Union Lifestyle July/Aug 2014

UNION

Lifestyle

Union County filled with fun for Who – or what – is Fourth and summertime John Morgan? family activities.

Cheesemaker or Hornets fan?

July / August 2014

School nurses: Crises, allergies and trauma these days, not aspirins.

www.UnionLifestyle.com

Union County is at its best during traditional Fourth of July festivities

Indian Trail Parade and Celebration

Fun festivities begin at 9:30 a.m at the Cultural Arts Center. The American flag will be raised at 9:45 a.m., followed by a watermelon eating contest at 10:30 a.m. and the annual parade at 11:30 a.m. Come early to find the perfect spot to watch the parade.

Navajo Trail, Indian Trail t www.IndianTrail.org

Lake Park’s Old-Fashioned Picnic

Festivities at Founders Park begin at 11 a.m. www.LakeParkNC.gov

Lake Park Firecracker Run

Check in and registration at 6 a.m. 10K race at 7:30 a.m., 5K at 9:15 a.m., 1K at 9:20 a.m. Kids’ firecracker dash at 10 a.m., followed by awards presentation.

(704) 218-9060 t www.TheCommonPlace.org

Monroe Music in the Park

Celebrate with the family: amusement rides, music and fireworks. Bring a picnic or enjoy on-site concessions.

Rides and concessions open at 4:30 p.m.,concert by Trial

by Fire, a Journey tribute band, begins at 7 p.m.; fireworks at 9:30 p.m. Bring a chair or blanket.

Belk-Tonawanda Park, 217 W. Allen St. t MonroeNC.org.

54th Unionville Small Town Americana

The traditional all-day celebration – 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. – features live bands, plus rides, slides and games.

Festival food for sale.The parade begins at 1 p.m. Bring your lawn chairs and blankets.

Waxhaw’s 125th Anniversary Tribute

Enjoy Waxhaw's parade at 10 a.m. At 4:30 p.m., look for a beach party with inflatables, live music, food and fun vendors on W. North Main Street. Once the sun goes dips, watch fireworks set to patriotic music from N.C 16. www.Waxhaw.com

2 Union Lifestyle l July / August 2014

UNION

Lifestyle Editor

Nancy E. Stephen

Contributing Writers Pat Kahle Luanne Williams

Photographer Nancy E. Stephen

Union Lifestyle

A publication of Cameo Communications, LLC PO Box 1064 Monroe, NC 28111-1064 (704) 753-9288 www.UnionLifestyle.com Like us on Facebook! www.facebook.com/UnionLifestyle

On the cover

John Morgan scoops up some of his handmade Queen Charlotte pimento cheese.

Photo by Nancy E. Stephen

5

Contents July / August 2014 t Vol. 3 No. 4

13

Away from

Writing novels

Angela Broome.

Waxhaw girl.

6

14

Public View:

a pastime for

John Morgan takes

In tragedy, you

across region.

true value.

his cheesy treat

8

Look within county for summer fun

learn friends’

16

School Nurses:

They’ve changed

for family.

through the years.

10

20

Wine & dine

Charming appeal

outside in

with tummy-pleasing

11

22

Union County.

Youth musician pens, performs

original jazz tune.

Italian fare.

Entertainment

abounds in Union this spring.

27

things to do in Sweet Union.

Union Lifestyle l July / August 2014 3

I

Tall, ordinary blonde? No, I ’m a Marilyn Monroe-esque apple thought I knew who I was. But I was wrong.

According to some of the 7,200,000-plus five-question polls posted every day on Facebook, I am ice wine, an apple and a loyal but brilliant thinker. I’ll take the loyal but brilliant thinker, but don’t appreciate the apple appellation.

I’m apparently also a Marilyn Monroe-esque person who should live in a Victorian house. Marilyn Monroe? Have you seen me?

I am ice wine because my “reputation is one of someone who is cool and relaxed.” (Can you be a relaxed intense person?) People who know me know that I’m “very sweet by nature.” (I have more than a few friends who truly would question the “sweet” adjective, but then, so would I.)

As an apple, I’m “ever the trendsetter. People are always taking their cues from you.” My “great eye for design” extends from my wardrobe (black yoga pants) to my hip and stylish home (1989built home complete with Carolina blue countertops)!

“Even though you’re all about looking great (same black yoga pants), you’re a quick and witty thinker who can tell it like it is!”

(I’d agree that I’m a quick thinker, but would suggest that blurting out those quick, witty repartees has not always served me well.)

My fighting style is mixed martial arts because “you are willing to try or do anything at least once. (Pretty much true.) Nothing scares you or worries you. (Oh, so wrong!) You take on life head on.” (I’m sorry; do I have a choice?)

My calling is as a brilliant thinker. “You're wickedly smart (Don’t I wish!), but you're a bit shy (true) and your hobbies tend to be indoor ones (Mosquitoes bite when you sleep outdoors). Even though you don't open up easily (still true), you excel at everything once you do. (Not so much. I’m horrible at so many things, it’s

appalling. Balancing the checkbook; cleaning house; writing thankyou notes . . .) Your brilliance only increases by the day!” (That brilliance would be the blonde hair that gets lighter every aging year.)

“You are sunshine yellow. (Yellow is my least favorite color.)

You are happy and cheerful and always make people feel better when you're around.” (Liar, liar, pants on fire.)

“You are slightly old-fashioned and appreciate traditional values. (True.) You like to live life fully, on a grand scale and you celebrate every occasion with a sit-down family dinner and a bottle of champagne.” (Dinner invitation? I’m there. Champagne? Wouldn’t waste my money)

“You are someone who loves life and your family and your friends, and as long as you have them, you are fine!” (A sign that I’m getting older.)

“You're so dependable it hurts! You're also very independent (yes) and that hurts more. (Hurts whom?) People just can't get you out of their heads. (And not necessarily for the right reasons. As they call me a be-ach, maybe.) ‘Wow’ is all they can say. (I say “wow” a lot also, often in the same vein as “Bless her heart.”)

Lest you think any of the questions have any relevance to the “person” that I am, let me clarify. One poll about what farm animal I am (and I should care because?) asked for my favorite day of the week, food - lettuce, cheese, bacon, corn or spinach, even or odd number preference and preferred geometric shape.

Could I see any trees from where I was? What activity would I have preferred right then? What’s the capital of Austria? And these questions had to do with my farm animal because . . .?

By the way, I’m a horse – the entire horse, not just the back end.

And I thought I was an ordinary blonde.

Comfort Food

Editor@UnionLifestyle.com

at its absolute best!

Breakfast, lunch and dinner l Full bar l Private dining room

“Good food, reasonable prices and you always run into old friends!”

- Union Lifestyle

1012 Skyway Drive in Monroe l www.TheDerbyOnline.com l 7 a.m. - 9 p.m. Mon.-Sat. 4 Union Lifestyle l July / August 2014

The ‘real’ Angela Broome

Away from public view

Angela A. Broome, regional chief executive officer of the American Red Cross, loves that she is from Union County. She attended Western Carolina after graduating from Parkwood High School and received her graduate degree from UNC-Charlotte. She was in the financial industry for 20 years before following her heart to the Red Cross, where she oversees 10 chapters, 15 counties, 30-plus staff members and more than 2,000 volunteers. Angela loves her job Early ambition: In fifth grade, I wrote about wanting to become a jockey in the Kentucky Derby. My teacher explained that at 5’7” (in fifth grade), I was already too tall to be a jockey. Talk about bursting a kid’s bubble.

Guilty pleasure: Chocolate! I am currently loving Pepperidge Farms Milano cookies with toffee chips. Yummmm. I could eat the whole bag.

Guilty splurge: Shoes! They are my weakness. I have been known to leave the shoe outlet with five or six pairs at a time.

Inspiration: My grandmother, Blanche Atkins, who died when I was young, grew up poor and had a tough life but she had the most giving and loving spirit.

When she married my grandfather, he had a daughter whose mother had died.

Grandma needed shoes but instead of getting herself a pair, she got a pair for the daughter and taped her own shoes up. That’s unconditional love.

Challenge: Leaving banking was an easy choice. But the Red Cross organization had just made one regional unit from 10 independent chapters.

The changes the team has gone through since then have been tremendous.

But Red Crossers are resilient and will do whatever it takes to keep the mission being fulfilled. It is my most challenging job, but I love it.

Personal accomplishment: My education. I worked three jobs in college and graduated with only $1,600 in loans. I got my MBA while working full time, then went back at night for certified financial planners classes.

Greatest joy: My boys, Grant and Grayson. Both have brought me so much joy and pride. They have huge hearts and such wonderful spirits. They are my heart.

What I know for sure: I am blessed beyond measure. God has been so good to me. Like everyone, I have had my share of trials and struggles but He has seen me through them all.

Most overused expression: I have a whole book of these. “Really…really… .really!?” “I’m just sayin’…” “You rock!” And because I am from the South, “Bless your heart” (in both connotations).

Real life hero: The strong women in my life. Two grandmothers, Alma Freeman and Ella Jane Helms, were pistols! They spoke their minds and never backed down. I think their fiery attitudes rubbed off on me. Two aunts, Linda Reaves and Judy Whitley, have been my mentors and guides in my career. And my mother, of course. She has always been a great example to me of hard work, determination, love for her children and perseverance through life’s challenges.

Angela poses in Washington during a recent Tiffany Circle Summit. Notice how she combined her love for shoes with her Red Cross job.

Teacher. Hornets promoter. Game show

D

Who (or what) is J

By Luanne Williams

uring the Revolutionary War, British General Cornwallis called Charlotte a “hornet’s nest of rebellion.” Had he lived in modern times, he might have used the metaphor for the swirl of ideas buzzing around in John Morgan’s head. The art teacher/ Hornet’s basketball promoter/ Jeopardy player/entrepreneur most recently turned his attention to pimento cheese with a popular concoction marketed with an eye toward everything Charlotte.

Queen Charlotte’s Pimento Cheese Royale in its original plus a jalapeno version (Her Royal Hotness) hit the market in March.

“I believe in the product. I think it’s really good, and apparently people tend to agree. So here we are three months into the company, and I’m neck deep in it, so busy I’m not able to think straight,” John says. “But that’s not an unusual condition with me; it’s just a new set of variables.”

A graduate of Sun Valley High with a degree in studio art from the College of Charleston, the 32-year-old didn’t like pimento cheese when he was growing up in Indian Trail.

John Morgan labels freshly-made pimento cheese for distribution to area retailers.

Photos by Nancy E Stephen 6 Union Lifestyle l July / August 2014

“It actually kind of turned my stomach because I didn’t like mayonnaise.” But once off at school, he started learning to cook and began “monkeying around” with the Southern classic.

“I looked at every recipe in the book, tried it in restaurants and ended up working with a cream cheese base instead of so much mayonnaise. When I got it to where it had some semblance to what it is now, I thought, ‘If I ever have the time and money, I should market this’.”

What he called a “flight of fancy” as recently as a couple of years ago began to take definite shape — the square tub shape of Queen Charlotte’s Cheese Royale — last year when he started working through the red tape of opening a business. What he first saw as a wall of bureaucracy actually turned out easier than anticipated.

His recipe — perfected via multiple taste tests at housewarmings, baby showers, etc. — includes cream cheese, Duke’s mayonnaise, sharp cheddar, white cheddar and pepperjack cheeses and a secret blend of spices. The Royale is handcrafted at Carolina Commercial Kitchen, a shared-use facility in East Charlotte, and delivered to retail outlets from The Meat House on Rea Road to Healthy Home Market in Davidson. It made its Union County debut at the Providence Produce Market in Waxhaw.

“It’s been a great three months. The stores have been awesome and the customers amazing,” says John, who describes himself as a “home experimenter” with a “recreational interest in cooking.” He and girlfriend Myers McKenzie were first blending everything in a four-quart home mixer, but in late March the company invested in a 30-quart Rhino Hobart machine that Morgan says changed their lives. In between stirring up batches of pimento cheese, he developed the company’s logo and marketing materials with some help from another Sun Valley grad, Greg Jones.

In addition to Queen Charlotte, complete with jeweled crown, “cheesy” collar and “peppered” royal robe, the label includes the Charlotte skyline and a plethora of other Charlotte/North Carolina images, all in a purple, teal and Carolina blue color scheme. The colors switch to vibrant pinks and reds for Her Royal Hotness, which adds jalapenos and more to crank up the heat.

participant. Pimento cheese entrepreneur.

John Morgan?

“We Beelieve”

John’s good fortune with pimento cheese follows another successful campaign — that to once again make Charlotte the home of the NBA’s Hornets. The point man for bringing back the Hornets name and mascot, John has been wearing purple and teal since he was 7 years old.

“It can’t be better than to be in first grade, when you are just old enough to fall in love with heroes and visualize them as being superhuman,” says John, describing the 1988 arrival of an NBA franchise in Charlotte as perfect timing for his generation.

His family’s season tickets meant John was there from the first tip-off all the way to walking out of the last game when George Shinn took the team to New Orleans in 2002. Describing the team’s departure as “almost like a messy divorce,” John says he embraced the Bobcats when Charlotte was awarded an expansion team the following year.

“To say it wasn’t the same... it wasn’t even the same species. Both teams played with an orange leather ball, but that was about the end of the similarities,” he laments. It was after a 2010 game against the Orlando Magic that John created a Facebook page called “We Beelieve” calling for the return of the Hornets name and mascot.

“For a solid year and a half, it was really just an appreciation society of a previous era. I didn’t expect it to take off, but before long there were 800 to 1,000 people on there,” he says. The movement gathered steam, and brothers Scott and Evan Kent joined the push, creating a Bring Back the Buzz website.

John threw himself into the effort, spending his own money and working it like a second job.

He watched as the dominoes slowly fell into place when the New Orleans team changed its name to Pelicans and Bobcats owner Michael Jordan announced that he was applying for a name change to Hornets. It all became official on May 20 this year.

“Thanks to our fans who were the driving force behind the Hornets name returning,” Jordan announced at a press conference.

“We are thrilled to be able to bring the Hornets name back to the Carolinas.” John described the fan-driven campaign as a “fouryear long, overnight success.”

Jeopardy

A rabid reader from childhood and a trivia whiz, John fulfilled a lifelong dream when he qualified to compete on America’s Favorite Quiz Show — Jeopardy! Passing an online test and a regional audition in New Orleans, John earned second place..

“When you go to Jeopardy, they ask you what you want to do with the money if you win,” John says. He told the show’s producers that he would use it to help start a pimento cheese company.

“It was really off the cuff,” he says, laughing. “But I guess you don’t lie to Alex Trebeck.” John brought home a couple thousand dollars and switched gears to Queen Charlotte’s Pimento Cheese Royale, all the while working his teaching job.

Support from the school, family

John says his dreams to be a world famous rock star when he left college lasted about six months, after which his mom suggested he look into teaching. He took a job with Union County Public Schools and fell in love with the rural Prospect community.

“I’ve been there (Prospect Elementary) 10 years and really became a grown-up with these families. The scaffolding that the school has given me... they have experienced it all with me.”

Another source of support for John is his family. His mother, Marlene, handles the Queen Charlotte’s paperwork, and his dad, Eddie, handles technical issues plus taste testing.

“There was a while there when I couldn’t touch it. I would have to have my Dad taste it for me because I’ve just eaten so much of it,” John says. “But then, there’ll be a day when that’s what’s in the house, and I’ll sort of fall in love with it all over again.”

To find out where you can purchase Queen Charlotte’s Pimento Cheese Royale, go to Facebook or follow the Queen on Twitter.

Luanne Williams, a former newspaper editor, is a freelance writer.

Union Lifestyle l July / August 2014 7

Just putter around

Take the whole family on a golf outing at Trails Dynasty Miniature Golf and Creamery in Indian Trail. Open Mon.-Sat. 10 a.m.-10 p.m.; Sun Noon-9 p.m.

Admission for children 3 & under is free with paying adult; 4-6 $6; 7 and up $8. Ice cream available.

2228 Younts Road, Indian Trail (704) 893-0093 www.TrailsDynasty.com

Putt putt golf also is available at Cane Creek Park.

No need to look far for fun family activities this summer!

Spend the day at a local oasis

No beach for you? Then hightail it to the Monroe Aquatics and Fitness Center’s waterpark with its one-of-akind activity island oasis. More than 2.5 acres of wet and wild adventure for the entire family.

Two corkscrew water slides for those adventuresome souls, swim areas for the active ones and plenty of water features for kids of all ages.

The waterpark is open Mon.-Fri. 10 a.m.-8 p.m; Sat., 10 a.m.-7 p.m., and Sun., 1 p.m.-7 p.m. through Sept. 2.

Hanover Drive (Off U.S. 74, across from Lowe’s) www.MonroeAquaticsAndFitnessCenter.com

Ice is nice when days are hot

Extreme Ice Center offers public skating sessions every day with figure and hockey skate rentals available. Adults (10 and up) $6.50-$8; Child $4.50-$6. Skates $4. There are kids camps and more activities for skaters of all ages and skills; check the web.

4705 Indian Trail - Fairview Road, Indian Trail (704) 882-1830 l www.XICenter.com for skating times

Camping, hiking, boating You put your right foot in. . .

If blades are a little difficult, strap on some wheels at Kate’s Skating Rink in Indian Trail. Open every day but Wednesday, the rink offers specials and a family fun night. Call (704) 821-7465 for prices.

14500 U.S. 74 www.KatesIndiantrail.com

Cane Creek Park’s 350-acre lake makes a naturally scenic environment for outdoor activities and peaceful relaxation. More than 100 campsites overlook the lake, some with water, electricity, sewer.

Bathhouses, plus a camp store nearby.

In addition, the park offers wilderness camping for tents with no hookups.

Day uses include swimming, fishing, boating, hiking, picnic areas, canoe and rowboat rentals, ball fields, playgrounds, and mountain bike and horse trails. Other amenities include playgrounds, arcade, miniature golf course and beach.

(704) 843-3919; www.co.union.nc.us/Divisions/ParksRecreation.aspx

Cool down with morning movies

Sun Valley 14 in Indian Trail is featuring $1 admission for children with parents and group leaders free every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday this summer.

Plus $1 drinks and $1 popcorn for the family-rated movies. Shows start 10 a.m.

Smurfs 2 - July-3 l Ice Age: Continental Divide - July 8-10 l Despicable Me 2 - July 15-17 Turbo - July 22-24 l Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs 2 - July 29-31 l Epic - Aug 5-7 Shrek Forever After - Aug. 12-14 l Alvin & the Chipmunks: The Squeaquel - Aug 19-21 6449 Old Monroe Road l (704) 234-5370 l www.StoneTheatres.com

Strike gold!

Every weekend, the Museum of the Waxhaws offers gold panning activities with instructors. While there, take a break and visit the historical exhibits. The museum is open Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults, $4 seniors, $2 for children 6-12; free for younger. Gem mining is $10; gold panning is $5.

8215 Waxhaw Hwy., Waxhaw (704) 843-1832 t www.MuseumoftheWaxhaws.org

Splish, splash interactive fountain

Stallings Municipal Park has the only interactive splash fountain in the area. Open daily through Aug. 24 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.

340 Stallings Road www.StallingsNC.org

Wine & Dine O U T S I D E I N U NI O N CO U N T Y

bibi-a beautiful taste

232 E Franklin Street Downtown Monroe Mon.-Fri. 10:30 a.m. -3 p.m. ; 5 p.m.-9:30 p.m.

Sat. 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

5 p.m.-9:30 p.m.

Bonfire Bar & Grill

6751 Old Monroe Road Indian Trail Mon.-Thurs. 11 a.m.-12 a.m.

Fri.-Sat. 11 a.m.-2 a.m.

Sun. 10 a.m.-12 a.m. www.BonfireBarGrill.com

Nothing beats sitting outdoors under a blue sky during warm weather . . . except an umbrella and a meal or beverage. Many Union County eateries have embraced the European style of taking everything outdoors. Here are a few local alfresco dining spots.

4305 Old Monroe Road Indian Trail Mon.-Thurs. 10:30 a.m.-9:30 p.m.

Fri.-Sun. 10a.m.-10p.m.

Poppyseed Bagels

Dunkin’ Donuts

1311 Chestnut Lane Matthews (Austin Village) Mon.-Sat. 5:30 a.m.-6 p.m.

Sun. 5:30 a.m.-5 p.m.

2570 W. Roosevelt Boulevard Monroe Mon.-Thurs.. 5 a.m. -9 p.m.

Fri. 5 a.m.-10 p.m.

Sat. 6 a.m.-10 p.m.

Sun. 7 a.m.-9 p.m. www.DunkinDonuts.com

Rossini's Italian Restaurant

13803 E Independence Blvd.

Indian Trail Mon.-Sat. 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m.-9 p.m. www.Rossini-s.com

Heritage Food and Drink

201 W. South Main Street Waxhaw Tues.-Sat. 5 p.m.-10 p.m.

Sunday Brunch 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

HeritageFoodAndDrink.com

Salsarita's of Monroe

3173 W. Roosevelt Boulevard Monroe (Poplin Place) Mon.-Thurs. 10:30 a.m.-9 p.m.

Fri. 10:30-10 p.m.

Sat.-Sun.10:30 a.m.-9 p.m. www.Salsaritas.com

Hickory Tavern Sun Valley

Treehouse Vineyards

6455 Old Monroe Road Indian Trail Sun.-Wed. 11 a.m.-Midnight Thurs.-Sat. 11 a.m.-2 a.m. www.TheHickoryTavern.com

10 Union Lifestyle l July / August 2014

La Unica

2819 W Roosevelt Boulevard Monroe (Poplin Place) Mon.-Thun. 10:30 a.m.-10 p.m.

Fri.-Sat. 10:30 a.m.-10:30 p.m.

Sun 10:30 a.m.-10 p.m. www.McAlistersDeli.com

8163-A Kensington Drive Waxhaw (Cureton Town Center) Daily 7 a.m.-9 p.m. www.CafeBlissWaxhaw.com

6400 Weddington-Monroe Road Wesley Chapel Sun.-Wed. 11:30 a.m.-Midnight Thurs.-Sat. 11:30 a.m.-2a.m. www.TheHickoryTavern.com

104 S Main Street Monroe Wed. Noon-7 p.m.

Thurs. Noon-9 p.m.

Fri. and Sat. Noon to 11 p.m.

Sun. 2 p.m.-6 p.m. www.HiltonVineyard.com

McAlister's Deli

Cafe Bliss

Hickory TavernWesley Chapel

Hilton Vineyard

301 Bay Street Monroe Mon.-Fri. Noon-7 p.m.

Sat. 11 a.m.-10 p.m.

Sun. Noon p.m.-6 p.m. www.TreehouseVineyards.net

Heritage Food and Drink Photo by Nancy E. Stephen

Village Grill

1730 Dickerson Boulevard Monroe Tue.-Fri. 8 a.m.-8 p.m.

Sat.-Mon. 8 a.m.-3 p.m.

TheVillageGrillOfMonroe.com

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3EPT s PM Prolific singer-songwriter Clint Black is one of County Music’s biggest starts and has recorded and released more than 100 songs, a benchmark in any artist’s career. CMT lists his debut album “Killin TTim ime” as one of the 100 Greatest Albums in Country Music. Opener: MICHAELIS

THE DEL DEL MCCOURY AND & THE MCCOURY B BAND HOT RIZE RIZE* HOT /CT s PM Called the “most formidable bluegrass outfit in existence” by Billboard Magazine, The Del McCoury Band performs original and traditional compositions with “ferocious, purebred musicianship” (USA Today). Hot Rize, the IBMA’s very FIRST Entertainer of the Year, has reinvented bluegrass with their fresh approach to traditional music since 1978.

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The Del McCoury Band and Hot Rize

JUSTIN JUSTIN ROBERTS ROBERTS & THE NOT NAPTIME THE N OT READY READY FFOR OR N APTIME PLAYERS PLAYERS *AN s PM GR AMMY Nominated, Justin Roberts is one of the “all-stars” of the indie family music scene that dishes out unexpectedly intelligent and whimsically rocking music for kids and their parents.

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MAVIS M AVIS SSTAPLES TAPLES* &EB s PM A Grammy winner and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, Mavis Staples is a bonefide blues /soul / gospel diva and “has an almost superhuman ability to implant the pure power of passion and emotion” says Rolling Stone.

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W WITH "OBBY (ORTON ITH "OBBY (ORTON -AR , 2015 s PM Bobby Horton explores the stories of both the North and South through the music they loved.

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THE S THE STEEL TEEL WHEELS WHEELS WITH RED JUNE

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www.battecenter.org ww w ww.battecenter.org 7 704-233-8300 04-233-8300

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‘

’

I was at the piano one day and decided to write a song . . .

I don’t know why.

I

Grant Hughes

t’s one thing to play a musical instrument in high school. It’s another to compose a full modern jazz piece. It’s still another thing to have talented musicians play your composition in public.

But Grant Hughes, a rising sophomore at Weddington High, brushes off those accomplishments as if every teen does the same thing.

Being able to read music is a skill, but creating an ongoing string of notes in a melodious fashion doesn’t necessary follow.

Although Grant considers piano his best instrument, he plays clarinet in Union Jazz, a youth combo within Union Symphony.

“I just was a big fan of jazz music. My dad introduced me to Miles Davis, and I loved the stuff. I listen to Duke Ellington, Louie Armstrong and John Coltrane.”

When Grant learned about Union Jazz, he wanted the keyboard spot, but it was taken. So he jumped in on clarinet.

At first, Union Jazz intimidated the then eighth grader; not surprising since musicians are asked to improvise solos when pointed to by Director Dennis Contreras. “But I began to like it and now I love it.

“At my first concert, it was my turn to improvise and I just played. It just happened. I wasn’t even playing attention to what was going one.” The teen still sounds incredulous. “You just play until he points to another guy and you know you’re through.”

Fast forward two years.

“I was at the piano one day and decided to write a song – I don’t know why. I decided to write in the key of D. I just came up with a bass line, going up and down. The treble clef was pretty basic. I just came up with something that I liked and wrote it down.

“I was originally going to call it ‘Rainy Days Blues,’ but I thought it sounded immature.” After watching traffic passing by, he called it “Traffic Jam Blues” and thought, “Hey, I like that better.”

At a rehearsal, the director said they needed another song. Did anyone have one? Grant said “yes.” With just the first bars written, the director told Grant to finish the tune for the next practice.

“We played it and everyone liked it. Everyone created their own part to his music. Dennis said it needed to ‘sound more like a traffic jam, with horns honking all over the place’,” Grant recalls.

So that was added.

“Traffic Jam Blues” premiered at the spring Monroe Artwalk. “The experience felt great. I really loved it. I pictured it just like that.”

His parents and younger siblings were among the crowd and his parents? Well, let’s just say they were very proud. “All of us just looked at each other in amazement, filled with pride. We were very excited, “ mom Meredith explains.

Grant is writing more songs and plans to entertain at retirement centers during his summer break from school.

12 Union Lifestyle l July / August 2014

Talen

TEE

Text & photos by

nted

ENS

Nancy E. Stephen

M

ost professional writers labor for months, even years, over their books of love, but 14-year-old Sydney Crawford of Waxhaw churns them out without hesitation.

Sydney Dreamweaver, her nom de plume, was born three years ago during a sixth-grade project on the renaissance era. And the name just struck, both Sydneys say.

“I knew I wanted to write and publish a book for a long time. I just want to tell stories; it’s so fun.”

For a while, no subject matter came to her, but in the seventh grade, “a very weird dream” prompted “Blindfolded,” a book about a girl “who had the power to create stuff with her mind. The original concept changed; she was supposed to be killed when she was 13, but she didn’t die in the book.”

Although writing the book took almost the full school year, most of the story was “burning” in her brain, but plot twists came to her as the brook progressed. She wrote that book in longhand, then typed it, something she says she’ll never do again.

Since then, Sydney has written the sequel, “The Timekeeper’s Son,” and two other books, “The Mermaid’s Daughter” and “Ghostly Murder,” all self-published and available online at Amazon.com. She gets a royalty check almost every month.

“I’ve written fiction my whole life. It was pretty easy, I figured it would be just like talking. It just came naturally. Whenever I had enough time and I had nothing else to do, I wrote. I write a lot anyway.

“I try to write short stories, but they become seven chapters long, so I’m going to stick with novels for a while.”

And they definitely will be fiction. “I just don’t like nonfiction. I

‘

’

I just want to tell stories; it’s so fun.

Sydney (Dreamweaver) Crawford

like adventure. I love science fiction and fantasy, that’s my thing.”

Sydney’s affinity for books extends to their physical nature – they have to be physical books she can hold in her hands. “I like to read books instead of reading on electronic devices. I like the feel and the smell – it’s a book smell.”

After her first novel was published, Sydney took a little break, then started on her second novel. She published the additional three books during her summer vacation last year. “The process came easier,” she says. “And the books became thicker.

“The words kept tumbling out. I wrote “A Ghostly Murder” when camping with a friend last year.” In two weeks, she had the whole story on a laptop. The next novels also came quickly.

As school ended in June, she was working on a sequel to ”A Ghostly Murder” called “A Ghostly Game.” “It’s complicated.

The main antagonist is coming out – they know of him, but they don’t know him. They know his alias. They’re playing a game with a serial killer, and they find his victims.”

This year, Sydney is participating in National Novel Writing Month, called NaNo for short, a competition to write a 50,000word novel within the month. Because she’s younger than 18, she’s participating in the young writers’ program where you choose your own word goal.

Sydney’s plans include attending Union County Early College this fall as a rising ninth grader and continuing her writing.

“I have a bunch of other ideas in the process that will become books eventually.” As for her long-term future, “I want to be a writer, but I also want to be a scientist, too, because science is awesome.”

Union Lifestyle l July / August 2014 13

M

By Pat Kahle

In overwhelming tragedy, you lea

{

y husband, Dick, and I moved to Union County in 1986 because he was being promoted and we were to choose our new home from one of 12 locations. We literally chose Union County from a random dot on a map.

We had not seen the community and didn’t have friends or family here. We had no idea that this random decision would one day be a life changer.

We had been married about nine years when we had Alex. She was such a bundle of joy — a beautiful, happy, precious baby. Time went by and as Alex grew, she became a young woman with spirit, sass, intelligence, beauty and, most importantly, kindness and compassion.

When she smiled, her whole face would light up, and when she laughed, all was right with the world.

She had a special connection with young children and with those who had special needs. She was a straight A student, active in school and in community service.

She was president of her senior class, a cheerleader, member of several honor societies and very involved in school activities.

She was busy – we were busy – we attended every game, every event to support her. Life was good.

Alex was a senior at Porter Ridge in the fall of 2007. On a Saturday like any other Saturday, our world changed. Alex was still in bed when I left to run errands.

Dick and I met her for lunch and that was the last time I saw my precious child.

Alex went to dinner in Matthews that night with friends.

14 Union Lifestyle l July / August 2014

}

Later that night on her way home – within a mile of our house, she ran her car off the road in a curve, over-corrected and hit a tree on the driver’s side.

I cannot begin to adequately describe the anguish, devastation, shock of hearing the news of your child’s death.

l i fe s n o s les

There are no words to describe what happened in the hours and days that followed.

Much of it was a blur. But I’d like to tell you about some of the moments that stand out.

It began at “the rock” at Porter Ridge surrounded by Alex’s friends and teachers, our friends and some people we didn’t know.

There was such an outpouring of support and love evidenced by tears, hugs, flowers, balloons, pictures, and the rock was painted yellow, her favorite color.

One of the first people I saw was a friend of Alex’s, a girl she had always thought of as a younger sister. As we hugged and cried, I remember thinking somehow I will survive this, I have to – Alex wouldn’t have it any other way.

Death brings a list with things that must be taken care, plans that must be made. By Monday, we’d only slept a couple of hours and still hadn’t eaten. We were exhausted and totally heartbroken.

That evening, my dear friend Jacqueline appeared at our door with her family in tow, bags in hand. In her own quiet way, while we talked she unpacked the bags,

‘

Pat and Dick Kahle smile during a Union Coun and scholarship presentation in memory of the wonderful friends who helped Pat in her grief.

turned on the oven and began dinner. She placed plates of food in front of both of us and for the first time in days, we ate.

There is no doubt in my m sur vived those first few we

compassion, friendship and

Another friend, dear Suzanne, always seemed to be in the neighborhood in the days that followed. Popping in at random times – always quietly, lovingly checking in on us – just being there.

My dear friend, Pam, sat in my kitchen for I don’t know how long listening as I poured my heart out over and over again.

And she kept folks at work informed and at bay until I was ready. And there were so many more acts of kindness and love – too many to name here – from friends, co-workers,and even strangers.

arn the true value of your friends

nty Christmas Parade princess announcement eir daughter, Alex, left. At right, some of the

mind; we would not have eeks without the love,

‘

I realized that the people who meant the most to her and to our family were people we met through our daughter.

d patience of those friends .

These incredibly strong, giving people were the parents of her friends. Some she had started kindergarten with; some she met in pre-school or dance class and had remained her friends for years.

Those mothers and I had waited at the dance studio, gone to dance competitions; we shopped together, watched out for each other’s children and on and on.

But the one thing they all had in common, they were a part of our lives because Alex and their children had become friends.

I am convinced we moved to Union Over the weeks and months to follow, County and passed on opportunities to people throughout this community leave through the years for a reason. reached out to us, sharing stories of how Alex had impacted them, or in most cases, their children.

They would share stories of how Alex had helped their child when she was a lifeguard or encouraged their young daughter who she had helped coach in cheerleading.

There were the stories of fellow students who she had befriended.

For years after the accident, we would randomly meet someone who would talk about an interaction they had with Alex that had made a difference in their life. I wonder if she ever knew how many lives This loving community wrapped its arms she had touched and how much she was around us when we were most in need. loved.

Losing our daughter forever changed our During the days immediately after the world in a way that can never be undone. accident, friends approached us about But living here has been one reason we starting a scholarship fund in Alex’s have survived. memory. What a gift that thoughtful I am blessed to have loving friends – suggestion proved to be. sister-friends who held me up when I After some time had passed, the thought couldn’t stand, who guided me when I that she could impact the lives of others couldn’t see, who loved me when I needed even after her death, became a light in it most and who taught me to laugh when I what had been the darkest abyss. was certain I never would laugh again.

And so, with the help of many friends and I’d like to quote my favorite philosopher, a 17-year-old the vision of a key woman whose wisdom, compassion and energy still few, we created a golf change our community. tournament to raise A form Alex completed shortly before the accident money for a memorial asked: “How would you like your epitaph to read?” fund and the Alex Her answer was based on a sermon she had heard Kahle Memorial about Joshua asking God to make the sun stand still.

Scholarship.

The message was about praying boldly and having faith We partnered with that God could make anything happen.

Alliance for Children Her answer to that ironically compelling question: “She to award a $4,000 made the sun stand still. I want to have an impact so scholarship to the great that it reaches beyond my community and farther annual Union County than anything I could ever imagine, even to the sun.”

Christmas Parade Princess. This was poignant as Alex was to have been her school’s candidate for Pat Kahle is president of the Union parade princess the year she died.

County Chamber of Commerce, a position she accepted last year after 30 To date, we have awarded more than years in banking and entrepreneurial $27,000 in scholarships to young women enterprises. in this county.

Union Lifestyle l July / August 2014 15

SCHOOL S

N

URSES

Sally needs an aspirin. Billy needs a bandage.

That’s not how it is anymore for school nurses.

School nurses now are the front line for head diabetes control, accident triage, plus dispensers Imagine trying to get a kindergarten student life-threatening asthma attack or food allergy.

chool nurses are neither the Nurse Ratchet from “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” nor the matronly lady in a starched white uniform that many of us remember from days long ago.

They’re highly efficient, sympathetic (but not too sympathetic) women who take care of more than 42,000 children in Union County Public Schools.

Elementary school brings lice

Nicole McGee moved from being a labor and delivery nurse to being the nurse at two elementary schools three years ago and hasn’t looked back. “I’m absolutely going to stick with it,” she says, even for summer school.

Her office door is open as children come in and out all day with “everything under the sun. Some have anxiety and need to chill out for a few minutes; others need to go home.

Kindergarteners need a bandage for ‘a nothing;’ fifth graders need to know I’m here,” she says.

The stereotypical lice “infestations” you hear about in schools?

They’re not epidemics, but not uncommon. “Head lice issues can go rampant through a school,” she says matter-of-factly. “Sports teams are sharing helmets; smaller kids are sharing blankets.”

Most parents are great about the condition, and after a break of more than three days, all schoolchildren have their heads checked – it’s policy. Random head checks are not uncommon either.

“We also have a ton of allergy issues,” Nicole says, ranging from milk allergies that affect only the student to severe peanut allergies where safe classrooms are required. “Teachers must know about each child’s needs. Some students can’t walk into a room where there are peanuts; others have to sit at peanut-free tables.” But it doesn’t stop there. Parents of an allergycompromised classroom must know what snacks they can send.

Nicole has seen broken bones and lacerations as well as concussions and other head injuries from outdoor and gym activities. Kids can get hit in the head with a soccer ball, fall on the playground or, as one student did, jump up at the lowered basketball hoop and get knocked out. “It can happen. . . anything can happen.

“Nothing much surprises me anymore.”

And, yes, puberty issues do arise in elementary school.

16 Union Lifestyle l July / August 2014

Girls frequently start their menstrual periods and fourth-grade girls and fifth-grade boys take a growing up class, but only with their parents’ permission.

“I talk about puberty only; there’s a dialogue of what I can say.”

To her knowledge, she hasn’t seen any sexually active students.

Each year, Nicole creates an individualized and comprehensive health plan based on information parents submit. This year’s chronic condition list had more than 200 children’s names, “as simple as allergy to penicillin or emergency medication.” That’s out of 600 total students.

Nicole’s role includes training classroom teachers about typical conditions, specific conditions their students have and spontaneous seizures, as example. She also shows staff how to react and what to do when she’s not there.

And all teachers are trained on allergy-reaction EpiPens. When classrooms go on field trips, the teachers are responsible for administering needed medications.

Johnny has a tummyache.

They don’t just “bandage” minor problems. lice, contagious diseases, allergic reactions, asthma attacks, of narcotic medicine for chronic illnesses in children of all ages. to tell you what’s wrong. Imagine the scare of a child having a Imagine being a school nurse.

I

Middle schoolers learn sex ed

f Nicole’s elementary school door is open, Liesl West’s middle school door could be a revolving one. Because students have freedom in changing classrooms, they often think, “I’m going to run right up to the nurse real quick,” she says. “Kids get wise to getting out of class.”

In her first year, Liesl “tried to be very loving, compassionate.

Kids would say they just want to get out of class.” So she tightened up on what she calls “frequent flyers.” But she soon realized that “the kids I got the most aggravated with were really the ones that needed to talk, that needed attention. They had other issues they were dealing with – peers, at home, academically; they needed a safe place to go for a little bit.”

As with elementary school nurses, Liesl sees her share of scrapes and lacerations, broken arms and legs and concussions. “I pull teeth, too.” But she’s also seen several critical conditions, including a child in sickle cell anemia crisis and one with eye trauma that necessitated a 911 call.

A former brain and spinal cord injury nurse, Liesl learned that the education health world is very different from the health care world.

“You’re here by yourself. When you’re

Text and photos by

Nancy E. Stephen

on the (hospital) floor with a bunch of other nurses, you can grab a nurse and talk about it. (Here) you have to make decisions quickly.

If it’s going to go bad, it’s going to go bad quickly. I always err on the side of caution.

“It’s not just bandages; it’s psychosocial needs that encompass the whole child,” she explains. One girl with an eating disorder with limited “safe foods that she would eat. I had never experienced that; it was definitely a learning experience for me, too. “ She’s also seen cutting, primarily with girls. “I talk to them, make sure Mom and Dad are aware of the situation, see if they need resources. Cutting is much more common that I thought; it’s mind blowing to me. I don’t understand it. It’s most important is to make sure they feel supported; they don’t need to be judged.”

Eighth grade boys and girls learn about contraception in separate classes, with permission of their parents. “Girls are intrigued by the instruction; guys act cool. There’s a lot of snickering, but there are some legitimate questions. I encourage them to ask questions so they get the correct information.”

One student thought if the girl stood up immediately after sex, she couldn’t get pregnant. Another “was scared to death that she was pregnant,” but wasn’t sexually active. “In middle school, you have a wide spectrum of knowledge.”

Liesl has seen a few child abuse cases, but more neglect cases, which she reports to the authorities. Sometimes the kids will tell the real reason for their bruises; others try to explain the marks away with fabricated stories.

Although she administers daily medications brought in by the family, such as attention deficit disorder medicines, asthmatic inhalers, EpiPens and insulin, she has virtually no physical supplies to use. No aspirin, no antibiotic cream; just saline solution for eye and wound cleansing, salt for sore throats and bandages to cover scrapes.

Union Lifestyle l July / August 2014 17

H

High school students add new nursing challenges

igh school nursing is similar – but different – from elementary and middle school nursing. Similar accidents, allergy and medication issues, and a lot more.

Jody Rutledge, a former prison, psych and labor and delivery nurse, has seen everything from thumbs caught in the shop class grinder to a miscarriage as a school nurse. Liesl may have her “frequent flyers,” but Jody has her “cruise bys,” students who ask to go to the bathroom and instead drop by the nurse’s office.

“There’s a lot of stuff going on in some of these homes. I have an open door and let them talk. They have obscure complaints, which tells me there’s something going on.

“I ask ‘Is everything OK at home?’ Sometimes I find out that kids haven’t had any food since school lunch yesterday or have no beds to sleep in, no coats. You can learn a lot about these kids that you’d have no idea about. That’s where I jump in to get them what they need.

“Kids put on smiles every day. If you knew the conditions

Shop p

ing

they were living in, it would break your heart.

“I’m a fixer; I try to jump into action. I do what I can to get food, refrigerators, utility bills paid, coat drives, prom dress drives. All kinds of behind-the-scenes stuff.

“If they need a doctor and not ER, I try to find a doctor for $10. I do what I can. For some of these kids, I’m the only medical person they have access to.

But I’m limited to what I can do.”

Sometimes she can’t find solutions to the problems

Festivals & Concerts

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18 Union Lifestyle l July / August 2014

Music on Main l 6:30 pm l Bring a chair

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Physical child abuse occurs during high school years, too.

“Kids may come in and complain, or their teachers notice bruising, changes in behavior or just hear something. I try to involve the counselors, too.

“Sometimes the kids won’t say anything. Sometimes the therapeutic silence works for you, and they start telling you.”

Other times, the student will admit the issue and then say, “Don’t call anybody,” she says. “But you have to.”

“If there’s a good reason (for the injury), we don’t do anything. But if there’s defensive wounds, it has to be reported,” she says.

“I‘ve made plenty of DSS calls – abuse, neglect or medical neglect when a parent refuses to take their child to the doctor.”

Jody recalls one scenario when the parent said they had an appointment “in two weeks” for their “scarily asthmatic child,” but the two weeks were repeated month after month and the child never saw a doctor.

and other times, the parents’ pride gets in the way, preventing them from using her solution.

“It’s a very awkward situation because the kid knows you tried to help, but their parents didn’t let it happen. That’s very frustrating.” That same pride has interfered with Jody’s referrals in mental health situations. “I see depression and the child says he has suicidal thoughts. It’s clear that he needs professional help. And it’s the same scenario for the parents who don’t want to believe. But that’s not the rule, though.”

Sexual issues in high school are far beyond the earlier grades.

“We’ve had pregnant girls every year that I’ve been here.

Typically, there are three scenarios: the student suspects she’s pregnant; a teacher suspects it or a student looks it.

“I might bring them in here and say, ‘Your teacher is concerned that you might not be feeling well; is everything OK?’ I wait for them to tell me.” She does not give pregnancy tests.

When a pregnancy is confirmed, Jody connects the student with the Teen Parenting Support Counselor at Best Start, a collaboration between Alliance for Children and the school system. The girls display “anywhere from excited to flat” affect about the pregnancy, she says. No one is hysterical, common in earlier decades.

Jody also discusses sexual diseases with students in ninth grade and students see pictures of physical symptoms. “This is real life,” Jody tells the students.

“I’m trying to drive home that (these diseases) are out there.

We show the numbers of incidents in Union County. I tell them ‘Hopefully, you’re going to stay away from that’.” As with all sex-related education, parents must give their permission for the class.

“You’ve got to do something,” Jody remembers telling the parent. After being reported to DSS, the parent removed the child from school.

While happy to help children whose families need help, Jody is not as happy in situations when parents send their child to her instead of seeking emergency care. “I am the medical person they have access to if they don’t have insurance. If something happens over the weekend, they’ll wait until they can see the nurse on Monday.”

One child came to school on Monday with his arm broken in three places and out of alignment. Jody called the parents, saying he couldn’t remain at school and needed orthopedic care.

On one last day before the end of school, a girl said her neck hurt. She had been in a weightlifting class when the weights dropped, grazing the back of her head. The student was cool, calm and collected. Jody manually checked her neck and, finding no sign of injury, gave her an ice pack, telling her to return for a check later in the day.

A bit earlier, a child was continually vomiting from anxiety over exams, the girl said. She wanted to take her exam with a trash can by her side, but she was sent home.

“Sometimes you have to make an unpopular decision,” Jody said.

Restoring Historic Downtown Monroe . . . one building at a time.

Commercial, office and retail space Historic Downtown Monroe.

Jody Rutledge keepsinthis statue of an old-fashioned Properties from 2,000 square school nurse sittingtoon20,000 her desk atfeet. school. www.UrbanMonroe.com John Wiggins, 704.242.4393

Union Lifestyle l July / August 2014 19

Mia Famiglia: Charming appeal with tummy-plea

I

Choosing the antipasto was an easy decision. Not so easy was choosing entrees.

Like most Italian restaurants, the menu is f freshness and homemade are large. There’s New York, stuffed, gourmet important to you (of course, they are), and Sicilian pizzas with multiple varieties then Mia Famiglia Restaurante & Pizzeria of each. Meat lovers with four in Indian Trail should be on types of meat is at one end of your “to visit” list of local Eating Out the spectrum, while super restaurants. in Union veggie, margarita, plain white The menu touts both features, and broccoli are at the other saying dinners are freshly end, with lots in between. made and the pizza is hand-tossed as it is ordered. We weren’t astute enough to vouch for the fresh crust, but the other ingredients were, in fact, very fresh, including tomatoes out of season locally.

Our super veggie pizza ($15.49-$17.49) had a crunchy crust on the outside with a tender and chewy inside. The crust held up for the next day’s leftovers, not soggy as a veggie pizza often is. The vegetable toppings – peppers, onions, mushrooms, broccoli, and spinach – were nicely complemented by the sauce and cheese.

Four diners split the antipasto salad ($9.95) as a starter to the meal. It was a good choice. A full plate of fresh lettuce topped with delicious The margarita pizza spicy ham, salami A full plate of antipasto salad works as an was topped with fresh and pepperoni, appetizer four or dinner for one. basil, fresh tomato, provolone, red fresh garlic and fresh mozzarella, the menu onion, tomato, black olives and cucumber states proudly, and our diner agreed wholegenerously served us all.

Ambiance: 3.5 stars. Mia Famiglia looks and feels like a fun

cheerful diner. The only negative? Paper plates.

Menu: 5 stars. Enough variety of Italian dishes to satisfy

anyone. Children’s menu plus beer and wine available.

Quality: 4.75 stars. Definitely fresh ingredients.

Service: 4 stars. The staff is attentive and knowledgeable.

Value: 5 stars. Entrees are very large; sharing pizzas and calzones is recommended. Takeouts, Tuesday night all-youcan-eat spaghetti with a variety of pasta and sauces.

Will we return? Oh, yes.

Mia Famiglia 7870 Idlewild Road, Indian Trail (Hemby Woods Shopping Cen.) (704) 882-8882 www.MiaFamigliaPizzeria.com Open Tues. - Sat., 11 a.m. - 10 p.m., Sun. Noon - 9 p.m.

20 Union Lifestyle l July / August 2014

heartedly. The fresh ingredients truly make the difference between a good pizza pie and a great one.

The menu offers a 16inch and 18-inch pizza, but our waitress offered us a 15-inch when we asked for smaller. We didn’t have a tape measure with us, but those were big 15-inchers.

We were intrigued by the Buffalo chicken pizza with breaded or grilled chicken, bleu cheese and buffalo sauce, but it seemed too heavy after our appetizer. Plus, we were

asing Italian fare

Super veggie, left, and margarita pizzas are big and tasty. While the crust rim is big and puffy, the bottom is thin to medium â&#x20AC;&#x201C; strong enough to hold the toppings without flopping over but thin enough to not compete with the toppings. saving room for dessert.

Mia Famiglia also has gluten-free pizzas at $8.99 with extra toppings available.

Many other entrees were available, from pasta with marinara, meat sauce, meatballs or sausage, to chicken parmigiana, ala Giovanni, Sorrentino, Marsala, ricotta, valentine and eggplant parmigiana and rollatini. Hot and cold heroes in six- and 11inches sizes, wraps and pitas, plus typical burgers and hotdogs are available.

Whatever you do, save room for dessert!

It is definitely a plus that desserts are reasonable sized.

You can enjoy mini cannolis ($1.25) and deep fried Oreos ($1) by the piece. Just the right size for diners who took home

Chicken Francese, above, and spinach calzone, left. more than half of their entrees but still wanted a bite of sweet.

Each mini cannoli is two bites of crunchy, light shell with creamy, slightly sweet filling mixed with chocolate bits.

If you like calzone, stromboli or rolls, you might plan to share, we learned the hard way. Our spinach calzone ($5.95) was huge and filled with an unusually large amount of spinach wrapped in creamy ricotta and mozzarella cheeses. Accompanied by marinara sauce for dipping, the tender dough was just the right mixture of chewy and crisp.

Our fourth diner went the route of Chicken Francese ($10.95), served on a bed of pasta of your choice. The boneless seared chicken was very tender, and the lemon wine sauce was delicate yet full of flavor.

The star of the meal, however, was the deep fried Oreo cookie dessert.

None of us expected them to be good, and they werenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t. They were outstanding.

Sometimes pictures really arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t worth a thousand words. This photo of mini cannolis and deep-fried Oreo cookies does not do the tasteful sweet bites justice.

The crunchy battered outside gave way to a soft chocolate cookie inside with a creamy white filling. Truly melt-inyour-mouth delicious.

Who knew?

Union Lifestyle l July / August 2014 21

27 things to do in Sweet Union

July

1: Marshville Crafts

Free. 10 a.m. - Quilting with Norma 2 p.m. - Knitting with Margaret Marshville Museum and Cultural Center 102 N. Elm St.

2,9,16,23: Genealogy Workshops

Free. (704) 624-3192 for information.

Marshville Museum and Cultural Center 102 N. Elm St.

5: Lauren Light (pop/modern)

$3; 7:30 p.m.-10 p.m Bring a chair, blanket, picnic.

Treehouse Vineyards, 301 Bay St., Monroe (704) 283-4208; TreehouseVineyards.net

11: Car Cruise-In

Free; motorcycles featured.

6 p.m.; Main St., Downtown Monroe www.HistoricDowntownMonroe.org

11:

Jammin’ by the Tracks Carson Hill Free; 7 p.m.

Bring a chair, blankets, tables Historic Downtown Waxhaw www.WaxhawNC.com

12:

Early Ray (country duo) $3; 7:30 p.m.-10 p.m Bring a chair, blanket, picnic.

Treehouse Vineyards, 301 Bay St., Monroe (704) 283-4208, TreehouseVineyards.net

18:

Jammin’ by the Tracks Dirt Poor Band Free; 7 p.m.

Bring a chair, blankets, tables.

Historic Downtown Waxhaw www.WaxhawNC.com

19: Color Purple reunion.

Free; open to the public.

Bring scrapbooks, memorabilia.

Marshville Museum and Cultural Center 102 N. Elm St.

19: Yoga at the Park

Cane Creek Park 9 a.m. Beginners class overlooking the lake.

Normal entrance fees apply.

Lindseyfowler@co.union.nc.us to sign up.

5213 Harkey Road, Waxhaw www.co.union.nc.us

24: Music on Main

Natural Wonder, Stevie Wonder tribute Free; 6:30 p.m.; Bring a chair!

Main St., Downtown Monroe www.HistoricDowntownMonroe.org

25:

Jammin’ by the Tracks Horsefly Free; 7 p.m.

Bring a chair, blankets, tables.

Historic Downtown Waxhaw www.WaxhawNC.com

25: Bingo

Free; 7:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m Bring a chair, blanket, picnic.

Treehouse Vineyards, 301 Bay St., Monroe (704) 283-4208, TreehouseVineyards.net

26:

Introduction to Fishing Class Join park rangers as they teach the basics of fishing. Gear provided.

Register at (704) 843-3919 or Lindseyfowler@co.union.nc.us 5213 Harkey Road, Waxhaw www.co.union.nc.us

26

22 Union Lifestyle l July / August 2014

: Kevin Russell Band $3; 7:30 p.m.-10 p.m Bring a chair, blanket, picnic.

Treehouse Vineyards, 301 Bay St., Monroe (704) 283-4208, TreehouseVineyards.net

August

1: Jammin’ by the Tracks

Flatland Tourists Free; 8 p.m.

Bring a chair, blankets, tables Historic Downtown Waxhaw www.WaxhawNC.com

5: Marshville Crafts

Free. 10 a.m. - Quilting with Norma 2 p.m. - Knitting with Margaret Marshville Museum and Cultural Center 102 N. Elm St.

6,13,20,27:

Genealogy Workshops Free. (704) 624-3192 for information.

Marshville Museum and Cultural Center 102 N. Elm St.

8: Car Cruise-In

Free; Model A Fords featured.

6 p.m.; Main St., Downtown Monroe www.HistoricDowntownMonroe.org

8:

Jammin’ by the Tracks The Hinson Girls Free; 7 p.m.

Bring a chair, blankets, tables Historic Downtown Waxhaw www.WaxhawNC.com

9: Yoga at the Park

Cane Creek Park 9 a.m. Beginners class overlooking the lake.

Normal entrance fees.

Lindseyfowler@co.union.nc.us to sign up.

5213 Harkey Road, Waxhaw www.co.union.nc.us

15: Jammin’ by the Tracks

Chuck Johnson (The Charlyhorse) Free; 7 p.m.

Bring a chair, blankets, tables Historic Downtown Waxhaw www.WaxhawNC.com

15: Trivia Night

Free; 7:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m Bring a chair, blanket, picnic.

Treehouse Vineyards, 301 Bay St., Monroe (704) 283-4208, TreehouseVineyards.net

16: Pontoon Boat Bird Tour.

23:

The Inlaws $3; 7:30 p.m.-10 p.m Bring a chair, blanket, picnic.

Treehouse Vineyards, 301 Bay St., Monroe (704) 283-4208, TreehouseVineyards.net

28:

Music on Main The Back Beat (Beatles Tribute) Cane Creek Park Free; 6:30 p.m.; Bring a chair!

Led by the Audubon Society; you may Main St., Downtown Monroe see our bald eagles. www.HistoricDowntownMonroe.org Register at (704) 843-3919 or Lindseyfowler@co.union.nc.us Bingo 5213 Harkey Road, Waxhaw Free; 7:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m www.co.union.nc.us Bring a chair, blanket, picnic.

Treehouse Vineyards, 301 Bay St., Monroe Canoe Lake Tour Cane Creek Park Got an event the public 9 a.m. Register at would enjoy?

(704) 843-3919. $3 per person to rent boat plus entrance fee.

Submit your activity with all the Bring your own boat and launch fees apply. details - who, what, when, where Ranger led tour. and cost per person - to 5213 Harkey Road, Waxhaw Editor@UnionLifestyle.com for www.co.union.nc.us inclusion in print and/or online.

29:

23:

We get a lot

COOLER

in summer!

Public Skate Learn to Skate Learn to Play Hockey Summer & Winter Camps Figure Skating Hockey Broomball Curling Birthday Parties Corporate & Group Outings

$10 Off Cool Camp Registration

Cannot be combined with any other offer.

Expires 8/31/14

4705 Indian Trail-Fairview Road Indian Trail, NC (704) 882-1830 n www.xicenter.com Union Lifestyle l July / August 2014 23