly sets Walker and her team apart is their passion for serving each client’s specific needs.
“We make sure that clients know that they have someone trustworthy, knowledgeable and attentive to support them in all aspects of the real estate process — before, during and especially after a transaction closes,” Walker says. “We offer resources that will help them get through the tedious and sometimes emotional aspects of a real estate transaction.” And when they’re not providing that exceptional level of service to their clients, they’re just as committed to philanthropy in their community.
“We support KW Cares by donating a percentage of income from every closing to help our clients in need in our local communities as well as Keller Williams clients around the world,” she says. Her team also sponsors a number of neighborhood athletic teams and events, including yearly National Night Out events with the local
police department. Walker also serves as a mentor by using her many years of experience in the real estate industry to teach other agents within the Keller Williams community, and she regularly meets with people who want to establish a long-lasting career in the industry but don’t know where to begin or how to get their business started. In the end,
she says, it’s all about balance.
“It’s taken me many years to learn to balance the work-life requirements of real estate, and to understand that faith, family and business are the most important in creating that balance in life,” she says. “My family and my clients are my life — I love both of them and try to treat them the same.”
Christy Walker President/Owner, Christy Walker & Associates
The path toward being a woman in a leadership role can be a long and winding one, as Savvy Salon and Day Spa President Pat Helmandollar will readily tell you. Her journey began in 1993 as a mission to be closer to family in the Charlotte area, and
has culminated in ownership of a highly regarded business that was recently recognized by “Salon Today” as one of the top 200 salons in the country.
More than 30 years ago, and after having owned a few salons in West Virginia, Helmandollar says she relied on
her colleagues and connections in the region to help in her relocation, and that eventually led her to connect with Charlie Potts, who owned several Charlottearea salons including one in Cornelius. While serving as his education director, Helmandollar learned Potts would be selling his salons to a national chain, Hair Cuttery, which didn’t want to keep the Cornelius location and offered it to her.
“That was the beginning, and I have not regretted one single minute of it,” she says. “I love the location, the people and this industry. It was made to order for me.”
She says her vast experience in the industry is what she brings to the table as a leader, which includes years of traveling worldwide for training, as well as being colleagues with and learning from some of the best hairstylists in the world. She has used that education and experience wisely, passing it along to her employees. Helmandollar also says her passion lies in connecting with her clients and what they expect from a visit to Savvy Salon and Day Spa.
“There must be a personal connection of some sort,” she says. “One must first listen and then interpret what the client wants. With that want, comes the need. What they want and what they need could be two totally different things, and understanding how to bridge that gap is of utmost importance.”
“Regarding leadership, I was simply born that way,” she says as a woman completely comfortable in her professional skin. “With training and honing, someone with natural abilities can develop in whatever field they choose.”
Helmandollar is proud to celebrate her 30th year in business with great offers during the week of Oct. 6-11. “We would like to invite the entire community to come and celebrate with us, with Oct. 11 being the BIGGEST day of all.”
704.895.0404
20430-2 W. Catawba Ave. Cornelius
www.savvysalonanddayspa.com pat@savvysalonanddayspa.com
Pat Helmandollar, President Savvy Salon and Day Spa
Tara Cottone, owner of Acqua Ragazza in Mooresville, is no stranger to the hospitality industry. Across about 25 years, her work experience started at McDonalds at the age of 14, then extended to corporate
restaurants and the fast-paced Miami Beach bar scene, and for the decade prior to her opening Acqua Ragazza in June 2023, she was always someone else’s top-notch bar or general manager. And then, she says, “COVID happened.”
“While the country shut down, I reflected on what to do next,” Cottone says. “I have always wanted to open my own restaurant. After experiencing the effects that a pandemic had on the economy, I decided if there was ever a time to
take a huge risk, it was now. ... While I scoped out places in Charlotte, I didn’t find a spot I truly fell in love with. I had been visiting my favorite restaurants in Mooresville for a few years, and while my good friend was looking for a rental property, we stumbled across the brand-new Mill One building, and I knew it had to be there!”
Cottone says she was the first one to sign a lease for space in Mill One, and she set off on the extremely drawn-out process of creating a restaurant out of a shell of a space. In all, she says it took almost two years, thanks to supply chain issues and all the labor challenges inherent in the construction industry. She settled on the name Acqua Ragazza – the literal meaning of which is “water girl/woman” – to pay homage to her new Lake Norman home.
“We offer authentic Italian cuisine with a social room environment, and we do it with perfectly balanced craft cocktails for a mature palate,” says Cottone. “My goal was to create an atmosphere suitable for the mature crowd, for the young at heart, and we have done just that.”
It’s not just Cottone’s passion for good food, cocktails and ambiance that has made her such a success. That passion extends to her hiring practices as well.
“One of my greatest strengths is the ability to read people and anticipate others’ needs,” she says. “When someone applies with my company, they either have ‘it’ too, or they don’t. That helps me choose the right people to bring on board to the team, ultimately trickling their abilities down onto the customer, who then has an excellent experience with us.”
704.360.1015 www.AcquaRagazza.com acquaragazzalkn@gmail.com
Tara Cottone, Owner Acqua Ragazza
Since joining the Mooresville community in 2019, Kim Quinn has brought passion, leadership and heart to everything she does. Originally from New York, she relocated to Mooresville with her husband Jim, a retired NYPD officer, and three children. She and her family quickly embraced the charm and close-knit spirit of Mooresville.
With a Bachelor of Science degree and a strong background in leadership, Kim found her professional calling with the Famous Toastery, stepping into a management role where she continues to thrive. Known for her hands-on approach, genuine care for her team and commitment to excellence, she’s helped shape the warm and welcoming atmosphere that guests and staff alike appreciate.
Beyond her professional accomplishments, Kim is also devoted to her family with busy sports schedules, college life and supporting their growth as they enter the work force. We are lucky to have two of her children work with us over the years. With her youngest preparing to leave the nest, she’s entering a new chapter as an almost-empty nester — balancing family life, work and personal growth with admirable grace.
Kim’s story is a shining example of how women in business can lead with both strength and heart while balancing the many demands of motherhood. She is not only a key part of the Famous Toastery’s continued success but also a valued member of the Mooresville community.
Describing herself as a “horse-crazy kid” from a very young age, Brooke VanderSpuy has spent most of her life around them. From first learning to ride, then competing through high school and college, and then ultimately owning Lenux Stables & Riding Academy in Huntersville with her husband for more than 20 years (and Lakeside Stables in Mooresville for six years), she’s grown Lenux into the largest riding program in the country.
“We teach around 400 students weekly between the two locations,” she says. In addition to riding lessons and camps, VanderSpuy says the stables also offer training for American Saddlebred show horses and their riders. “Just last month, our daughter who is now 14 was crowned the World Champion,” she says. “This moment was so
special and rewarding.” And she’s also quite proud of the staff she’s developed at Lenux.
“Several of my wonderful riding instructors started as a lesson student at a very young age and now are a huge part of the barn’s operation,” she says. “These (former) students now are influencing the next generation of horsemen and horsewomen.” With a competent staff and a flourishing riding program, VanderSpuy is enjoying what her stables have become.
“Running Lenux Stables is my dream come true and training top show horses is my husband’s dream,” she says. “We put our passions together to create Lenux and are so proud of what we have created. We hope that everyone who visits one of our stables experiences the joy a horse brings.
Brooke VanderSpuy, President Lenux Stables & Riding Academy, Inc.
Ibegan my career at Ivester Jackson working alongside my mentor, Lori Jackson — the firm’s owner and a true powerhouse in the industry. Watching her manage complex transactions with such grace and precision showed me what mastery in real estate really looks like. That guidance set the foundation for my own success, including being named a Christie’s Masters Circle Agent in 2024, recognized as a Top 50 LKN Woman in Real Estate and a Top 100 Realtor in Charlotte (out of 17,000 brokers), and approaching $40 million in sales year-to-date for 2025.
Specializing in the luxury waterfront market, I’m deeply committed to delivering exceptional service with measurable results. My strong network and market knowledge allow me to connect buyers with homes they love and help sellers maximize the value of their properties. I’m known for uncovering off-market opportunities and marketing strategically — a reputation that makes me the go-to agent for clients seeking something truly exclusive.
What drives me most is listening closely to my clients and understanding what matters to them — whether it’s a stunning waterfront view, proximity to family or creating a lifestyle that reflects their dreams. My goal is not simply to sell a home, but to guide clients toward the place where they can build the life they envision.
Motherhood has shaped the way I approach my work. It has taught me patience, adaptability, and the ability to balance many moving parts
at once — skills that translate directly into how I serve my clients. Real estate isn’t a 9-to-5 job, but I’ve learned to prioritize what matters most: being present for my family while showing up wholeheartedly for those who trust me with their biggest investments. My kids
see me working hard, building relationships and giving back to the community — lessons I hope inspire them to pursue their own passions with dedication and heart.
Balancing family and business isn’t always easy, but it has made me resourceful,
resilient and deeply committed to protecting my clients’ investments. Real estate is more than buying and selling — it’s about guiding people with care, solving challenges before they arise and making sure every move is a smart one.
Liz Miller, Luxury Real Estate Broker Ivester Jackson
Lake Norman Realty is an independent, local and family-owned firm, with a team of 135 brokers and staff. This year marks its 47th year of excellence, with a customer satisfaction rating of more than 99%. With six offices conveniently located throughout the Lake Norman region, Lake Norman Realty offers a full spectrum of residential and commercial services, relocation, long term and vacation rentals, property management, mortgages and insurance.
Broker and Realtor Debbie Monroe has been the top agent at Lake Norman Realty for most of her 38 years with the company, and she enjoys working with both buyers and sellers and their myriad wants and needs.
“I have seen all types of market conditions,” she says, “and have learned to adjust when needed.” As a result of her attentiveness,
Not many businesses can say that the COVID-19 pandemic that brought such havoc to everyday life was actually beneficial to their success, but family-owned Crown Waste & Recycling Systems can make that claim.
“It helped us,” says Giovanna Antonacci. “We started during the pandemic and the business took off.” The summer of 2020 is when the company’s North Carolina division started operations, but it has its roots in Queens, New York, where it was established by her grandparents in 1958 and then assumed by her father in 2004.
“While we were nervous because it was such a dark time, we never gave up and are super proud of our accomplishments thus far. Overcoming being a woman owner in a male dominated industry is
Monroe regularly receives numerous referrals from her previous clients. As new agents join Lake Norman Realty in its Cornelius office, Monroe says she enjoys mentoring them and takes great pride in watching them succeed. A bit of wisdom she passes on is that being a full-time Realtor can be a challenge, but having a supportive network of family and friends is an essential element.
Community involvement has always been a vital part of Monroe’s identity, as she has always given back to the community. Monroe is very involved in the North Mecklenburg Exchange Club, Cornelius Early Scholars and the Smithville Revitalization Project. She has volunteered for years with Boy Scout Troop 72 at Bethel Church in Cornelius and at many local schools.
When asked why her clients return to her, she says, “Because they know experience counts,” which is also Monroe’s tagline.
definitely a huge accomplishment as well,” she says.
Crown Waste & Recycling offers commercial and residential roll off dumpsters, residential trash and recycling removal, and commercial front load trash and recycling services. The business has recently expanded into the Greenville, South Carolina market.
“We are a one-stop shop for all waste and recycling needs, and we really tailor our services to each specific customer,” says Antonacci. “Making our customer feel understood and explaining our services and tailoring them to their needs really sets us apart from others.”
“Owning a business can be very rough,” she says. “It’s long hours, sleepless nights, but at the end of the day, it will all pay off. I encourage any woman looking to start a business to just go for it.”
Giovanna & Joanie Antonacci, Owners
Crown Waste & Recycling Systems LLC
Debbie Monroe, Broker/Realtor® Lake Norman Realty
Lilly & Grace, nestled in the heart of Langtree in Mooresville, is a premier furniture boutique offering high quality furnishings, home decor, accessories and gifts. From lighting, artwork, rugs and wallpaper to exquisite fabrics and full-service interior design, owner Robyn Ford and her team provide everything you need to create a home that feels beautifully curated and uniquely yours.
“Lilly & Grace was born from a lifetime immersed in the world of interior design,” says Ford about her familycentric business. “Inspired by my mother’s passion and now blessed to share that same love
with my daughters, design has always been at the heart of my life. I envisioned Lilly & Grace as a true ‘one-stop shop’ — a place where clients could find everything they need to create a home that feels beautifully complete.”
Ford says this past year has been one of incredible growth for her boutique. They’ve expanded their design team, launched an in-house sewing department to create custom pillows and bedding, and established partnerships with new vendors to include everything from custom carpeting to stunning lighting collections. When coupled with their singular priority of creating happy customers and
their passion for delivering a complete service experience from start to finish, it’s no wonder Lilly & Grace also enjoys seeing so many return customers.
“Our goal is for every client to not only love the pieces they purchase but to feel confident in the process — knowing their vision can be achieved within budget,” Ford says. “We take pride in listening, setting realistic expectations and guiding each step with care. Because furniture and home decor are meaningful investments, we strive to ensure our clients feel comfortable, reassured and delighted every step of the way.”
And that focus on others
extends to their community involvement. Ford says last October, after Hurricane Helene devastated so many western North Carolina mountain towns, her team partnered with Samaritan’s Purse in support of disaster relief efforts. In addition, she also keeps close contact with the talented designers she has worked with, staying connected and celebrating their successes along the way.
“To everyone who has supported us and followed our journey, we extend our heartfelt thanks,” says Ford. “Your encouragement means more to us than words can express, and we are truly grateful to share this adventure with you.”
Robyn Ford, Owner Lilly & Grace
The Gardens of Statesville (managed by Premier Senior Living) offers independent living, assisted living and memory care services where residents enjoy an active and engaging lifestyle.
Executive Director Cyndi Maginness says it is their mission to create vibrant senior living communities bringing new meaning to what modern senior living should be.
“We are passionate about the care we give our residents and meeting their needs,” she says, “making sure they’re happy, healthy and active as much as possible.” Her career with The Gardens of Statesville began in 2015 as the Business Office Manager/ Administrative Services Manager/ Human Resources Coordinator. She passed the Administrator exam and
From a young age, medicine and science captured Dr. Faiz’s curiosity. “The ability to recognize and treat different conditions was a little like detective work,” she recalls. That curiosity carried her across the globe, from medical school in Pakistan to residency at the University of Central Florida, and fellowship training at UCLA and Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.
It was during residency that she discovered the specialty that would become her passion. Allergy and Immunology gave her the chance to not only treat everyday conditions like seasonal allergies but also manage rare and complex disorders such as hereditary angioedema.
“The continuous introduction of new
received her license early this year to assume her current leadership role. In her first few months as the Executive Director, Maginness says the facility had a deficiency-free quarterly monitoring and state survey.
“The Gardens of Statesville has a great reputation in the Statesville community,” she says. “We have awesome residents and families who are very involved with their loved one’s care and wellbeing.” Maginness says serving in her leadership role can at times be challenging and equally rewarding.
“Our communities empower residents to continue living as they want,” she says. “We are determined as ever to cultivate a better way of living for all those who walk through our doors, whatever their needs may be.”
treatments keeps me motivated and excited for my patients,” she says.
Leading PHC’s new Allergy, Asthma & Immunology practice, Dr. Faiz is building care with a foundation of empathy, collaboration and transparency. “I don’t make decisions for you, I provide the information so we can decide together,” she explains.
Beyond medicine, she is an avid traveler, outdoor enthusiast and proud aunt. She credits her family, who encouraged compassion and perseverance, with shaping her path.
Dr. Faiz’s journey is an inspiring reminder of the impact women leaders make in health care, transforming challenges into opportunities to serve and empower others.
Dr. Arfa Faiz
PHC Allergy, Asthma, &
Cyndi Maginness, Executive Director The Gardens of Statesville
Limitless
For the area’s 55+ adults who place no limits on living their best lives!
Mickey Dunaway shares his seafood-centric diet on Page 52 that helped him on his journey to improve his health.
by Stella Mackler images courtesy Kellie Grutko
‘What Do I Do Now?’
Life coach helps navigate corporate burnout
Kellie Grutko’s marketing career spans more than 25 years. The majority of those years were filled with joys and challenges, and she woke up excited to go to work. Until one day she wasn’t.
“I just finally thought I really don’t want to work for a big corporation, I really don’t want to do marketing anymore,” Grutko says. “So, what am I going to do? I struggled.”
Purposeful Pivot, Grutko’s life coaching business for women over 50 navigating burnout, was born out of that struggle. It evolved from an old dream Grutko had to host her own TV show featuring various travel wellness retreats.
“I remember someone saying, ‘You leave a retreat and then you just go back to life,’” she says. “So then I thought, all right, well, maybe I can coach these women after the retreat so they keep the momentum going. Then I ended up flip-flopping it. I thought maybe I should coach a bunch of women and find out what’s important to them and host programs based on that.”
And that’s what she does. Purposeful Pivot offers individually tailored coaching plans and workshops for women around the country. Grutko is based in the Lake Norman area but conducts her services virtually.
“I’m talking to one woman now, she’s in the Czech Republic,” Grutko says. “But I do like being in my local community. I’ve joined just different networking groups here and I’ve done some podcasts that reach the Lake Norman area.”
Grutko emphasizes that there is no one-size-fitsall approach to coaching. Everyone’s different.
“Some people are like, ‘I know who I am. My identity is fine. I just need help with a plan,’ and that’s fine,” she says. “Other people are like, ‘Gosh, I have no idea how to take my skills and use them for something different. I need to start from the very beginning.’”
Identity exploration — learning who you are and who you want to be — is a crucial part of confronting burnout.
“At least for me personally, when you leave a corporate job or you had a title and now you don’t, and you go to a party and someone asks what you do for a living, now you don’t have an answer because you’re not sure. You lose your whole identity,” says Grutko.
The most important thing, she says, is keeping an open mind.
“It starts with just preparing your mindset because thinking about completely changing your life or doing something different, you have to be open and ready for change.”
She emphasized that coaching is very different from therapy, with the latter looking more into the past and the former being more directive guidance.
“It’s forward looking,” Grutko says. “It’s helping you with your future.”
Life coach Kellie Grutko of Purposeful Pivot.
Maginness Executive Director
Pardon My
‘Diet-tribe’
by Mickey Dunaway
How many diets have you tried? Four? A half dozen? More? How many can you say were successful? One? None?
Dieting is damn hard. Perhaps because it is just too difficult to stay on a diet that is inflexible, leaves you hungry and is not very pleasing to your palate; therefore, you give it up. Breaking any habit is difficult, and perhaps the hardest is to break dietary habits.
If you guessed that the above “diet-tribe” describes my own journey with food, you’d be right. But things have changed, and I want to tell you about them.
I grew up in the deep south, 20 miles west of Mobile, Alabama. If it was Sunday dinner, it might be fried chicken, but always with biscuits. Oh my, I loved those biscuits! Growing up on Southern cuisine is about as far removed as one can get from the Mediterranean diet or any of its iterations. Thus, making it hard to switch.
When we moved to Charlotte in 2005, as a professor, my activity level decreased, I was much more sedentary and my weight gradually increased until my primary care physician alerted me to the impending health dangers. I tried to follow his diet suggestions but had little success until I was diagnosed with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and worst of all — atrial fibrillation and Type 2 diabetes.
I was in a mess, and as my doctor emphasized one more time that I had to diet, I took dieting seriously. My wife (who also has a heart stent) and I stumbled into a different way of dieting that still met the doctor’s expectations.
First, we eliminated as much sugar as possible. No soft drinks of any kind. Research has shown that diet drinks have much the same effect on health as their full sugar originals. We started drinking water with our meals instead of sweet tea. And, where we might have had a soft drink on the patio while doing a crossword, we now have sparkling water.
Second, white bread — or as we call it in the South, light bread — had to go. Whole wheat, when we have bread, is our option, and in small amounts.
Third, we try to eat fresh all year. In the spring and summer, it is not hard to find local farmers’ markets. After the fresh vegetables have disappeared, we eat fresh, if not local, vegetables found in our grocery stores.
Fourth, we eat quality food where we know its source. For example, we source our seafood from Flying Fish Seafood, located at 216 Eden Street in Davidson. Our fishmonger explains his mission in these words:
“[Our seafood] doesn’t come to us in pre-cut or processed fillet, nor has it been sitting in a warehouse somewhere waiting to be sold and shipped by a sales staff. Our seafood is caught by NC fishermen and sold off the boat by NC fishermen every week.”
To get on their email list, send an email to 1flyingfishseafood-gmail. com@shared1.ccsend.com.
These days, we eat seafood three times a week in a variety of recipes.
Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.
-Ancient Greek physician and philosopher Hippocrates
Fresh seafood tastes different when it is fresh and we know its origin. Importantly, it does not smell fishy! Fresh seafood never does.
Our local fishmonger’s offerings are not cheap. However, we have concluded that knowing we are eating fresh North Carolina seafood is worth the price, as the catch comes from guaranteed, sustainable waters of North Carolina.
Because eating fresh is costly, we have also made a bargain with ourselves to eat less of these resources. We have found that three to four ounces of fresh seafood satisfies our cravings, because fresh always tastes better! A typical supper plate is three to four ounces of meat or fish, a fresh vegetable and a salad.
Finally, what about dessert? For me, it’s usually a seasonal fruit, which I also snack on during the day if I get hungry before meals. If you give up sugar, you will find the fruit tastes twice as sweet, and it adds needed fiber to your diet in a most pleasurable way.
The essence of our stumbled-into diet is this: Eat Fresh. Eat less. Eat well. Oh, and walk, walk, walk.
Professional Trustee: Trick, or Treat?
Is it a trick to name a professional trustee for a future beneficiary’s trust, or as a successor trustee when parents can no longer act due to incapacity or death? Is it wasting money on professional fees, not showing faith in adult children or bringing an outsider into private family affairs?
Sometimes, adult children or other responsible relatives might be the best choice to act as trustee or successor trustee. However, many times, a professional trustee can be just the trick — or better put this time of year, the treat — that keeps your family, assets and trust on the right track. Professional trustees are typically well-versed in trust law, investment strategies and tax regulations, ensuring that the trust is managed in compliance with all relevant laws and in the best interest of the beneficiaries. This expertise, including knowing when to bring in additional professionals such as legal experts or financial advisors, helps in making informed decisions that maximize the trust’s value and minimize potential risks.
A professional trustee’s impartiality and objectivity can help avoid conflicts of interest and ensure decisions are made solely based on the terms of the trust and the needs of the beneficiaries. This impartiality is crucial in maintaining harmony
among beneficiaries and ensuring the trust is administered fairly and transparently.
Trust management includes record-keeping, filing tax returns and handling distributions, which can be time-consuming and complex. Professional trustees provide better continuity and reliability in all areas of trust management, which is particularly important for long-term trusts, where the stability and ongoing management of the trust assets are critical. Who should be your trustee: family, friend or professional? Your experienced estate planning attorney can help you make the right choice.
Leah Trowbridge is an Estate Planning Attorney with The McIntosh Law Firm, P.C. Contact her at 704.892.1699 or at www. mcintoshlawfirm.com/ attorneys/leah-b-trowbridge.
Dine + Wine
Eating, drinking, cooking and fun
“Bienenstich” is Bavarian Kitchen’s delicious vanilla sponge cake with homemade vanilla buttercream and honey caramelized sliced almonds.
A PerfectLunch
Toulon’s Restaurant A.O.C. 41 served it up
by Trevor Burton
If there is a place I enjoy dining at, it is at a small, non-touristy, local restaurant on the south coast of France; local food, local wine. France is like two countries. The north is vastly different than the south. I like them both, but I prefer the unhurried atmosphere of the south.
The restaurant took a little research, but I ended up with a winner — A.O.C. 41 in the city of Toulon. The restaurant features dining outside on a public square, and I was hoping for a rainless day for lunch. I was going to be joined by a favorite niece and her husband. Favorite nieces require special treatment, and she was sure to get that.
What attracted me to A.O.C. 41? It’s family owned. Rémy, the chef, earned his stripes in the finest Michelin-starred restaurants. In charge of the restaurant is Clémence, a gourmet restaurant manager with a passion for wine. It was the “passion for wine” that got my attention. Just what I was looking for.
When I’m dining on the Mediterranean coast I have one guiding principle, and that’s to request a dish of seafood. I want only local ingredients, and I want them fresh. Given the location and the choice of restaurants, seafood was a good bet. An A.O.C. 41 meal of grilled fish filled the bill — most probably local and fresh.
Then it came down to a choice of wine. Here’s a little secret. Toulon is a neighbor of one of my favorite French wine regions, Bandol. I like the wine from that region because, unlike most wines from southern France, the wines are based on Mourvèdre grape. Besides, I just like the wines. And, of course, I relied on Clémence and her pas-
sion for wine. I knew I would get a bottle of good wine at a decent price. I picked out a Rosé de Bandol. An excellent choice.
We arrived early for lunch. I did my usual performance as a lunch host and asked if we could we have a glass of wine as we waited. I was told (demurely by Clémence) that “A.O.C. 41 was a restaurant,” and that I should try the wine bar across the square. End of conversation – I ordered three glasses of wine from the wine bar across the square.
An aside for you, because the French are rumored to be such unfriendly people. The French guy sipping his wine sitting next to us offered my niece’s husband to share his sports page. The husband, who spoke not a word of French, passed on the offer. Unfriendly? I don’t think so.
And so, to lunch, served by Clémence and an assistant. It was a lunch served on the square in the Mediterranean sunshine, which added to the experience. Did I mention that favorite nieces require special treatment? Special treatment was part of the lunch menu.
Halfway through the lunch, Clémence, showing her passion for wine, mentioned that the region of Bandol was a neighbor. I swallowed hard and answered, “Oh really, what a coincidence” — at no point revealing my reason for choosing the wine.
All in all, a delightful lunch. In the fresh air, good food prepared by a great chef and the glasses of wine that were superb. Worth repeating. Next time I’ll be sure to bring along a favorite niece or a granddaughter.
photography courtesy Trevor Burton
A perfect lunch, with a favorite wine, in the open air.
Audiology
Living Well
Your local resource for health and wellness services near you
PHC – Lake Norman Ears, Nose & Throat
Megan Mathis-Webb, AuD
Susie Riggs, AuD
Caroline Millsaps, AuD
140 Gateway Blvd. Mooresville, NC 28117 • 704-664-9638
Cardiology
PHC – Heart & Vascular
Jips Zachariah, MD
Naveed Rajper, MD 359 Williamson Road Mooresville, NC 28117 • 704-235-1829
Dermatology
PHC – Mooresville Dermatology
Center
Naomi Simon, MD
Kristin Prochaska, PA-C
Gina Noble, PA-C
Julia Parsons, PA-C
Susan Stevens, RN, BSN 128 Medical Park Road, Suite 201 Mooresville, NC 28117 • 704-235-1827
PHC- Lake Norman Dermatology
Joel Sugarman, MD FAAD
Allison Hanley, PA-C
Melissa Moser, PA-C
Betsy Benton, PA-C
140 Leaning Oak Drive, Suite 101 Mooresville, NC 28117
704-658-9730
PHC – Wolfe Dermatology
Steven F. Wolfe, MD
Molly Small, PA-C 114 Gateway Blvd., Unit D Mooresville, NC 28117 • 704-663-2085
Riva Dermatology
“Imagine your skin at its Best!”
General Dermatology for the Family, Botox, Fillers, Laser/IPL & more
Kerry Shafran, MD, FAAD
Lindsay Jayson, MPAS, PA-C
Erin Dice, MPAS, PA-C
Ashley Noone, MPAP, PA-C
Nikki Leahy, MSBS, PA-C
Mari Klos, CMA, LME 704-896-8837
Cornelius, Mooresville, Denver www.Rivaderm.com
Ears, Nose and Throat
PHC – Lake Norman Ears, Nose, & Throat
Keith Meetze, MD
Thomas Warren, MD
Herb Wettreich, MD
Fred New, Jr., ANP 140 Gateway Blvd. Mooresville, NC 28117 • 704-664-9638
Endocrinology
PHC- Endocrinology
Elaine Sunderlin, MD
Emylee Brown, PA-C
170 Medical Park Road, Floor 3 Mooresville, NC 28117 • 704-664-9506
Family Medicine
PHC – Nabors Family Medicine
Emily Nabors, MD 142 Professional Park Drive Mooresville, NC 28117 • 704-696-2083
PHC – Lake Norman Family Medicine
Timothy A. Barker, MD
Bruce L. Seaton, DO
Amanda H. Bailey, DO
Kyle Babinski, DO
Bilal Khan, DO
Sherard Spangler, PA
357 Williamson Road
Mooresville, NC 28117 • 704-664-7328
PHC – Sailview Family Medicine
Tiana Losinski, MD
Alexander Watson, DNP
206 Joe V. Knox Ave. Suite J Mooresville, NC 28117 • 704-360-4801
PHC – Fairview Family Medicine
Golnar Lashgari, MD
Erica Vollano, FNP-BC
146 Medical Park Road, Suite 210 Mooresville, NC 28117 •704-235-0300
PHC - Troutman Family Medicine
Amrish C. Patel, MD
Janeal Bowers, FNP
Kimberly Whiton, FNP
Jeanne Pierce, PA-C
154 S Main Troutman, NC 28166 • 704-528-9903
Gastroenterology
PHC – Gastroenterology
Brandon Marion, MD
Aerielle Sibert, PA-C
359 Williamson Road
Mooresville, NC 28117 • 704-878-2021
PHC –Comprehensive Digestive
Care Center
Vivek Trivedi, MD
Venu Gangireddy, MD
Tiedre Palmer, FNP-C
359 Williamson Road Mooresville, NC 28117 • 704-878-2021
PHC- Gastroenterology
Laila Menon, MD
Gabrielle Miller, PA-C
170 Medical Park Road, Floor 3 Mooresville, NC 28117 • 704-664-9506
Internal Medicine
PHC – Fox Internal Medicine
Jessica Fox, DO
Stephanie Michel, PA-C
435 East Statesville Avenue
Mooresville, NC 28115 • 704-663-5056
PHC – Internal Medicine & Weight Management
Manish G. Patel, MD
Julie Abney, PA
Andrea Brock, PA-C
128 Medical Park Road, Suite 101 Mooresville, NC 28117 • 704-658-1001
PHC – Lake Norman Internal Medicine
John C. Gatlin, MD
Swathi Talla, MD
548 Williamson Road, Suite 6 Mooresville, NC 28117 • 704-660-5520
Mental Health Services
PHC-Mastor Mental Health
Jason E. Mastor, MD
Kristin C. Brown, PA-C
Megan I. Flott, PA-C
Diana J. Remenar, PA-C
206 Joe V. Knox Ave. Suite F Mooresville, NC 28117 • 704-662-6500
Neurology
PHC – Neurology & Sleep Medicine
Dharmen S. Shah, MD
359 Williamson Road Mooresville, NC 28117 • 704-873-1100
PHC – Lake Norman Neurology
Andrew J. Braunstein, DO
Ryan Conrad, MD
Craig D. DuBois, MD
Roderick Elias, MD
124 Professional Park Dr, Ste A Mooresville, NC 28117 • 704-662-3077
PHC – Lake Norman Neurology
Andrew J. Braunstein, DO
Ryan Conrad, MD
Craig D. DuBois, MD
Roderick Elias, MD
9735 Kincey Avenue, Ste 203 Huntersville, NC 28078 • 704-766-9050
Obstetrics/Gynecology
PHC – Lake Norman OB/GYN
James Al-Hussaini, MD
Laura Arigo, MD
Grant Miller, MD
James Wilson, MD
Nicole S. Wellbaum, MD
NailaRashida Frye, MD
Krisandra Edwards, FNP-C
Alyssa Clay, DNP, FNP-C
131 Medical Park Road, Suite 102 Mooresville, NC 28117 • 704-663-1282
Oncology
Southern Oncology Specialists
William Mitchell, MD
Poras Patel, MD
46 Medical Park Rd, Suite 212 Mooresville, NC 28117 • 704-659-7850
Orthopaedic Surgery
PHC – Piedmont Bone & Joint
Brett L. Feldman, MD
Alex Seldomridge III, MD
Travis Eason, MD
Julie Glener, MD
Kim Lefreniere, PA-C
359 Williamson Road
Mooresville, NC 28117 • 704-235-1829
Orthopedic Surgery – Spine
PHC – Piedmont Bone & Joint
Alex Seldomridge, III, MD
359 Williamson Road
Mooresville, NC 28117 • 704-235-1838
Pain Managment
PHC – Pain & Spine Center
Harsh Govil, MD, MPH
Nathan Barkley, FNP-C
Samuel Sackenheim, NP-C
April Hatfield, FNP-C
Gracie Kern, PA-C
359 Williamson Road Mooresville, NC 28117 • 704-235-1829
Physical Medicine & Rehab
PHC - Spine & Sports Medicine
John Lesher, MD, MPH
170 Medical Park Road, Suite 302 Mooresville, NC 28117 • 704-664-9506
PULMONOLOGY
PHC –Pulmonology
Enrique Ordaz MD
Jose Perez MD
Ahmed Elnaggar, MD
Vishal Patel, MD
170 Medical Park Road, Suite 201, Mooresville NC 28117 • 704-838-8240
Rheumatology
PHC – Rheumatology
Sean M. Fahey, MD
Dijana Christianson, DO
Janice Clayton, FNP-C
128 Medical Park Road, Suite 101 Mooresville, NC 28117 • 704-658-1001
Celebrate Fall with Apple Deliciousness
Apple Fritter Cake
by Kathy Dicken photography by Kathy Dicken
The only apple cake recipe you’ll ever need is here. This Apple Fritter Cake is amazingly moist and fluffy, featuring the perfect blend of sweetness, warmth and spice. It’s got all the warm, gooey, cinnamon-spiced goodness of an apple fritter, packed into a perfectly moist and fluffy cake. With a simple drizzle on top, it’s guaranteed to be your new go-to.
Enjoy the warm smells of fall while this cake bakes away. It’s the ultimate fall treat! Serve with coffee, hot cocoa or a steaming mug of cider. And make sure the candles are burning ... you’ll certainly have created the perfect autumn experience.
Servings: 9
Prep time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour
Ingredients:
Apple Mixture
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
3 1/2 cups peeled and diced apples
(I used 3 Honeycrisp apples)
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 tsp. cinnamon
Cake
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup milk (whole or 2%)
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. allspice
2 Tbsp. light brown sugar (for topping)
Glaze
1/2 cup powdered sugar, sifted
1-1/2 Tbsp. milk
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350°. Spray an 8x8 pan with non-stick cooking spray and line with parchment paper. Spray the paper with non-stick spray and set aside.
Place a skillet over medium heat. Add the 2 tablespoons of butter and melt. Stir in the apples, brown sugar and cinnamon. Cook, stirring occasionally until the apples become slightly tender and release their juices into a syrup-like consistency, about 8 minutes. Remove from the heat.
In a large bowl, whisk together 3/4 cup of brown sugar and melted butter. Add the vegetable oil, milk, vanilla and eggs, and whisk until the batter is smooth.
Next, whisk in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and allspice until mostly combined. Next, spoon all but 1/2 cup of the cooked apples into the large bowl of batter. Using a rubber spatula, fold the apples into the batter until combined.
Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan. Distribute the reserved 1/2 cup of apples and juices over the top of the cake batter, followed by the 2 tablespoons of brown sugar. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
While the cake is baking, make the glaze by whisking the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla together in a small bowl. After removing the cake from the oven, let the cake cool for 15 minutes.
Drizzle the cake with the glaze and enjoy! It’s super delicious when served warm. Cover leftovers and store at room temperature for 4-5 days.
Kathy Dicken lives in Huntersville and is the author of The Tasty Bits food blog. For more meal ideas that are simple and delicious, you can follow her blog at www.thetastybits.com or on Instagram @thetastybits.
Raise A Glass
Local brewers win big in state-wide contest
by Lori Helms
It’s no secret that the Lake Norman region’s craft beer game is strong. At any point of the compass around the lake, craft beer enthusiasts will find something to suit their tastes. From stouts to lagers to spiced to all manner of IPAs, there is a pint out there for you. I’m not even a beer drinker, but on occasional visits to Royal Bliss Brewing in Denver for trivia night, not even I have been able to resist a cold glass of “73&Hazy” IPA. It made the sting of finishing far from first place again a little less painful for my ego. I might have been a loser that night, but I was far from parched.
That beer, and nearly a dozen other Lake Norman concoctions, were recognized recently by the North Carolina Craft Brewers Guild for excellence in the recent 2025 NC Brewers Cup competition. Now in its 14th year, the competition attracted a record 935 entries from 120 independent craft brewers from across the state, making it the Southeast’s largest commercial beer competition. Here’s how our local breweries stacked up ...
Gold Medal:
• Royal Bliss Brewing Co., Denver – 73&Hazy (Juicy or Hazy IPA)
Silver Medal:
• 760 Craft Works, Huntersville – Embers and Periscopes (Smoke Beer)
• Ghostface Brewing, Mooresville – Doppel Trouble (German-Style Bock)
• Primal Brewery, Huntersville – Gentle Giant (Session IPA)
Bronze Medal:
• Hoptown Brewing Company, Mooresville – Vanilla Cream Java Dream (Field & Spiced Beers)
• King Canary Brewing Company, Mooresville – Little Wing (Other American Pale Lagers & Ales)
• Lake Norman Brewery, Denver – Car Show Cosmo’s Kolsch (European Hybrid Styles)
• Neoteric Brewing Company, Huntersville – Dawn of the Red (Scottish & Irish Beer)
• Neoteric Brewing Company, Huntersville – Last Day at the Office (North American-Style Amber & Dark Lager)
• Primal Brewery, Huntersville – Hops Mirage NA IPA (Specialty Beer)
Honorable Mention:
• 760 Craft Works, Huntersville – Yodeling Down Lake Starnberg (Amber & Other Pale European Lager)
• Ghostface Brewing, Mooresville – Duckin’ Funkel (Dark European Lager)
In mid-November, the guild will announce the NC Brewery of the Year, with the trophy being awarded to the brewery that scored the most points overall in the 2025 NC Brewers Cup.
‘Prost!’
An authentic German experience in Troutman
Enjoy Rouladen with red cabbage and mashed potatoes or a slice of Cappuccino Cream Cake in Bavarian Kitchen’s traditionally decorated dining room.
by Lori Helms photographs courtesy Bavarian Kitchen
For years, it was a long-standing joke between them that Fiona Oxsher and her husband, Jerry, should open a restaurant because of how much he loved her traditional German cooking. The lesson here is, be careful what you joke about – the joke, by sheer coincidence, might be on you.
That’s essentially how Fiona describes her evolution from being the faithful steward of her grandmother’s traditional recipes to the owner of a Troutman dining staple –Bavarian Kitchen Restaurant on the town’s North Main Street.
“We were there two years ago in July for my birthday,” she says. Not long after, she began hearing talk in town that the owners were selling the restaurant. When she and Jerry approached them and learned it was true, they figuratively closed their eyes and jumped.
“In a very rash decision, I guess, we bought them out,” says Fiona. From that first conversation to the closing of the transaction, it was a very short and whirlwind three weeks. It’s been a wild ride, she says, but she and her husband haven’t looked back.
“There was just so much about it,” she says, “not just that it was a German restaurant, but also Troutman is a very small community, and I grew up in a very small town. I’ve always lived this small-town life and liked it. We do have unique little places. We kind of wanted to keep it that way.”
Fiona describes the beginning of restaurant ownership as “super tough,” and decided early on that they didn’t want to complicate things by making significant changes that might turn off their regular customers. She says they decided to keep the name but did increase the staff size and made some changes to the menu to feature her grandmother’s recipes (many from the Rine River valley near the French border).
“I’m not a chef by training and learned to cook from my grandmother,” she says. “All of the people we have in the kitchen are not trained chefs either.” But she has taken the time to guide them through the preparation of her grandmother’s recipes, all this while keeping her professional full-time career as a chemist and homeschooling their two young children.
“I can’t always be there,” says Fiona. “Everyone who is there, they might not speak German, but they sure have learned the traditional German ways. There are no short cuts, unlike what they teach you at culinary school.”
It’s a recipe that appears to work, as the restaurant is constantly busy through both lunch and dinner seatings. Fiona says that two years into their ownership, she feels like they are still figuring things out but have spread their wings a little bit into doing more catering. In addition to the restaurant, there is a biergarten that seats about 25 people, and the bar is always lively.
“It’s the favorite spot for regular customers,” she says. “We have some regulars that would be offended if I sat them at a table. They just like to sit at the bar and chat with the servers and Jerry ... to become part of the family.”
Fiona has developed a fairly diverse menu, emphasizing that it’s about more than just sausages and sauerkraut. She understands the demand for options due to certain dietary restrictions and has added some vegetarian dishes and gluten-free options – even tofu schnitzel.
“We try to have something for everyone, to get away from that (dietary) stigma,” she says. But never fear, some hearty German staples remain. Every week, she offers a special soup, main dish and dessert – everything from potato soup (Grumbeersupp) to Schnitzel Diabolo (spicy pepper sauce) to Mohnkuchen (poppy seed cake). They are open for lunch as well, and Fiona says they take reservations to meet the demand, especially on Saturday evenings. It’s been a wild ride, she says, but she and Jerry are taking it in stride.
“Maybe we’re just crazy,” Fiona says. “I didn’t think it was horrible (to become owners). It’s more of a fun hobby for us than anything else. ... I’m enjoying every second of it.”
The welcoming and knowledgeable staff at the always busy Bavarian Kitchen.
The Cordon Blue - filled with brie, apple pieces, caramelized onions and bacon pieces - is a favorite of the restaurant’s regular diners.
The Local Salon & Parlor
“We are all about hair.”
That’s how The Local Salon & Parlor owner Lauren Rorie responds when you ask her about the services her stylists provide. It’s about cuts, color, extensions, pretty much any hair challenge you can dream up for her talented stylists to conquer.
But talk to her just a little bit longer about what she thinks her salon is really about, and the word “community” comes up more than once. Actually, it comes up quite a lot, and that is likely the reason her business was voted our 2025 Lake Norman’s Best Readers Choice Award winner for “Best Hair Salon.”
Rorie purchased the salon about four years ago from the previous long-time owner after working there for about a decade, and she talks about her singular focus on not just branding it as her own but sharing that brand with her neighbors.
“I just had this mental note,” she says, “like, I’m just gonna make it mine.” But because she understands the inherent relationship between being a great provider of services and being a great supporter of the people and businesses around her, she practices precisely watch she preaches.
by Lori Helms
“I care about this community, and it’s really important to tap into it,” says Rorie. She said even the choice of business name was community intentional. “I named it ‘The Local Salon & Parlor’ so when people ask where a client had their hair done, they would just say, ‘the local salon.’” Ingenious in its simplicity – it makes it feel like a place you just need to stop by and stay a spell.
“All of our clients know each other for the most part,” she says. “When you walk in, you see your neighbor and we’re all just talking and having fun. It’s literally just one big conversation. ... And if we don’t know your name, we’re gonna find out.”
That personal touch and community outreach extends beyond the salon chair. Every month, Rorie hosts a book club that meets up on a rotating basis at nearby businesses to show them some love. She says it’s very loosely organized – no RSVP required – and there are folks from every walk of life. There are current clients or those who might be, new parents and empty nesters ... Rorie says it’s all in the name of wanting to be active in the community and bring more people together.
Parlor
