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• This cutting-edge model is a first in the greater Charlotte area and one of only a handful in the country. With a surgical focus on facelift, necklift, eyelid lift, brow lift, rhinoplasty, skin cancer reconstruction, hair restoration, and laser resurfacing, Drs. Garcia and Surowitz deliver beautiful and natural results individually tailored to each patient’s unique needs.
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In Honor of Him
In a month when we celebrate Father’s Day, we honor the countless ways men shape our daily lives. As fathers, brothers, husbands, sons, uncles, friends, teachers, coaches, and colleagues, their strength makes an impact.
My own father, our Poppy, passed away this time last year. One of the qualities I admired most was his steady, calming presence.
A man’s gifts of quality time, life-giving words and positive actions have a long-lasting mark on those around them. Here are just a few ways:
• His strength can be an anchor
• His words can be fueling and inspirational
• His hugs can be healing
• His smile can instill joy and confidence
• Time spent with him can be an adventure
• His physicality can challenge limits
• His guidance can be life-changing
• His advice can be life-saving
June 2026
PUBLISHER
Liz Brown | liz.brown@citylifestyle.com
EDITOR
Carroll Walton | carroll.walton@citylifestyle.com
COPY EDITOR
Matias Arredondo | matias.arredondo@citylifestyle.com
PUBLICATION DIRECTOR
Gillian Horn | gillian.horn@citylifestyle.com
PUBLISHER ASSISTANT
Shellye Andrus
EDITORIAL COORDINATOR
Kathryn Ashcraft
PHOTO EDITOR
Seth Patrick
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Taylor Bowler, Elliott Harrell, Carroll Walton, Noah Williams
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Christina Hussey, Rico Marcelo, Dustin Peck, Carissa Rogers, Noah Williams, Olly Yung
This month, we celebrate men everywhere. We are featuring Charlotte men setting the standard in fashion, design, health, cuisine, and beyond. We honor the legacy of Philip L. Van Every, whose vision helped turn Lance crackers into a national brand. We celebrate Sam Diminich, who drew inspiration from his son to create an elevated yet approachable new diner in Plaza Shamrock.
We hope you enjoy our annual Men’s Issue.
LIZ BROWN, PUBLISHER @QUEENCITYMAG
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 Megan Cagle
Caravaggio | Revolution: Baroque Masterpieces from the Roberto Longhi Foundation is generously presented by M.A. Rogers and Bank of America with additional support from the Samuel H. Kress Foundation. Individual sponsorship support for this exhibition is kindly provided by Betsy and Alfred Brand; Jane and Hugh McColl, Pat Rodgers, and Leigh-ann and Martin Sprock; Beverly and Jim Hance, Anna McKeithen Webersen, Laura McKeithen, Susan and Loy McKeithen, Marshelette and Milton Prime, and Rocky and Curtis Trenkelbach; Sarah and Tim Belk, Mary and Charles Bowman, and Jo Ann and Joddy Peer; Marty and Weston Andress, Mary Lou and Jim Babb, and Robin and Bill Branstrom. The Mint Museum is supported, in part, by the City of Charlotte and the North Carolina Arts Council. Caravaggio | Revolution is organized by the Fondazione di Studi di Storia dell’Arte Roberto Longhi and Civita Mostre e Musei, in collaboration with The Mint Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg. IMAGE: Valentin de Boulogne, known as Le Valentin (French, 1591–1632). Denial of St. Peter (detail), 1615–17, oil on canvas. Florence, Fondazione di Studi di Storia dell’Arte Roberto Longhi. Mint Museum Uptown at Levine Center for the Arts | 500 South Tryon Street | Charlotte, NC 28202 | 704.337.2000 | mintmuseum.org | @themintmuseum
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WHERE NEIGHBORS CAN SEE AND BE SEEN
Photography by Christina Hussey
The Mint Auxiliary Spring Symposium at Charlotte Country Club | 1: From the left: Georgine Jeffries, Renata Gasparian, Malu Grasso, Rachel Lee, Natasha Duff-Cole 2: From the left: Room to Bloom Co-Chair Hope Leak, Mint Auxiliary President-Elect Meredith Chapman, Town and Country Deputy Features Director and Moderator Adam Rathe, Mint Auxiliary President Katie Hallaway, Keynote Speaker and Author Nate Berkus, Ashley Sigmon, Kim Salsbury, Lindsey Lucenti 3: Kaitlin Vandura, Kristin Kracke, Blair Scheuer, Stephanie Fountaine 4: Nate Berkus and Adam Rathe 6: Margaret Switzer and Amy Hines
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A Personal Reason A CLASSIC DINER,
SAM DIMINICH’S NEW RESTAURANT, GREY’S DINER, ELEVATES AMERICAN COMFORT FOOD AND HONORS ITS NAMESAKE
ARTICLE BY TAYLOR BOWLER PHOTOGRAPHY BY RICO MARCELO
When Sam Diminich opened Restaurant Constance three years ago, he named it after his now-22-year-old daughter. Before doing so, he checked with his son, Allan Grey, whom he calls AG, to make sure he was OK with it.
“He said, ‘As long as there’s a burger on the menu for me,’” Diminich says with a grin. “I thought, ‘This isn’t exactly a burger kind of restaurant.’”
This year, Diminich evened things out. He opened Grey’s Diner in the former Mattie’s Diner space in Plaza Shamrock, honoring his now-18-yearold son. Grey’s is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, serving American diner classics with Diminich’s signature farm-to-table approach. The menu includes vegetarian and vegan options, milkshakes and a bar program that shifts from coffee in the morning to cocktails at night.
Grey’s also features that burger for AG, as well as the lasagna that Diminich’s father and grandfather used to make in the family’s Italian restaurant in Myrtle Beach.
“This is such a cool opportunity to cook my dad and grandpa’s food,” he says. “I want to honor them so much. I wish they could be there sometimes, especially when opening a new restaurant. There are so many questions I want to ask them.”
The third-generation chef hadn’t planned on adding another restaurant to his portfolio, especially coming off one of the busiest years of his career. Last January, his Your Farms Your Table Restaurant Group (YFYT) teamed up with HopeWay, a local nonprofit mental health treatment organization, to manage its 9,000-square-foot, in-house kitchen and provide daily meals for patients, visitors and staff at the center’s 20-acre campus.
“My vision for (Grey’s) is a three-meals-a-day spot,” Diminich says. “I want to bring a farm-totable approach to a casual atmosphere.”
“Moving into HopeWay was like opening another restaurant,” Diminich says. “It was a huge lift from a leadership standpoint.”
That same month, he was named a 2025 James Beard semifinalist. Over the summer, he “took Restaurant Constance on the road” with a series of pop-up dinners as part of YFYT’s Farmer Celebration Series. In November, Restaurant Constance was named a Michelin-recommended restaurant in the 2025 American South guide. Diminich also celebrated 11 years of sobriety, something he’s been outspoken about following a three-decade-long battle with addiction.
By December, he says, the renewed attention from the Michelin recognition had kicked in, helping Restaurant Constance hit a record month.
“That was really cool and completely unexpected,” he says. “I think it’s important to look up every once in a while and acknowledge and be proud of the progress you’ve made.”
When Diminich’s business partner, Jill Vande Woude, learned that Mattie’s Diner was for sale, she suggested they go take a look.
“I said, ‘Absolutely not—I’m not doing another restaurant,’” he laughs. “But then we looked at it, and I thought, ‘This could be really cool.’”
The restaurant is housed in a 1940s chrome diner car, with expanded seating in an adjoining tire shop and garage. For Diminich, it was important to honor both the space’s legacy and the care its previous owner, Matt King, took in preserving the neighborhood’s history.
His respect for the tradition and relevance of diners runs deep. He was a regular customer as an aspiring chef, trying to make ends meet while at the Culinary Institute of America in New York.
“I had, like, two nickels, so I found diners,” he says. “Some days I’d just get toast and a cup of coffee, but I always felt so welcomed there; it lifted me up in a lot of different ways. On days I got paid, and I could afford a full breakfast, it was always slammin.’”
With both of his kids now away at college, Diminich makes the most of their time together. A recent trip to New York proved why.
“Put the three of us in Manhattan, and it’s game on,” he says. “We had a blast. Whether we’re shopping for Constance or finding AG that slice of pizza he’s craving, it’s a good time.”
Diminich is hoping AG might make a few cameos at his namesake restaurant.
“Being able to honor my son and create a space for other people and their children means a lot to me,” Diminich says.
“In a very 18-year-old way, he sent me his availability,” Diminich laughs.
Joking aside, he genuinely loves watching the young man his son is becoming.
“He has a quiet confidence about him, and I love that about my son,” Diminich says. “I love our connection through food. He and I can go anywhere and have whatever tasting menu is available.”
On a recent trip to Big Sky, they did exactly that. When they learned that famed Chicago restaurant Alinea was doing a pop-up, they scored a reservation.
“It’s very progressive and a little molecular,” Diminich says. “We had an incredible meal that night, just him and me.”
But even the most cultivated palates cave to a greasy spoon at some point. And the next time a burger craving hits, AG knows exactly where to go.
Big Sam’s Lasagna
Photo by Peter Taylor
Photo by Peter Taylor
SOURCED IN EUROPE AND CURATED BY DRUE BOHRER
Curated European Antiques for Inspired Interiors
Discover the latest antique finds at Slate Interiors or reach out to schedule a visit!
DRUE BOHRER ANTIQUES
(205) 427-3783 | @druebohrerantiques
2025 Thrift Road, Suite 100, Charlotte, NC 28208
DESIGNING MEN
These Charlotte Men Deliver Form, Function and Style to the Home and Beyond
ARTICLE BY ELLIOTT HARRELL | PHOTOGRAPHY BY OLLY YUNG
Ken Pursley
The Pursley Dixon Studio Founder, Chief Executive Officer & Partner
Ken Pursley always knew he wanted a career in architecture. Growing up, he loved to draw and sketch. He landed his first job at an architecture firm when he was 16.
“The fact that I could find a career to get paid to imagine things was awesome,” he says. “I knew I wanted to design and create something new, and I still get to do that every day.”
For Pursley, good design is more of an emotional exercise than an intellectual one. The goal is for clients to feel a deep connection to their spaces and to live in ones that reflect their lifestyles. He also works to make sure each house he designs is memorable.
“One of the things we think about is details that leave a mental impression,” he says. “I want people to say ‘I went through that house and it had this cool thing I’d never seen before.’”
He draws inspiration from scenes on his travels, like barns, that feel and look authentic.
“When I see something that speaks to me, I really take the time to look at it, maybe even draw it,” he says. “Whether consciously or subconsciously, I ingest that into my dialect as a designer.”
Pursley founded Pursley Architecture in 2005. He recruited his college classmate Craig Dixon to join him as a partner in 2012.
Photo by Emily Followill
Photo by Ryan Theede
Photo by Annie Schlechter
Craig Dixon
The Pursley Dixon Studio Partner & Director of Architecture
Craig Dixon grew up building forts and treehouses with his dad, a home builder with access to job-site scraps. Sometimes he tagged along with him to work.
“I was very intrigued by creating spaces all the time,” Dixon says. “But I realized while working with him that I didn’t want to build the house, I wanted to design the house.”
Pursuing that conviction drew him to Auburn University, where he met his future business partner, Ken Pursley.
For Dixon, designing spaces that inspire is important, but he also emphasizes ensuring they give people an escape from the everyday world.
“You want to come home and have your cocoon,” he says, noting he always thinks about how coming home makes him feel when he’s working with a client.
Dixon approaches each architectural project with a sense of discovery, understanding how people want to live so that the spaces he creates fit in naturally with their lives. Every space has to have a purpose, though.
He’s designed his own home this way, saying it can be ‘big’ or ‘small’ depending on whether it’s just him and his wife, or all of their adult children at home.
For each project, he introduces an element to push the design boundaries just a little bit.
“You’re not striving to do something you’ve done before,” he says. “But you’re not trying to be unique just to be unique.”
@pursleydixon
Photo by Emily Followill
Photo by Roger Davies
Ken Pursley and Craig Dixon
Photos by Michael Blevins
Felipe Fisher
House of FGF Principal Designer
Felipe Fisher credits much of how he designs to what he’s learned as a ballroom dancer.
“Dancing taught me how to see and feel rhythm in everything with its flow, balance and intentionality behind every movement,” he says. “I approach design the same way. A space should guide you naturally, almost like choreography, from one moment to the next.”
For Fisher, good design is just as much about how a space looks as it is about how it feels to move through it.
He created his interior design firm, House of FGF, by blending his passion for creativity with a career he loves.
One of his guiding principles is to design beyond trends, creating spaces that truly reflect each client. While he draws inspiration from everything around him, ultimately, everything starts with the client.
“I’m drawn to a mix of classic and contemporary elements, with rich textures and a sense of quiet luxury,” he says, “But my clients’ stories, their lifestyles and their energy are what shape the design.”
Fisher delights in finding one-of-a-kind pieces by browsing antique markets and sourcing from local artisans.
“There’s something incredibly special about finding a piece that brings character into a space,” he says. “It’s that balance of curated and unexpected that really makes a design feel complete.”
@fgfinteriors
Hugh Crump
Hugh Crump has been in the landscaping business since he was a teenager. While his friends were working at fast food restaurants or grocery stores, Crump wanted to do something outside.
He didn’t expect to turn his lawn business into a long-term career, but landscape design and its ability to complete a property became his love.
“A house provides shelter and the lawn provides function and beauty,” he says. “I think that the lawn can be a point of emphasis, and the next level of detail.”
For Crump, creating a design that makes owners feel a connection that goes beyond their four walls is important. He says he’s constantly inspired by older gardens, like those along Queens Road West, with its canopy of oaks.
“One hundred years ago, someone had a plan to make this,” he marvels. “I wish they were here to be able to see it and appreciate it.”
As Crump built his business, he noticed he was spending more and more time trying to find finishing touches, like pots and accessories. His search for the perfect outdoor accents took him all over the Southeast. Last year, he opened Gardens on Green, a shop dedicated to those details.
“We were working really hard to pull together all the specific tastes of clients that fit with their architecture,” he says. “That was just not available in Charlotte.”
@greenlinedesigninc @gardensongreen
Greenline Design Gardens on Green Owner
Photos by Carissa Rogers
Gardens on Green
Garrett Nelson
Garrett P. Nelson Studio Principal
Garrett Nelson grew up in New Jersey in a town he describes as Norman Rockwellesque, with its architecture and landscaping. He learned about architectural styles and different foliage on morning walks around the neighborhood with his father, a landscaper in town.
“It felt like a simple conversation at the time, but looking back, it was an education I didn’t fully appreciate until much later,” he says. “His tutelage absolutely shaped my path,” Nelson says.
Nelson moved to Charlotte to pursue his degree in architecture at UNC Charlotte and never left. He founded Garrett P. Nelson Studio in 2007 for custom residential architecture.
“We think a lot about creating moments within a home, with subtle transitions, framed views and details that unfold over time,” he says. “There’s a balance we strive for, between structure and softness, refinement and a sense of whimsy, all in service of creating homes that feel both deeply personal and connected to the surrounding community.”
One of the things he’s most inspired by when designing a home is the front-facing experience. His goal is to create a house that gets people to stop and look when they’re walking by.
“Elements like front loggias, expansive glass, and thoughtfully layered rooflines help break down the scale of a home and create a more human, approachable presence within the streetscape,” he says.
For Nelson, beauty is everywhere. Remembering to take time to notice it is something he strives for every day.
@garrettpnelsonstudio
Photo by Chris Edwards
Photo by Brie Williams
Lawson Campe
Greystone Hardscapes and Landscapes Owner
Lawson Campe built one of Charlotte’s preeminent landscaping and hardscaping businesses on his entrepreneurial spirit. He grew up in a household where his dad listened to motivational speaker Tony Robbins. Campe started a car detailing business in high school that he ran through college to pay for school.
He found his inspiration for landscape design in an unexpected way. In 2019, while living in his childhood home in Ballantyne, a neighbor’s house exploded. The explosion sent debris, including stone pavers, into their backyard. Campe started using them to build small patios.
From there, one of his parent’s friends asked him to redo their patio. That was the unofficial start of Greystone Hardscapes and Landscapes.
“Not being afraid to fail and being ready to learn is a big thing,” Campe says of his first job and one of his core business philosophies. “That’s been a big driver on how we’ve got to today.”
“It’s art,” he says. “Being able to take something we can design from a blank space and transform that into a dream backyard that’s truly unique and custom is inspiring.”
Campe takes fulfillment in seeing the finished product and how people use it.
“What’s so cool is the memories that can be created in these areas,” he says. “They’re just unmatched.”
@greystonehardscapes
Photos by Skycam Digital
Dr. Amy Guyer
TWO-TERM MAYOR AND SNACK COMPANY CEO PHILIP LANCE VAN EVERY LEAVES A SUSTAINING MARK ON THE CITY
LANCE’S LEGACY
Before there was a John Belk, Hugh McColl or Johnny Harris leading Charlotte’s business and civic communities, there was Philip Lance Van Every. The grandson of Lance snack company’s founders rose from salesman to CEO, while elevating his family’s company into a national brand. ToastChee, Toasty and Nekot crackers are still sweetening the air along South Boulevard more than 100 years after the company was founded.
The club chairs, couch and round table came from Acquisitions Interiors in Atlanta. Pillows were custom made with embroidered Lance logos. The blue leather sofa coordinates with the blue of the Lance logo.
COMMUNITY IMPACT
For 30 years under Van Every’s leadership, Lance’s annual sales rose from $9 million to $80 million. And for the seven years he served as mayor pro tem and two terms as mayor, he helped develop some of Charlotte’s foundational projects: Independence Boulevard was completed, what is now Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center was expanded, Park Road Shopping Center, Ovens Auditorium and Bojangles Coliseum were built, and the Dowd YMCA was funded.
Whether he was escorting President Dwight Eisenhower through Freedom Park on a visit to town, or riding on calls with policemen, which he did so regularly he was presented his own badge, Van Every rolled his sleeves up for Charlotte.
His legacy lives on in the thriving brand he left behind, a statue along Charlotte’s Trail of History, and his family’s nonprofit organization. The Philip L. Van Every Foundation has invested more than $60 million toward community initiatives throughout the Carolinas, according to executive director Crystal Thomann.
NEW OFFICE SPACE DESIGN
Five years ago, the family-run charity moved its offices from the South Boulevard manufacturing plant to the four-story building near Uptown that housed the Lance factory from 1920 to 1962. The foundation occupies 1,455 square feet on the third floor of what’s now The Lofts at Factory South condominiums for board meetings and to honor Lance’s legacy.
Quincy White, foundation chair and the second-oldest of Van Every’s 14 grandchildren, has worked with the board to curate Lance collectibles from auction houses, Lance retirees, family members and other collectors across the country.
“THE PHILIP L. VAN EVERY FOUNDATION HAS INVESTED MORE THAN $60 MILLION TOWARD COMMUNITY INITIATIVES THROUGHOUT THE CAROLINAS.”
give a variety of
cases are a different wood, so it looks collected instead of everything being in just one finish and matchy. I love that the cases are glass on all sides, so you can see the artifacts whether you’re looking in the case or looking at the case.”
Designer Pebbles Nix, one of Van Every’s 14 grandchildren, chose a weathered gray finish for the desk and credenza to
textures to the office area. “The
White’s brother, Marty, built the conference room table, and their cousin, Pebbles Glenn Nix, an interior designer from Charlotte who now lives in Atlanta, designed the space.
She used a neutral gray wall color to highlight historical blackand-white photographs. Phil Van Every’s portrait is flanked by images of a company baseball team, a Christmas party and a 1950s “Love At First Bite” ad campaign. Seating and kitchen areas are accessorized with vintage Lance cracker jars, a 1900s peanuts cart and Lance’s first vending machine from 1954. The office has exposed brick walls and original factory piping.
“You can still see peanut stains on the floor and ceiling,” White says. “I love being there. My cousins and I feel like we’re surrounded by family.”
LANCE HISTORY
The company’s history dates back to the 1910s when Van Every’s grandfather, Philip L. Lance, a food and coffee bean broker, accidentally ordered a 500-pound bag of raw peanuts. His wife, Nancy, roasted them in her kitchen, and Lance sold them for 5 cents a bag at the corner of Trade and Tryon Streets.
Lance Packing Company started making peanut brittle and peanut butter. Lance’s daughter, Mary Arnold Van Every, came up with the idea to spread peanut butter between crackers to create the first commercially sold peanut butter sandwich crackers in 1912.
Lance products were hand-delivered in baskets to Uptown merchants, by horse and buggy, and later the Ford Model T. Lance moved its offices twice before settling at the South End location
because it was on the Southern Railway with easy access to sugar and peanut shipments.
In 1938, Lance introduced ToastChee, its signature square orange cheddar-flavored cracker with peanut butter filling. Philip Van Every’s father, Salem, then CEO, shifted focus from candy to crackers during World War II, deciding that rationed sugar would go further in baked goods.
Five years later, in 1943, Philip L. Van Every took over as CEO after his father died on Easter Sunday. He was 29. Under his leadership, Lance adopted a multi-management program, delegating responsibilities across departments. He introduced the concept of a “Lance man,” a route salesman who maintained his own truck.
“He instituted a 100% company-funded profit-sharing plan for the employees (after World War II),” White says. “They had a credit union, insurance programs, a company cafeteria, free uniforms and Christmas parties at the Carolina Theater Uptown.”
Under Van Every, Lance expanded its distribution beyond mom-and-pop shops, gas stations and pharmacies to institutional food services. Captain’s Wafers, Saltines and Melba Toast became available in hospitals and schools.
In 1962, Van Every oversaw the opening of the 485,000-squarefoot plant off South Boulevard. His employees knew him as “Mr. Phil,” the CEO who ate with them in the cafeteria.
When he died in 1980, Lance was being sold in 34 states.
“I remember being in awe of him and his gentle power,” White says. “He loved his family, he loved his community and he loved his Lance employee family.”
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INS PIRATION FOR YOUR NEXT GUYS’ TRIP FROM LUXURY TRAVEL
CONSULTANT ASHLEY THEIS OF THE CONSTANT WAYFARER
ARTICLE BY ELLIOTT HARRELL
MODERN MAN
GETAWAYS
When was the last time you went on a guys’ trip? And when was the last time your wife got away with her girlfriends?
“It’s very rare that I get a request from a bunch of guys who are friends who decided they wanted to go somewhere for the weekend,” says bespoke travel advisor Ashley Theis, owner of The Constant Wayfarer in Charlotte.
Hunting at Primland. Photo courtesy of The Lodge at Primland, Auberge Collection.
Sounds like it’s high time to gather up your buddies to start brainstorming. While poker nights or golf rounds are great ways to connect, there’s nothing like a getaway out of town.
Theis, who specializes in full-service travel planning, can handle everything from building an itinerary based on a group’s specific vision to booking hotels, transportation and activities.
“I try to make it as seamless as possible,” she says.
All you have to do is decide to take a trip and leave the rest to her.
Theis offered her best recommendations for your next guys’ getaway. Read on for inspiration about where to go and what to do while you’re there.
GOLF
For the ultimate golf trip, go to Scotland, Theis says. She recommends staying at Gleneagles, a luxury resort about an hour from St. Andrews. Golf World named it the best golf resort in the UK and Ireland, and with three championship courses and an additional nine-hole course, it’s easy to see why. Gleneagles is also home to Scotland’s PGA Academy, which is available for hotel guests. Stay and play, and then drive to St. Andrews for another round.
For a destination within driving range of Charlotte, try The Lodge at Primland in Meadows of Dan, Va. It’s about a two-hour drive from Charlotte, making it an easy weekend trip. Golf Digest rated it the top public course in Virginia. Primland also offers a range of other outdoor activities, from skeet shooting and fly fishing to hiking. And if you forget your jacket, guests can borrow a Barbour one from their “borrowing closet.”
EXPLORE THE OUTDOORS
If you’re itching for time in nature with your friends, a ranch or fly fishing spot might be right up your alley. Theis recommends two locations out West for slightly longer trips.
Sage Lodge in Pray, Mont., is about 30 minutes from Yellowstone National Park. You could spend a day or two at Yellowstone, but
CONTINUED >
Photo courtesy of Gleneagles
Birdwatching. Photo courtesy of The Lodge at Primland, Auberge Collection.
the property is also packed with things to do. There’s a private fly fishing pond, hiking, mountain biking, axe throwing and more, all set behind a beautiful scenic backdrop. The hotel was recently awarded three Michelin keys for its outstanding hospitality.
In Saratoga, Wyo., you’ll find The Lodge & Spa at Brush Creek Ranch, a luxury dude ranch. Orvis recently endorsed the property as one of its fly fishing lodges of the year. Brush Creek offers lessons for fly fishing newbies as well as guided tours. In the winter, the ranch offers a private ski mountain. Twelve guests can enjoy the mountain at a time, and you can also buy out the ski area for a day.
FORMULA 1
Theis says she plans a lot of guys’ trips around major sporting events like the Kentucky Derby, Super Bowl, major tennis tournaments and F1 races. She says it’s important to book these trips well in advance; the sweet spot is nine to 12 months ahead.
This year’s F1 race in England coincides with Wimbledon, so Theis has planned several trips that span both events. Theis recommends Estelle Manor in Oxfordshire to be close to the F1 Silverstone track and also have access to a wide array of activities in an idyllic English countryside setting.
OKTOBERFEST
If your group has already done the Kentucky bourbon trail, or is looking for something farther away, Theis suggests planning a trip to Munich for Oktoberfest.
After you’ve had your fill of steins, retire to either The Charles Hotel or the Rosewood. Both are high-end properties that will give you a more refined side of Munich during the event and excellent home bases in proximity to all the fun.
Learn more @theconstantwayfarer
Photo courtesy of Sage Lodge
Photo courtesy of Ranch Brush Creek
Photo courtesy of Ranch Brush Creek
ARTICLE AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY NOAH WILLIAMS
MEN’S SpringEDIT
Menswear Expert Noah Williams Shares Favorites for Spring and Summer
While winter layering will always be my first choice, spring in Charlotte is my second-favorite season for getting dressed. The cool mornings and mild afternoons present a unique challenge for layering lightweight materials.
Spring is a great time to add a third layer. Something about it instantly refines an outfit. This is reflected in two of the three looks featured here.
My go-to is a sports coat. For spring, it’s all about material and construction. I prefer a lighter wool blend, or if it is a knit sweater, cashmere of the thinnest form available. Unlined sports coats are far more breathable and comfortable to wear. As a photographer on the move, I rely on garments that offer flexibility and freedom. No spring wardrobe is complete without linen and seersucker. When it comes to linen, yes, you will have wrinkles; the trick is not to care. Iron the garment before going out, and then forget about it. Wear the wrinkles like a badge of honor and lean into the art of sprezzatura, or not caring in a cool way. For seersucker, there is an entire world of pieces that aren’t the standard blue-and-white
stripe. Heck, my own wedding suit I wore last year was a muted brown seersucker, and I loved it. It might be thought of as a more preppy material, but it doesn’t have to be.
For summer trends, I’m leaning back into looser-fitting pieces, like wider-cut trouser legs and jackets that are still tailored but have a little more room in the arms. While my wardrobe leans heavily on grey and navy, this season invites a shift toward earth tones and refined neutrals—think tan and muted greens. A lot of brands will be leaning into that trend.
The following pages present a curated edit of ensembles sourced from three of Charlotte’s most respected menswear destinations—Taylor Richards & Conger, OMJ and Tabor. These are small, independent businesses where I have shopped for years.
As Creative Director for Windsor Jewelers, I’ve included some of my favorite timepieces for each ensemble. Consider this an invitation to enjoy the art of dressing well this spring.
Follow Noah’s styling tips @noahwilliamsstyle.
Items pictured from OMJ (Most garments are made-to-measure, and pricing varies): Knit polo, $225. Sports coat, $995. Denim, $325. Driving Shoe, $295. Watch, Grand Seiko SBGH351 from Windsor Jewelers, $7,500.
Items pictured from Tabor: Jacket, Harris Wharf Loro Piana Honeycomb Blazer, $750. Shirt, Gitman, $265. Shoe, Common Projects BBall, $610. Glasses, Oliver Peoples Sun 47, $524. Pant, Thom Brown Utility chino, $690. Watch, IWC Portugieser Automatic 42 from Windsor Jewelers, $13,900.
Items pictured from Taylor Richards & Conger: Shoe, Zenga Triple Stitch in Navy canvas, $990. Polo, Brunello Cucinelli, $1400. Wallet, Brunello Cucinelli, $550. Cologne, Kiton, $340. Bracelet, Spivey, $275. Sunglasses, Brunello Cucinelli, $862. Watch, Chopard Alpine Eagle from Windsor Jewelers, $17,000.
Family Owned & Operated
Proudly Serving Patients Since 1978
Led by twins Dr. Justin Hannon and Dr. Stephanie Hannon Stauning, Hannon Orthodontics is built on exceptional care and personal treatment oversight. The Hannons have been serving patients across the Charlotte metro region since 1978 when their father began practicing in Gastonia.
Luxury Remodeling, No Compromises
Timeless design, refined craftsmanship, and flawless delivery. Remodeling without shortcuts—and without compromise. We invite you to experience the difference.
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Dustin Peck Photography, Inc.
BEYOND THE MAN CAVE
Kyle Seymour is the son of a golf pro. He had a club in his hand by the time he could walk. Growing up in cold Ohio winters, practicing in an indoor golf simulator made sense. So as a husband, father and six-handicapper living in Charlotte, he jumped at the chance to install a golf simulator in the ADU, or Accessory Dwelling Unit, he and his wife Abby added behind their home.
Just please don’t call it a man cave.
“It drives me crazy when people call it a man cave,” Kyle Seymour says. “It seems so selfish. I didn’t just do it because I want to hit golf shots and be away from my family. My son and daughter will be able to learn golf in it. We’ll be able to bring friends in. It’s a family space.”
And it’s a way to make their existing home more livable for everyone.
ARTICLE BY CARROLL WALTON | PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRISTINA HUSSEY
The Seymours bought their 1,900-squarefoot three-bedroom house in Villa Heights, a neighborhood between NoDa and Plaza Midwood that they “love and adore,” Kyle says. But with a growing family of four, they needed more space.
They quickly discovered buying a bigger house in a similar neighborhood would be pricey. But during one of their searches, they saw a house with a separate backyard building that had a garage, workshop and bonus space upstairs.
“It immediately inspired us,” Kyle says. They enlisted Paul Kowalski Builders to construct a two-story, 1,600-square-foot ADU. Upstairs is an in-law suite that doubles as office space. The downstairs flex space has the golf simulator, a sectional couch, a kitchenette and a half bath. On one wall are sliding glass doors that open
How One Charlotte Family Added the Ultimate Flex Space
to a backyard turf play area for their 2 and 5-year-olds. On the adjacent wall is an automatic garage door that opens onto a newly laid second driveway, both good for the home’s future resale value.
PKB project manager Siwatu Spikes says the greatest challenges of the sixmonth project were backyard grading and installing heated floors beneath the main floor. Ductwork of HVAC units is prohibited in garages, so PKB custom-installed a water-heating system under the concrete.
Spikes said he coordinated with the manufacturer of the golf simulator to install a projection screen, mount a launch monitor on the 11-foot ceiling and hardwire internet through the walls, so the simulator wouldn’t depend on inconsistent wireless.
“It was an awesome project,” Spikes says. “It was definitely nice to do something like this. It was fun. They were great clients.”
The system allows a golfer to take full swings with a driver and hit standard golf balls into an impact-resistant screen.
“It’s the full technology,” Kyle says. “It takes thousands of pictures per second and instantaneously turns it into data to show an image on the screen of the flight of your golf ball. It does that with just incredible accuracy.”
With the simulator’s subscription, he can “practice” on some of golf’s most storied courses. His 5-year-old son likes to line up on an image of Pebble Beach’s No. 7 to “hit balls in the ocean,” as he says.
Think of all the money they’ll save on Topgolf birthday parties.
“Exactly,” Kyle says, laughing. “That’s how I pitched this to Abby.”
Abby is not a golfer but comes from a “golf-crazed” family, too, she says. Her grandparents lived on Muirfield, the prestigious Jack Nicklaus course in Dublin, Ohio. With a golf simulator, her husband is home more, and her kids can learn the game.
“Then you’ll come through on the golf scholarship,” she says.
Meanwhile, Abby has a family-friendly space for movie nights, an upstairs room for Mahjong parties, and easy access to bicycles.
“It’s been really fun to bike to all the coffee shops, breweries, our son’s soccer games and all that we live right by,” she says. “It’s one of the reasons we love our neighborhood.”
2910 Selwyn Ave.
704.919.1077
@chosencharlotte
6842 Carnegie Blvd., Ste. 200 Charlotte, NC 28211
(980) 423-1272
endodonticsofsouthpark.com info@endodonticsofsouthpark.com
KATIE KICKERTZ
D.D.S., M.S., BOARD-CERTIFIED
As a local, female, and board-certified endodontist, Dr. Kickertz provides more than just treatment; she offers empathy and expertise. Whether you’re a patient in need or a doctor seeking a reliable referral, Premier Endodontics is your go-to source for dental pain and root canal emergencies.
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A New Standard In Men’s Health
When you walk into Gameday Men’s Health in Cotswold/SouthPark, you may think you’re in the wrong place to see a doctor. Instead of the sterile, monotonous decor of typical medical offices, the waiting room at Gameday feels more like a man cave.
Darkly-painted walls, leather couches and chairs and a TV on CBS Sports make it feel as if you’re at your friend’s house. That’s the point. Gameday wants you to know this won’t be your typical appointment from the moment you walk in the door.
Founded in 2018 in California, the concierge medical service arrived in Charlotte in 2024 and now has more than 400 locations across the United States. The goal is simple: help men feel and look their best.
“Many men come to us feeling fatigued, noticing unwanted body composition changes, slower recovery, reduced exercise capacity or declining confidence,” says Gameday’s Medical Director, Dr. Wes Robinson, a board-certified anesthesiologist. “After a thorough evaluation and personalized treatment plan, they frequently report
Gameday Men’s Health is Not Your Normal Doctor’s Office
improved consistency in the gym, greater productivity at work, stronger engagement at home and a renewed sense of vitality.”
Gameday’s core focus is on testosterone replacement therapy (TRT). The Mayo Clinic estimates that as many as one in four men over the age of 40 have low testosterone levels, which can lead to depression, low energy, weight gain and fertility issues.
“Low testosterone levels can result from a wide range of factors, including aging, certain medical conditions, prior trauma, environmental toxins, xenoestrogens (chemical compounds that act like estrogen) in the workplace or home, certain medications and excessive alcohol consumption,” says Dr. Robinson. “When levels decline or become suboptimal, the resulting symptoms are often mistakenly attributed to normal aging or stress.”
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is one of the best ways to naturally support testosterone, Dr. Robinson says, but he also stresses that sometimes this isn’t enough. That’s where his team steps in with TRT to help.
ARTICLE BY ELLIOTT HARRELL | PHOTOGRAPHY BY CARISSA ROGERS
His team shared tips for ways men can proactively manage their health:
1.
Move every day. It doesn’t matter what this is necessarily, but regular physical activity will help your cardiovascular health, metabolic health and mental wellbeing.
2.
Prioritize sleep and recovery. This might be easier said than done with busy schedules, but poor sleep can significantly affect overall performance.
3.
Manage your stress. Dr. Robinson admits this is often the most challenging thing to do, but lowering stress levels will have a big impact on your health.
4.
Know your baseline numbers. It’s important to get things like regular physicals, bloodwork and blood pressure checks to understand where imbalances might exist. The Gameday team also suggests getting a regular read on your body composition, hormones and any nutritional deficiencies, too.
@gamedaysouthpark.
AN EXCERPT FROM EPISODE 6 OF SHARE THE LIFESTYLE, A CITY LIFESTYLE PODCAST
Photographer: Brittany Dawn Short
Creative Director: Jen Birn
Stylist: Stephanie Coultress O’Neill
Location: Hotel Saint Cecilia, Austin, TX
MIKE JOHNSON HAS BUILT HIS LIFE AROUND ONE QUIETLY RADICAL IDEA: THE STANDARD YOU SET PRIVATELY IS THE ONLY ONE THAT MATTERS.
After eight years in the Air Force, a celebrated run on national television, and a health crisis abroad that sent him deep into supply chains and ingredient certifications most founders never touch, the result is Oshun — a luxury ritual brand built on provenance you can trace and integrity you can verify. In an exclusive conversation for the Share the Lifestyle podcast, Mike shares what it actually takes to build something worth putting your name on. Read the highlights below, then scan the QR code for the full episode.
Q: YOU BECAME A FAN FAVORITE ON THE BACHELORETTE AND THEN LEFT THE SPOTLIGHT. YOU MOVED TO MEXICO, LEARNED SPANISH, THEN COSTA RICA, AND BUILT A COMPANY. WHAT DID THAT EXPERIENCE TEACH YOU ABOUT HUMAN BEHAVIOR?
A: “If you’re a good person going in, that shows. If you’re not, that shows too. I also learned that people form this parasocial relationship with you — they assume things about you. When all actuality, different circumstances bring out different parts of who you are. I was on TV trying to find love. The kindness people were showing after felt a bit fake, because they wanted to be a part of something that isn’t who I am individually, but a part of what they saw on TV. And so I had to get away from everybody and everything and the noise.”
THE QUIET STANDARD:
MIKE JOHNSON
“Too many people have prayed for me. So I’ve got to get up and do the walking.”
— Mike Johnson
Q: YOU JOINED THE AIR FORCE RIGHT OUT OF COMMUNITY COLLEGE. WHAT WERE YOU ACTUALLY RUNNING TOWARD?
A: “There was something in me that was saying: I’m not living up to my full potential. I was being a follower. My uncle said, ‘What’s going to make you become an adult the fastest?’ I said, obviously, the military. The Air Force broadened my thought process more than anything. We’re so caught up in our own perception — when you learn to understand different people’s perspectives, it adds to you in so many ways.”
Q: WITH OSHUN, YOU OWN YOUR MANUFACTURING, YOU EMPLOY A CHEMIST, EVERY PRODUCT HAS A BATCH NUMBER TRACEABLE TO ITS ORIGIN DATE. WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO GO THAT DEEP WITH THE BRAND?
A: “The EU bans 1,100 ingredients in personal care products. The U.S. bans nine. That’s my starting point. Oftentimes, it might be the same ingredient, but it comes from a place where it doesn’t have the highest purity. And 60% of what we put on our skin is absorbed. Every product Oshun makes carries a batch number that goes back to the exact day it was created — I can show you every single supplier, the date, the origin. I own more than one part of the supply chain because that’s the only way I can stand behind what’s in the bottle.”
This conversation is just the beginning. Mike goes deeper into why he’s buying land up north, the family in the Philippines who prayed over his factory floor, and what he’d tell every person ready to stop performing and start building. Scan the QR code for the full, exclusive City Lifestyle interview on the Share the Lifestyle podcast.
MIKE JOHNSON
Where Beauty & Skin Health Begin
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A SELECTION OF UPCOMING LOCAL EVENTS JUNE
THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY EVERY WEEK IN JUNE
Titanic: Echoes
From the Past
The Greenhouse, 401 S Gardner Avenue | 2:00 PM
Embark on an extraordinary underwater adventure and rediscover the Titanic as if you were truly there. Prepare to live a one-of-a-kind immersive narrative experience, blending history, technology and emotion aboard the world’s most legendary ocean liner. Children must be at least 8 years old.
SUNDAY EVENINGS THROUGHOUT JUNE
Summer Pops Series with Charlotte Symphony
Symphony Park, 4400 Sharon Road 8:00 PM
The Charlotte Symphony Orchestra’s Summer Pops series returns with outdoor concerts every Sunday in the month of June. The shows are at Symphony Park, the amphitheater on the lawn outside SouthPark Mall. On June 7 the show is American Classics, on June 14 the Best of Broadway, on June 21 Hollywood Hits and on June 28 Celebrate America.
JUNE 2ND
Caravaggio | Revolution: Baroque Masterpieces
From the Roberto Longhi Foundation
Mint Museum Uptown at Levine Center for the Arts, 500 S Tryon St. 11:00 AM
The first exhibition in North Carolina this century to feature works by the 17th-century revolutionary Italian artist Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio runs through Oct. 25. It explores links from Caravaggio’s radical realism to today’s culture. It features more than 40 masterpieces from Florence’s Roberto Longhi Foundation, works rarely seen in the U.S., including Caravaggio’s Boy Bitten by a Lizard.
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.
Dream Home!
events
CONTINUED
JUNE 4TH
ANFA Opening Reception: Under the Same Sun
Anne Neilson Fine Art, 721 Governor Morrison Street | 6:00 PM
Anne Neilson Fine Art is hosting an opening reception for its Under the Same Sun exhibition, featuring six new local artists. From bold and expressive to thoughtful and refined, the works reflect Charlotte’s incredible range of talent. Enjoy an evening of art, conversation, and community with fellow art lovers over wine and beer. Guests must be 21 or older.
JUNE 5TH – 7TH
Taste of Charlotte Festival Presented by Food Lion
Tryon Street, Uptown | 11:00 AM –11:00 PM Friday and Saturday 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM Sunday
Taste of Charlotte is a three-day food festival featuring samples from local restaurants and various performances and activities. Enjoy delicious food while strolling the festival and experiencing three stages of entertainment, performances and interactive tours. Admission is free. Festival coins can be purchased for tasting restaurant food, beverages and kid’s activities on site or through the Taste of Charlotte App.
JUNE 9TH
Charlotte Knights
Truist Field, 324 South Mint Street
6:00 PM
The Knights, the Triple-A affiliate for the Chicago White Sox, offer fami ly fun in one of the most beautiful venues in minor league baseball. The Knights are home for two six-game stretches this month against Oklaho ma City June 9-14 and Rochester June 23-28. Friday night fireworks are June 12 and 26 and Sunday Bark in the Park is June 14 and 28.
GROWING JOYFUL SMILES
ARTICLE BY CARROLL WALTON PHOTOGRAPHY BY CARISSA ROGERS
A Setting For Forever
From Grand Ballroom to Open-Air Pavilion, The Yorkmont Blends European-inspired Design with a Seamless Wedding Experience
As unforgettable as wedding days are, they can also be a blur. Couples often get so busy in the inertia of planning and executing everything from flowers to table settings, cake to catering, decor to dancing, they forget to enjoy the moment.
The Yorkmont in Southwest Charlotte is not only a picturesque venue that provides dramatic settings for both ceremonies and receptions. It also offers all-inclusive access to a team of planners, chefs, mixologists and a long list of preferred vendors to simplify coordinating for the big day. It allows members of the wedding party to focus on what matters most: making memories.
“It’s a stress-free experience when everything is under one roof,” says Pavel Volynskiy, Founder and CEO of Amber Hospitality Group, which owns the Yorkmont. “When you combine all the services in one place and provide stability and convenience, that will simplify the process for the bride and groom and release a lot of anxiety and stress.”
Volynskiy, who makes his home in Charlotte, is a former competitive ballroom dancer and an expert in hospitality. He brings experience from both the entertainment and culinary worlds gained over years spent studying and working in New York City, where he served, bartended and managed restaurants.
In an industry often dominated by women, Volynskiy offers a rare male perspective.
“I bring a balance of creative vision and understanding of operational structure, combining my experience in New York and growing up in the hospitality industry,” says Volynskiy, whose company has executed more than 2,000 weddings.
Since The Yorkmont opened in 2021, with a grand ballroom as its primary venue, they’ve added an outdoor courtyard and a marble gazebo to bring European accents to a modern space. They’re beginning construction on a glass pavilion, which will provide both an elegant and practical option for couples. Weddings with as many as 200 guests can be celebrated against a backdrop of the setting sun, a canopy of trees or under the stars, without the added expense of renting a conservatory tent or worrying about weather forecasts.
The Yorkmont is hosting a wedding showcase on June 27th from 5 to 10 p.m. to give couples a first-hand look at what a wedding there can look and feel like. The open house will provide guests with sunset tours of the venue and a chance to enjoy vendor offerings of cake, cocktails, music and more. The Yorkmont will be styled as if there were a wedding, with various themes on display.
For more information, visit TheYorkmont.com.
Pavel Volynskiy
DESIGNED TO FEEL INHERITED.
BOUTIQUE INTERIORS BY FELIPE G. FISHER.
