Issuu

THE Kids & Pets ISSUE

B a c k t o S c h o o l , B a c k t o Y o u .

S u m m e r m a y b e e n d i n g , b u t y o u r

s e l f - c a r e s e a s o n i s j u s t b e g i n n i n g .

Reclaim your routine this fall.

s o u t h p a r k . w o o d h o u s e s p a s . c o m 4 6 2 5 P i e d m o n t R o w D r i v e | ( 7 0 4 ) 5 2 0 - 8 4 4 8

Dilworth Facial Plastic Surgery is a collaborative partnership between Dr. Andrea Garcia and Dr. Josh Surowitz. At Dilworth Facial Plastic Surgery, we apply a team-oriented, two-surgeon approach to all aspects of your care—at the time of consultation, during surgical planning, and in the operating room. In addition to surgical treatment options, we offer injectable fillers, Botox, Dysport, an extensive selection of skin care products, and laser treatments.

Stolen Pies

No holiday passed in our household without something going missing from our kitchen counter, and my husband and I always knew exactly who to blame. Our yellow lab, McKenna, had an appetite for all seasons, with a particular weakness for dessert. A chocolate bourbon pecan pie vanished one Thanksgiving after we stepped outside for family photos. A key lime pie shell turned up empty on the floor after an Easter egg hunt, not a crumb left behind.

But for every stolen pie, McKenna brought so much joy. She was the first family member my husband and I welcomed after we got married—long before we had children. She watched over our little ones with steady devotion and had a gift for curling up next to whoever needed comfort most.

She was on my mind a lot as we prepared for our Kids & Pets issue this year.

When our team set out to spotlight some of Charlotte’s most beloved fourlegged residents, photographer Olly Yung captured a beautiful session with George, the golden retriever known for greeting guests at Traditions, the beloved Park Road home goods shop. I knew George. He had covered our then 2-year-old daughter in kisses one Christmas, the kind of encounter you don’t forget.

Just hours after our photo shoot at the end of May, George passed away suddenly. We pay tribute to him in these pages, as he deserves. I’ll never understand why our furry friends can’t stay longer.

In our August issue, you’ll meet, or recognize, pets from local businesses and get to know SouthPark husband-and-wife beekeepers, who are part of the local effort to keep Charlotte gardens thriving. Our editor Carroll Walton sits down with Dr. Tara Christie Kinsey, the new head of school at Charlotte Country Day, who shares her philosophy on educating children for purpose. And we feel a mother’s love in the inspirational story behind the founding of local nonprofit Generation WE.

Until next month, from a mom of three, I’m signing off with a full and particularly grateful heart this August, as all three of my children head to the same school for the first time!

August 2026

PUBLISHER

Liz Brown | liz.brown@citylifestyle.com

EDITOR

Carroll Walton | carroll.walton@citylifestyle.com

EDITORIAL COORDINATOR

Kathryn Ashcraft

PUBLISHER ASSISTANT

Shellye Andrus

PHOTO EDITOR

Seth Patrick

COPY EDITOR

Matias Arredondo | matias.arredondo@citylifestyle.com

INTERN Anderson Setaro

PUBLICATION DIRECTOR

Gillian Horn | gillian.horn@citylifestyle.com

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Taylor Bowler, Krisha Chachra, Elliott Harrell, Allie Papajohn, Carroll Walton

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Carissa Rogers, Olly Yung

Corporate Team

CEO Steven Schowengerdt

President Matthew Perry

COO David Stetler

CRO Jamie Pentz

CoS Janeane Thompson

AD DESIGNER Rachel Otto

LAYOUT DESIGNER Adam Finley

QUALITY CONTROL SPECIALIST Brandy Thomas

LIZ BROWN, PUBLISHER @QUEENCITYMAG

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Photography: Olly Yung

business monthly

A ROUNDUP OF NEWS FROM LOCAL BUSINESSES

Children’s Advocacy Center of Charlotte

The local nonprofit known as Pat’s Place, which has nurtured and stood up for victims of child abuse in Charlotte-Mecklenburg for more than 20 years, has changed its name to Children’s Advocacy Center of Charlotte. The new name brings clarity about what they do and for whom. Their annual fundraiser BBQ & Blue Jeans will be from 6-9 p.m. on Sept. 19 at the home of Angie and Bill Zimmern at 2346 Overhill Road.

Photography Courtesy of Children’s Advocacy Center of Charlotte

Beds for Kids

Beds for Kids, the Charlotte-based furniture bank that delivers beds and essential furniture to families in need, celebrated its 15th anniversary in June by moving into a new, bigger warehouse at 2701-A Hutchison McDonald Road. With the support of volunteers, community supporters and corporate partners, the organization has come to the aid of more than 10,000 families. For information on volunteering or donating, visit BedsForKids.org.

Photography Courtesy of Beds for Kids

Sloomoo Institute Opens at the Metropolitan

The quintessential slime experience just came to town. Sloomoo Institute opened in July at the Metropolitan in Midtown, making Charlotte the eighth U.S. city to join the gooey, hands-on fun. The 7,500-squarefoot immersive space invites guests to stretch, squeeze and squish their way through satisfying textures and vibrant colors. Guests can also visit the Slime Design Bar, where they can create their own unique slime from texture, color, scent and charms.

Photography Courtesy of Sloomoo Institute

Around the Crown 10K

The eighth annual Around the Crown 10K, which includes I-277’s threemile loop around Uptown, is Sunday, Sept. 6, starting at 7:30 a.m. The highway only closes down once a year for thousands of runners to fan out across the inner beltway. It finishes with a festival at Truist Field, home of the Charlotte Knights. Around the Crown 10K was founded in 2019 by husband-and-wife Brian and Chelsea Mister to promote health through running.

Photography Courtesy of Around the Crown 10K

DESIGN.

We are a premier luxury home builder in Charlotte, NC, specializing in crafting architecturally distinctive, high-end residences in the city’s most prestigious neighborhoods. From Myers Park and Eastover to SouthPark, Matthews, and Country Club Heights, we deliver one-of-a-kind custom homes tailored to our clients’ visions and lifestyles. Our team collaborates with some of Charlotte’s top architects, designers, and artisans.

Your Home Journey

Ardente Kitchen Now Open in Dilworth

Ardente Kitchen is now open at 500 E. Morehead St. in Dilworth, bringing Roman-inspired dining from husband-and-wife team Madison and Raffaele Patrizi (owners of Mano Bella Artisan Foods). The menu features handmade pasta, wood-fired pizzas, a burrata bar and family-style meals. Weekly specials include Wine Wednesday (50% off bottles over $60) and Gnocchi Thursday (free kids’ gnocchi). Open daily at 11 a.m. Find more information at ArdenteKitchen.com

Photography Courtesy of Made Outside

River Jam

The U.S. National Whitewater Center is home to more than 80 live outdoor concerts from May through September. River Jam is held every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night, featuring local and national touring bands, highlighting Americana, Roots and Soul/R&B sounds. The free concerts play from 7-10 p.m. A River Jam run club meets at 6:30 p.m. every Thursday (except the second Thursday of each month) to run trails together and then enjoy live music.

GROWING JOYFUL SMILES

“In

Queen City Coloring Book

Charlotte’s charm gets a creative canvas with The Queen City Coloring Book—30 hand-illustrated pages celebrating local landmarks, city favorites and iconic Queen City scenery in a whimsical, original art style for kids and adults alike. A travel-friendly purse edition is also available. Both are independently designed through Art by Alexa and sold at select local retailers, including Shower Me with Love, COCO LETO, CLT Find, James + Joy, and That’s Novel Books.

Photography Courtesy of Art by Alexa

Photography Courtesy of U.S. National Whitewater Center

Social Pet Charlotte

Summer heat can be tough on dogs, which is why Social Pet’s grooming experience blends luxury care with safety-driven expertise. Their groomers use premium products, gentle techniques and coat-specific treatments to reduce shedding, prevent matting and support healthy temperature regulation. In a serene, spa-inspired environment, every dog receives individualized attention and exceptional care. Call 704.835.1022 to schedule your grooming appointment today.

Photography Courtesy of Social Pet Charlotte

A Social Club for Little Ones and Their Grownups

At The Bunny Hive, our mission is to provide an elevated social space for little ones and their grownups that exudes warmth and kindness, embraces the beauty in all of life's moments, and facilitates meaningful connections. We offer a wide range of grownups and me classes, pop-ups, and special events that are designed to create memories and connection for littles ages two weeks to kindergarten.

BACK TO THE WILD

AFTER A FULL-SCALE REBUILD, CHARLOTTE’S BELOVED NATURE MUSEUM WILL RETURN WITH IMMERSIVE EXHIBITS, UPDATED GALLERIES AND A REIMAGINED CONNECTION TO THE OUTDOORS

ARTICLE BY TAYLOR BOWLER PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF THE CHARLOTTE MUSEUM OF NATURE

“If you’ve been to the former museum, I think when you walk into this space, you’ll be awe-inspired,” Mulliger says.

The Charlotte Museum of Nature is entering a new era after an ambitious project more than four years in the making.

The original 1951 structure was visibly dated and struggled to keep up with the city’s growing population. Plans for a new museum were unveiled in 2022. The beloved Freedom Park institution closed in January 2024 to make way for a complete demolition and reconstruction into an entirely new museum.

The redesigned destination, which reopens later this year, features a more immersive outdoor experience with

“We want to encourage lifelong learning about the natural world.”

“People are really excited to see the North American river otters, which are native to the Piedmont,” she says. “There’s no other place to see otters in Charlotte.”

forest trails, a treetop canopy walk, and habitat-focused animal exhibits featuring North American river otters. Inside, visitors will find updated galleries, a stateof-the-art naturalist lab, and expanded spaces highlighting plants and animals native to the Piedmont region.

“This new museum is physically larger, it’s bright, has more open space, and a lot of bird-safe glass,” says Alyssa Mulliger, senior director of Discovery Place’s network of museums, which includes the Charlotte Museum of Nature. “It’s more intentional with how the land is being used, and it will have different access points to enjoy the outdoors.”

Crews have planted thousands of trees and shrubs across the 11-acre site, which will have better access to Freedom Park and the Little Sugar Creek Greenway.

“(The museum) wasn’t accessible from the park before,” Mulliger says. “A lot of people didn’t know what that building was, so we’re activating that connection.”

The project represents a major financial investment in the city’s cultural infrastructure. The Charlotte Museum of Nature carries an estimated $65 million price tag, funded through a public-private partnership between Mecklenburg County and Discovery Place, the nonprofit organization serving Charlotte’s network of science museums. Additional fundraising from

private donors continues as construction wraps up.

“Charlotte does a nice job with green spaces, parks, greenways and trails, and this is another one of those special destinations and assets,” Mulliger says. “Our goal is to be more intentional about conservation and being good stewards. We’re teaching future generations what’s in our own backyard.”

That includes the museum’s breakout stars.

“People are really excited to see the North American river otters, which are native to the Piedmont,” she says. “There’s no other place to see otters in Charlotte.”

Another priority is multi-generational learning.

“The prior museum skewed to families with younger kids and school groups,” Mulliger says. “We want to encourage lifelong learning about the natural world.”

As opening day approaches, museum leaders are planning preview days, guided canopy walks, animal introductions, and family-focused events that echo the institution’s long history of school trips and weekend visits.

“It’s still rooted in our mission of education and sustainability,” Mulliger says. “While the new visual identity is different, with a modern tree logo, it still reflects back to the earliest days of this museum. This is still Charlotte’s museum.”

Monday-Friday

10am-5pm

Saturday-Sunday

11am-4pm

Follow along for Grand Opening events, new products and a look inside our new home!

ARTICLE BY ELLIOTT HARRELL PHOTOGRAPHY BY OLLY YUNG

SIT. STAY. SHOP.

THESE CHARLOTTE BUSINESSES HAVE SOME OF THE CUTEST CO-WORKERS AROUND

They’ll greet you with a wag and a smile, and they’re always open to a pet or a cuddle. Some have designated spots they’ve claimed in the store—a leather chair, a cozy cubby full of shirts—while others roam the aisles all day, checking in on customers and sniffing out snacks. Whether napping on the job or working the room, these four-legged employees have become the real reason many shoppers stop by. Meet five of Charlotte’s most beloved shop dogs.

Nacho and Scout

“They have a habit of finding the most inconvenient place to plop down so everyone has to pet them.”

Blackhawk Hardware and Garden Center

Official Titles: Colonel Nacho and Sergeant Scout, commanders of customer smiles and fur-ocious protectors of the store

Make a visit to Blackhawk Hardware, and you’re sure to see the store’s two favorite employees, Nacho and Scout. Nacho, a 7-year-old goldendoodle, is the big, loveable dope of the pair, while Scout, a rescue that might be part poodle, is described as an old, wise man.

The two have a set routine, starting their day by visiting the store’s lower-level cashiers’ station to get a pet from longtime employee Carrie. Then it’s on to visit Donald, the store’s official greeter (well, the one on payroll at least). After those duties are done, the rest of the day is spent trying to collect as much adoration as possible.

“They have a habit of finding the most inconvenient place to plop down so everyone has to pet them,” co-owner Andy Wilkerson says. They have mapped out where they can get the most attention, but we actually get calls to make sure the dogs are here before people come in.”

Nacho and Scout can be mischievous, though. The dynamic duo once figured out they could “borrow” rawhide chews from the pet department. Wilkerson couldn’t figure out why so many went missing until an employee caught Nacho in the act.

“They’re also known as the best babysitters when parents bring their kids into the store.”

Mabel & Juniper

The Sporting Gent

Title: Professional Greeters

Since opening in 2013, The Sporting Gent men’s clothing store has always had a shop dog. Today, Mabel and Juniper, two field golden retrievers—and technically second cousins as well as “sisters” now— sit watch over the shop.

Mabel serves as the older sister of the pair at 8 years old, while Juniper is 3. Owner Marc Williams says they’ve both been “working” at the store since they were seven weeks old. He says that while it sounds cliché, the dogs feel like they have to say hi to everyone who walks in the door. They’re also known as the best babysitters when parents bring their kids into the store.

When there isn’t someone to greet, Mabel can be found wherever it’s the most quiet. Her favorite spot is one of the cubbies that holds jackets and shirts. When she was a puppy, she fell asleep there, and Williams only found her after seeing a small paw sticking out from under a pile of shirts.

Meanwhile, Juniper has claimed one of the leather chairs in the store. For a good belly rub, though, she might trade places with you, if you need to sit.

TheSportingGent.com | IG: @thesportinggent

“She’s typically curled up on a blanket while everyone works around her, but she has an uncanny knack for knowing when appointments are over.”

Coconut

Craft Beauty

Title: Director of Client Relations

Good things come in small packages. Coconut is a cute 2 1/2-year-old long-haired chihuahua who has been a fixture at Craft Beauty since she was a puppy. According to her owner, Julie Metzger, she’s everyone’s favorite part of the studio.

“She’s become our little emotional support dog,” Metzger says. “Clients often ask as much about her as they ask about services. She has a way of making the space feel calmer and more personal just by being there.”

Coconut keeps a strict nap schedule throughout the day. She’s typically curled up on a blanket while everyone works around her, but she has an uncanny knack for knowing when appointments are over.

As much as she prioritizes her beauty sleep, Coconut is also a tiny hostess who is adamant about greeting customers and bidding them adieu.

“She’ll wake up from a dead sleep just to go say goodbye to clients before immediately going back to another nap,” Metzger says.

If she’s awake, she is often seen demanding to be held between appointments. She is also a major fan of babies and kids.

While her official title is director of client relations, she’s also been known to fill in as office manager, head of security and even HR.

JulieAnnMetzger.com | IG: @julieannmetzger

“He was fond of following strollers around the store in hopes of a crumb or two landing on the floor.”

Former title: Customer Greeter

George was an endearing golden retriever. The 10-year-old sadly passed away shortly after these photos were taken. He had been a well-loved mainstay at Traditions interior design studio and furniture store for nearly five years. Store owner Sharon Garfield says most days, he had regular visitors and was especially fond of children.

George liked to hang out on the sales floor with his favorite stuffed animals. His head was usually on one with another in his mouth, and he would lie there until he sensed someone in the store had food.

Garfield said he had excellent hearing and was always listening out for the microwave dinging or the sound of a bag being opened. He was fond of following strollers around the store in hopes of a crumb or two landing on the floor. George also recently walked himself up a few storefronts to snag a dog biscuit and was especially fond of snacking on popcorn.

He didn’t have a mean bone in his body, except for when it came to goldendoodles. He will be sadly missed by all the Traditions customers.

TraditionsOfCharlotte.com | IG: @traditionsofcharlotte

“During his walk breaks, he catalogs which houses near the shop have dog treats. He never misses an opportunity to sample one.”

Official Title: Shop dog and COCO LETO mascot

Benny is only seven months old, but he’s already a fixture at children’s boutique COCO LETO. The fluffy brownand-white Newfoundland Standard Poodle Mix made his shop debut right before Christmas last year, and now joins owner Jess Sidhom at the store a few days a week.

You may have seen this adorable “Newfypoo” on the shop’s social media pages. He participated in his first modeling job a few months ago, donning bunny ears to pose next to his Easter basket and stuffed bunny. While Sidhom says he didn’t mind pretending to be a bunny, he was scared of the real ones that visited the store.

Benny is particularly fond of belly rubs but also likes to greet customers by resting his head on their legs, hoping for an ear rub. After he’s finished with his greeting duties, he can often be found taking a nap near Sidhom. During his walk breaks, he catalogs which houses near the shop have dog treats. He never misses an opportunity to sample one.

COCOLETO.com | IG: @shopcocoleto

Benny COCO LETO

ARTICLE BY CARROLL WALTON

HOW CHARLOTTE’S BACKYARD BEEKEEPERS ARE SAVING THE STATE’S FAVORITE INSECT

THE HIVE KEEPERS

Neighbors in South Charlotte’s Mountainbrook stroll past yards with the typical blue hydrangeas in springtime, or an array of pink azaleas, sure. But if they pass the neatly manicured front lawn of Rachel and Clark Humphries, they’ll see a wide variety of flowering plants.

Rachel and Clark Humphries

There’s butterfly bush, salvia, fireweed, Shasta daisies and more. And this year, Clark tried his hand at growing chamomile—as in tea.

So what do those species have in common?

“Bees love them,” Rachel Humphries says.

(They’re deer-resistant, too, Clark points out, which helps.)

What the Humphries’ neighbors can’t see from the street is the row of beehives, five of them, stacked along the back edge of their backyard. That’s their apiary, and along with the pollinating plants throughout their yard, that is how they help support the health and prosperity of North Carolina’s state insect: the honeybee. At any given moment, the Humphries are taking care of several hundred thousand of them.

The now-retired parents, grandparents—and at the moment dogless duo—have joined forces with the more than 15,000 North Carolinians who have taken up beekeeping as a hobby and a cause.

That’s the most beekeepers per capita of any state in the country, according to Homegrown , N.C. State’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences publication.

North Carolina’s beekeeping foundation has more than 4,000 members. In Mecklenburg County, more than 600 beekeepers gather regularly to educate and commiserate. A common fight unites them: counteracting the environmental, climate and industrial forces threatening honeybees—and with them, everything from local agriculture to backyard gardens.

At the very least, once a week, the Humphries can be found covered from head to foot, tending to their bees. They open the hives to ensure the queens are thriving,

The Humphries at a Pineville farm, where the bees pollinate an acre of vegetables harvested and donated to The Bulb.

Clark Humphries shows off a colony from his bee collection.

“PEOPLE FROM ALL CROSS SECTIONS OF OUR COMMUNITY ARE BEEKEEPERS.”

prevent swarms from leaving, and separate colonies as needed, all while Rachel keeps track of the populations with copious audio notes.

In the spring, they harvest honey multiple times and share it with anyone who will take some. They also keep a handful of hives at a Pineville farm, where the bees pollinate an acre of vegetables harvested and donated to The Bulb, a nonprofit serving local families.

They wear veils to keep their faces and necks covered, and gloves over their hands, but they know even a layer of clothing can’t always prevent stings. Calm can. So does a blast of smoke from a canister of burning pine needles they use to control the bees’ pheromones and, therefore, excitement level.

“These bees are so docile,” says Rachel, who has suited up grandchildren as young as 3 and neighbors as young as 5. “We have very happy bees and very healthy bees.”

She credits a mentor they found through the Mecklenburg County Beekeepers Association for helping them raise agreeable bees. Having one-on-one instruction to rely on, they say, has made all the difference.

Clark Humphries was still working in medical software sales and gardening on the side 10 years ago when he first decided to try raising bees to help his zucchini and tomatoes grow.

“It was amazing how the production of my vegetables had this crazy increase,” Clark says. “And we got honey, which was a plus.”

Clark says he bought a book to read and “tried to stay one chapter ahead of the bees.” It didn’t last long. Bees he’d bought in batches for $150 or $200 would either die off or fly away. After a while, he gave up. But Rachel started to miss the honey.

She wasn’t working anymore, so she volunteered to attend a class through the Mecklenburg Beekeepers. There, during a twomonth program, she was paired with her mentor.

“We have so many knowledgeable beekeepers here that have been keeping bees for 50 years,” says Rachel, who still attends monthly meetings. “People from all cross sections of our community are beekeepers. There are hives all over this city. People are so interested in maintaining pollinators for all of the plants that we have, and all of the local gardens we have.”

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WE see you

WHY ONE MOTHER STARTED NONPROFIT GENERATION WE TO HELP THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN SEE BEYOND THEIR DIFFERENCES

ARTICLE BY KRISHA CHACHRA PHOTOGRAPHY BY CARISSA ROGERS

Annie Totten remembers how people used to look at her son Jack, now 17, as he grew up with cerebral palsy. She also remembers the pride she felt when he decided to say something about it.

“I have a boo-boo on my brain,” he told his classmates. “It affects the way I walk.”

His words had power.

“The kids moved on once he explained it in a way they could understand,” Totten says.

That moment and so many others throughout Jack’s life inspired Totten to follow his lead and take action.

Three years ago, she founded Generation WE, a Charlotte nonprofit to help children build empathy and connection through storytelling, art and conversation. Its mission is simple: create a more inclusive environment for children like her son by teaching other children to see beyond surface-level differences.

“I wanted to create a world where people saw Jack for more than his physical disability,”she says.

“I wanted to create a world where people saw Jack for more than his physical disability,” she says. “There is so much more to Jack—and so much more to all of us. If you’re only looking at one part of somebody, it can create prejudice. We have to share our stories, or we can’t connect.”

Generation WE works primarily with children ages 2 to 15 through partnerships with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library, Levine Children’s Hospital, The Nest Academy and local independent schools. Programs range from interactive story times for younger children to art-centered self-expression workshops for older students. They have more than 450 books in their library.

Totten only uses volunteer readers who have a personal connection to the subject matter.

“It is non-negotiable to me,” she says.

During one reading workshop, students learned about physical differences through the children’s book Ricky, the Rock That Couldn’t Roll , about a rock

that couldn’t move like the others until friends packed mud on one side so he could roll alongside them. Afterward, the children painted “kindness rocks” to take home.

For older students, expressing themselves and learning about others often happens through art. Under the guidance of a volunteer artist, kids paint murals, vinyl records or basketballs in a program called “Swish Art.” One of the nonprofit’s most popular programs, “Unique Sneaks,” invites students to decorate sneakers that reflect their identities and personal stories.

Last fall, supporters gathered at Bank of America Stadium for a “Unique Sneaks” fundraiser featuring Nike Air Force 1s donated by Carolina Panthers coach Dave Canales. Guests customized the shoes with spray paint, freehand art and a “lace bar.”

“There are so many ways to tell stories,” Totten says. “Music, spoken word, books, art—all of it gives children a way to express who they are.”

In just three years, Generation WE has served more than 4,600 children and donated more than 4,000 books. The organization recently moved into a new space on Monroe Road. This year, its inaugural “you. me. WE. At The Table” fundraising dinner raised $100,000.

Before moving to Charlotte in 2018, Totten worked in corporate retail with companies including Gap Inc. and The Walt Disney Company before opening her own children’s retail store in California. After relocating with her husband and three children, she said yoga and meditation helped her slow down and reflect more deeply on connection and empathy. She started practicing looking inward first—for herself and when she met others.

That perspective now shapes Generation WE’s philosophy and even its name. The nonprofit’s slogan—”you. me. WE.”— reflects Totten’s belief that individuality matters, but connection matters more.

“You are powerful and unique the way you are, and so am I,” she says. “But together, it’s a whole other ballgame.”

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Educating for Purpose

Dr. Tara Christie Kinsey became Head of School at Charlotte Country Day School in 2025 after serving as Head of The Hewitt School in New York City and as an associate dean at her alma mater, Princeton University. She earned her Ph.D. in English from Emory University and met her husband, Matt, while they were student-athletes at Princeton. The couple has two teenage children.

ARTICLE BY CARROLL WALTON

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF CHARLOTTE COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL

Q&A

Q. FIRST OF ALL, WHICH IS HARDEST: HITTING .402 IN SOFTBALL, LEADING A SCHOOL OF NEARLY 1,800 STUDENTS OR BEING A PARENT?

A. Without hesitation, I would say being a parent. If it doesn’t feel hard, you’re probably not doing it right. As parents, we are wired to protect our children, but sometimes the most loving choice is to step back and let them work through difficulty. Trusting that struggle builds strength is one of the hardest parts of parenting.

Q. WHY COUNTRY DAY?

A. Our family had planned to wait until our daughter graduated before making another move. Then Country Day came along. It offered a rare opportunity to lead an outstanding school whose aspirations extend beyond its campus. I was inspired

A nationally recognized thought leader in education, Dr. Kinsey is part of a network of researchers, authors and school leaders shaping the national conversation about youth development, achievement and well-being, including Jennifer Wallace, author of Never Enough. Her work addresses how schools can pursue academic excellence while also helping young people build lives of purpose, character and service. That vision led her to Country Day, where she found a mission aligned with her belief that educational excellence carries a responsibility to serve others. In her first year, she has advanced an innovative new plan based on four pillars—Lifelong Community, Educational Excellence, Responsibility to Serve, and Healthy Striving—positioning the school at the forefront of a national conversation about how to prepare students for lives of meaning and impact.

Before her career in educational leadership, Kinsey was a four-time All-Ivy League softball selection at Princeton and batted .402 one season to lead her team to the NCAA Division I Women’s College World Series.

In a conversation with Queen City Lifestyle editor Carroll Walton, Dr. Kinsey discusses the forces shaping education today, the challenges facing young people and families, and the vision guiding her leadership at Country Day.

by a board that envisioned a school that is both academically excellent and a force for good in Charlotte. That belief—that schools have a responsibility to educate, inspire, and strengthen students and communities—is at the heart of my work. When schools define success by a college list alone, they lose sight of their deeper mission and settle for the short game.

Q. WHAT’S THE LONG GAME?

A. The true measure of a school is not where students are admitted but who they become. At Country Day, we have the opportunity to pair academic excellence with character development—challenging students, supporting their growth and cultivating a responsibility to others. The goal is not just high achievement, but using talents to serve something larger. That’s the holy grail of education.

Q. JENNIFER WALLACE WROTE ABOUT YOUR EPIPHANY AT PRINCETON. WHAT HAPPENED?

A. Too many young people believe their worth is defined by the next achievement. As an associate dean, I saw rising anxiety and pressure, with students feeling that nothing was ever enough. I reached a crossroads: remain a safety net or work to address the problem at its source. I chose the latter.

Author Jennifer Wallace with Dr. Kinsey

Dr. Kinsey with her family

WITH DR. TARA CHRISTIE KINSEY

Q. THAT’S MAKING CHANGES AT THE SECONDARY LEVEL?

A. Actually, it begins even before high school. Independent schools have the freedom to create environments where high expectations coexist with well-being. Excellence and well-being reinforce one another. Students need challenges, but also sleep, relationships, time outdoors and opportunities to contribute beyond themselves. The best schools cultivate both achievement and purpose, helping young people see not only that they are valued but that they add value to the world.

Q. WHAT IS ONE WAY YOU DID THAT AT HEWITT?

A. We replaced AP courses with an Extended Inquiry Program, where students pursued faculty-mentored research on real-world issues and presented their work publicly. Students stood out for their curiosity and depth of inquiry, and their college outcomes improved for the right reasons.

Q. YOU’VE SAID COUNTRY DAY’S EMPHASIS ON SERVICE EXCITED YOU. HOW WILL YOU EXPAND ON THAT?

A. For one, we have a transformational opportunity in a 330-acre farm in Weddington, gifted by Smoky and Margaret Gragg Bissell. It already supplies fresh food to our dining halls. Our greater goal is external—partnering with local schools and communities facing food insecurity to expand access and build reciprocal relationships rooted in shared learning and service.

Q. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES IN EDUCATION TODAY?

A. We are facing a national challenge in recruiting and retaining educators. The demands are high, and compensation has not kept pace. As an industry, we have underinvested in professional growth. Teachers deserve the same coaching and development as leaders in other fields. Building that culture is a priority in our bold and visionary plan.

Q. WHAT IS YOUR TAKE ON SMARTPHONES IN SCHOOLS?

A. Screen time competes with human connection. That is one of the reasons why

we are phone-free indoors during the school day. The result has been more conversation, play, and connection—habits that colleges and employers consistently value.

Q. HOW IS AI CHANGING EDUCATION, AND HOW SHOULD SCHOOLS RESPOND?

A. AI presents a choice: fear or intention. We are choosing intention, building a framework for responsible use. Students need to learn how, when and why to use AI—and when human judgment matters most. AI cannot replace curiosity, empathy or character. Our responsibility is to graduate skilled students and thoughtful users of these tools, not passive consumers.

Q. IN AN AGE OF SCREENS AND AI, WHAT HUMAN SKILLS MATTER MOST?

A. Listening deeply, sitting with uncertainty, collaborating across differences and asking better questions. I would add empathy and productive struggle. Curiosity must be practiced. Ethical judgment comes from lived experience and relationships—none of which can be automated.

Q. WHAT SUGGESTIONS WOULD YOU GIVE PARENTS TO HELP CHILDREN STRIVE HEALTHILY?

A. Two things: keep phones out of bedrooms and protect sleep. Sleep is foundational to well-being.

Q. YOU RECOMMENDED COUNTRY DAY PARENTS READ NEVER ENOUGH. ARE THERE OTHER BOOKS YOU’D RECOMMEND AS WELL?

A. The Emotional Lives of Teenagers , 10 to 25, The Art of Gathering , and The Art of Community

Q. ARE YOU SEEING THE CHANGE YOU’D HOPED FOR WHEN YOU LEFT PRINCETON?

A. Yes—education is the most fundamentally optimistic profession. Our mission at Country Day captures it well: to develop the potential of each student through intellectual curiosity, principled character, ethical leadership and a responsibility to serve. Of course, there are hard days as in any field, but I am continually moved by the way I have been welcomed here, the dedication of our faculty and staff, and students who bring this work to life every day. I feel a deep sense of meaning and purpose in this role.

Dr. Kinsey with student speakers at All-School Convocation

Charlotte Country Day School Commencement 2026 Ceremony

WHERE THE Wild Things Play

HOW DESIGNER BROOKE ADLER CREATED A PLAYFUL, GENDERNEUTRAL SPACE TO EVOLVE WITH A GROWING FAMILY

ARTICLE BY CARROLL WALTON PHOTOGRAPHY BY DUSTIN PECK

For Charlotte designer Brooke Adler, residential projects usually center around the kitchen and living areas where clients entertain. For this Villa Heights couple, though, the starting point was more personal.

The focus was on “His and Her” offices for parents who both work from home and on a nearby play space for their 4-year-old daughter.

“They wanted to be happy where they worked and create spaces that bring them joy,” Adler says. “They wanted that for each of them, and then one for their daughter.”

Adler’s first question when designing a playroom is whether to lean toward the masculine or feminine. Here, the clients suggested staying gender neutral since their family might keep growing.

“She was open to a lot of color, which makes it easier,” Adler says.

Her inspiration started with wallpaper.

“When we built this budget, I wanted to put wallpaper in it because that’s what’s going to make this room feel special,” Adler says. “You could paint it a different color, but that’s not really going to do it justice.”

She started with an Anna Spiro print featuring oranges and greens.

“It looked like an abstract tree to me, so it felt more masculine,” Adler says. “But other things in the room balanced it out … It was giving us a little bit of a color start, but it wasn’t every color we were going to use in the room.”

She chose a blue performance velvet for the sofa, then layered it with green leafy pillows from Taylor King, accented with a yellow pompom, and a coordinating window treatment with a yellow ticking stripe from Chelsea Textiles.

Flanking the sofa, wood side tables she describes as “little tree trunks” ground the space. Every fabric and furniture choice provides safety, flexibility and fun.

“When I do a playroom, people don’t want you to fill all the spaces like you would in an adult space, because they need to be flexible,” Adler says. “Kids need to be able to play on the floor. So we thought movable ottomans would be good, that they could sit on, move around and people could put their feet on.”

Samuel and Sons cording adds pops of color—blue on the window treatment and orange on three Taylor King ottomans.

She picked up greens from the wallpaper in a Stanton rug called Waveside-Watercrest. Its subtle stripe was easy to pair with patterns and also forgiving. The Royaltron Polypropylene and Polysilk materials make this indoor/outdoor rug easy to clean, but soft enough for little crawling knees.

In keeping with natural but fun tones, she painted the ceiling blue.

“It feels like the sky,” Adler says. “It’s the perfect ceiling color for a kid’s room because it feels happy.”

As quickly as Adler landed on the wallpaper, she took her time with what to adorn the wall behind the sofa. She wanted something that, like the wallpaper, would draw attention away from a mini-split HVAC, which they camouflaged with a wood covering.

“I wanted to keep my eyes and ears out for something special,” Adler says.

She found it on a trip to Charleston in a store called Auden & Avery, where she discovered a pair of wicker animal heads: a lion and an elephant.

To complete the space and bring visual interest to a nine-foot ceiling, she found a light fixture from Valley with a dozen arms.

She also included storage for books, art supplies and toys.

“We wanted things that would grow with them,” Adler says. “You want to come up with design pieces that accommodate things that are important now, but I’m also trying to think a couple of steps ahead.”

ARTICLE BY CARROLL WALTON PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF BLOOMING SMILES PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY

Something to Smile About

How Dr. Arpita Patel’s Concierge Approach to Pediatric Dentistry Is Changing the Way Families Think About Their Children’s Health

Pediatric dental offices are everywhere these days, but few operate with the quiet intentionality of Blooming Smiles Pediatric Dentistry. Dr. Arpita Patel has built something unique.

“We focus on elevated patient care and patient experience,” she says. “It’s a concierge and family-centered practice.”

That philosophy has drawn families from throughout the Southeast—Texas, Florida and Tennessee—willing to board planes and fight traffic for an appointment.

One mother has been making the drive from Virginia with her son for three years, ever since he was 4. She came not only with concerns about his teeth but also about restless nights, open-mouth breathing, snoring and bedwetting that other providers hadn’t taken seriously.

“Mom had been told, ‘Your kid’s fine; it’s just a phase, he’ll grow out of it,’” Patel recalls.

Providers had diagnosed the child with ADHD and recommended medication, his mother said, but she felt there was another way. What no one had connected: a lip and tongue tie, airway issues and restless sleep, all linked to the cavities he had throughout his mouth.

“I didn’t want to only treat the cavities; I wanted to treat the source,” Patel says. “We wanted to figure out the why.”

Using a treatment plan built around this holistic approach, Patel went from seeing the child every three months to every six months.

“He’s been cavity-free since,” she says. “He’s sleeping. He’s thriving. He is a different child.”

Patel’s team includes chiropractors, orthodontists, myofunctional therapists and lactation consultants. Each patient is paired with the same assistant at every visit, ensuring continuity of care and establishing trust. A typical appointment runs about an hour— the bulk of it with that dedicated assistant, followed by time with Patel herself.

Her commitment to whole-body care extends to her methods and materials. Patel favors non-invasive approaches—a dental pain eraser, homeopathic rinses and laser technology—keeping treatments gentle and anxiety-free. Every child receives an airway evaluation as part of the appointment.

“We take a holistic approach using minimally invasive techniques, which means quicker healing and more comfort for kids and parents,” she says.

Blooming Smiles is preparing for its next chapter, coming in 2027: a rebrand followed by a move to a larger facility on East Morehead Street, with expanded services.

For more information, visit BloomingSmilesPD.com .

Dr. Arpita Patel

Protecting Home and Business SECURITY TECHNOLOGY GROUP

Scoop

Dreams

ARTICLE BY ALLIE PAPAJOHN

SIX DELECTABLE SUMMERTIME TREATS

What’s better than a frozen treat on a hot Charlotte afternoon? The city has no shortage of options—from housemade ice cream and fruit pops to snowballs and gelato.

Jeni’s Ice Creams and Golden Cow Creamery, both with multiple locations, serve homemade ice cream, while Seemingly Overzealous and Artisen Gelato cater to those with gluten, dairy and egg allergies. For something over the top, SWIRL Dessert Bar blends ice cream topped with a cookie and a whole cupcake. Or go straight for the frozen cheesecake at Ninety’s Dessert Bar, known for nostalgia-inspired treats.

Stay cool!

Photo by Olly Yung. Mural is Confetti Stripes Wall by Evelyn Henson.

Artisen Gelato: Mini Gelato Cake

SWIRL Dessert Bar: Super Swirl Photo by Allie Papajohn

Seemingly Overzealous: Cookie Ice Cream Sammie

Photo by Julia Murray

Jeni’s Ice Cream: Signature 3 Scoops of your choice

Golden Cow Creamery: Salted Oreo

Ninety’s Dessert Bar: Frozen Dipped Cheesecake

TREY & KATIE KENNEDY

ON MARRIAGE, KIDS, AND THE COMEDY OF REAL LIFE

Trey Kennedy makes a living finding comedy in regular life. Marriage. Toddlers. Yoga pants. The Thursday-night scramble between school dropoffs, soccer practice, and whatever has to be done by morning. Twelve years in, it shows: millions of followers across every platform, three stand-up specials, a sold-out Relatable Tour, and a style of humor fans send each other captioned, “Are you watching me?” He delivers the kind of comedy that travels because everyone’s living some version of it.

Katie, his wife of six years, is a former biomedical engineer who also built a modeling career. She’s now raising their kids and co-hosting Correct Opinions alongside Trey — the show where the two of them swap takes on marriage, parenting, and whatever came up that week.

Trey has been at this longer than people realize. An Edmond, Oklahoma kid who grew up playing basketball described himself as a “shy kid who never thought he’d be an entertainer.” He started making videos while attending Oklahoma State University. After building millions of followers on Vine before the platform shut down, he gave himself six months on Instagram and Facebook to see whether he could rebuild from zero. He did. Stand-up soon followed. His first special, Are You For Real?, streams on YouTube; the second, Grow Up, on Amazon Prime; the third, built around the Relatable Tour, wrapped earlier this year. “I’ve been trying to be funny every week for like twelve years now,” he says. A slow climb, made one bit at a time.

ARTICLE BY KALI KASPRZYK

“I’ve been trying to be funny every week for like twelve years now.”

Most of what Trey writes lately starts in his own kitchen. Thomas is three and a half, and he is, in his father’s words, “a movie.” He narrates his own life from the moment his eyes open and mispronounces words in ways his parents now repeat to each other because no one else would believe them. His younger sister, Eva, is what Katie calls “the calm one.” With a third now in the mix, the Kennedys are officially outnumbered.

After six years of marriage, Trey and Katie have learned that the partnership runs best when it gets its own time on the calendar. So once a week, they leave the kids with a sitter and go out for coffee. “You need a system,” Katie says. “It’s about taking time to look each other in the eye. Not the kids. Not the cameras. Just each other.”

The same instinct shapes the work. Most of Trey’s trial and error happens onstage or on Instagram, but the first read is always Katie’s. “There’s only been one time ever I’ve had to be like, ‘you’re not doing that,’” she says. The rest of the time, she just laughs first.

FEATURING TREY & KATIE KENNEDY

Trey and Katie talk about marriage, parenting, and the moments that don’t make the Instagram feed.

Watch or listen to the full conversation wherever you get your podcasts.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JANIE JONES HAIR & MAKEUP BY MIKAYLA CRANE

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“One of my favorite things about the room is that I can just close the door on the mess and come back to it. Creativity is very messy, and it doesn’t always happen in the two-hour window you have to do it,” Zoe Balsamo says.

A ROOM FOR Every Ribbon

ARTICLE BY CARROLL WALTON | PHOTOGRAPHY BY CARISSA ROGERS

When you get to know Zoe Balsamo, it’s hard to say which is more impressive: the crafts she creates or the room where she makes them. The granddaughter of the self-proclaimed “original Martha Stewart,” who made pasta from scratch for dinner parties, embraced what she calls her “grandma hobbies” long ago, like needlepoint, crochet and cross-stitch. Then she went above and beyond.

Inside Zoe Balsamo’s Dream Craft Room

CRAFTS THAT MAKE

A STATEMENT

Balsamo once made personalized collars and stuffed animal adoption certificates for her daughter Izzy’s birthday party. She won a steeplechase tailgate award for building a life-sized Monopoly jail out of PVC pipe. It had a massive “Go straight to jail” card that stopped passersby in their tracks. Their Elf on the Shelf, she notes, once ziplined through the dining room.

THE ROOM OF HER DREAMS

So when the Balsamos moved their family of three into a new home in Sedgewood 10 years ago, she knew exactly what she wanted to do with the extra bedroom— build the craft room of her dreams.

Balsamo designed it herself, complete with shelving for hundreds of sewing and craft supplies, ribbons and more. She designed a 6-by-4-foot table in the middle, with wrapping-paper ribbon on one end, oversized bulletin board paper on the other, and a shelf underneath, so those sitting on one of the four stools would have a place to put their feet.

“If you’re going to be in here for several hours at a time, you need to be comfortable,” she says.

During a home renovation, Balsamo had a cabinetmaker subcontracted to build a desk for her husband’s office. She tasked him with executing her vision for the craft room.

“He did say, ‘I’m never doing another one of these again,’” she says, laughing. “All the slots for paper—those are actually boxes I found through a company. He had to paint all of those.”

She has drawers for stamps, scissors, glue guns, ink pens and glitter. She uses a Glowforge, a 3D laser printer, to cut through wood or acrylic. She custom-made a board to display the thread she uses for needlework, embroidery, crocheting and more.

“I may enjoy the process of collecting the supplies to do the crafts more than sometimes doing the crafts themselves,” she says.

Zoe Balsamo

A STITCH AT DAY’S END

Of all her crafts, needlepoint holds a special place—it’s the one she reaches for at the end of the day, settled in with her husband and whatever’s on television.

“Needlepoint just calms me,” she says. “It’s basically paint by numbers, but with thread.”

She makes weekly rounds to her favorite local shops—Po’s Point in Charlotte, Needleworx in Fort Mill, and 2’s Co. in Rock Hill—and Charlotte Yarn on East Boulevard is her go-to for crochet.

ROOM FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY

As for her family? They’re happy that she has the space for it, too. While her daughter hasn’t quite caught the bug—she’s mainly focused on high school and athletics—her husband is in full support.