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FROM THE EDITOR

2 3

f December feels like a month of excess, January is a month of simplicity. When all the trimmings come down, our homes can feel unusually cold and bare. I’ve never been one to make lofty resolutions, but a little reset seems only natural when the busyness of the holidays is over and life slows down for a fleeting few weeks — taking stock of our routines, finances and health, but also planning for the year ahead. For me, that means lining up family vacations, organizing and prioritizing projects at home, and making lists of books I want to read. As a chronic list-maker, I don’t hate it. In years past, it also meant making sure the kids had snow boots and gear that fit for the inevitable winter storm of the season. Each year, often in January or February, we’d have at least one bona-fide snow day — more than a dusting — where the neighborhood kids would spend endless hours sledding and tromping around in the white stuff before coming inside for hot cocoa and to warm up by the fire.

8 | SOUTHPARK

In 2004, one storm dumped more than 13 inches (if you’ve just arrived from New York, Chicago or some other place that has real winters, that’s a lot down here in the South!). Snows like that don’t happen much anymore. In fact, last winter was the first time on record that Charlotte had zero snowfall from Oct. 1 to May 1, according to WCNC meteorologist Brad Panovich. I spent a year in Vermont. I don’t miss trudging through the snow every time I needed groceries or to walk the dog. But one good snow this year sure would be EDITOR nice. SP

CATHY MARTIN editor@southparkmagazine.com

IN THIS ISSUE: 1 - A Foxcroft home gets a modern cottage makeover (page 77) 2 - The new Backlot Trail connects SouthPark to Little Sugar Creek Greenway and beyond (page 40) 3 - Work by Hildur Ásgeirsdóttir Jónsson, from our Spring Arts Preview (page 59) 4 - Zero-proof cocktails gain momentum (page 86)

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January

BLVD. 22 | people Molly Barker finds peace at a slower pace.

26 | food + drink Babe & Butcher heads into the new year with a big expansion.

30 | wine Unexpected places to get a glass or bottle — and sample natural and small-production wines.

38 | wellness Explorer Dan Buettner brings his insights on living longer — and healthier — to Charlotte.

40 | around town What’s new and coming soon in the Queen City

42 | happenings January calendar of events

DEPARTMENTS 46 | creators of N.C. Wilmington indie rockers Beta Radio

49 | bookshelf Notable new releases

53 | simple life Sometimes less really is more.

57 | well + wise A clean slate

122 | swirl Parties, fundraisers and events around Charlotte

128 | gallery Martin Luther King Jr. in the Queen City

ABOUT THE COVER: A Foxcroft ranch renovation by Anne Pearson Design. Photo by Dustin and Susie Peck.

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FEATURES 59 | Spring arts preview by Page Leggett 20 reasons to get yourself to a theater or museum this year

77 | Ranch renaissance by Catherine Ruth Kelly | photographs by Dustin and Susie Peck Anne Pearson Hammett revitalizes a Foxcroft home with sophisticated English cottage-meets-midcentury ranch style.

86 | Spirit free by Michael J. Solender Nonalcoholic libations gain greater favor as adult beverages of choice — out on the town and at home.

TRAVEL: CARIBBEAN 92 | St. Lucia by Michelle Boudin Hiking the Pitons, a Champagne zipline, volcanic mud baths and beachfront dining await.

95 | Bahamas by Michael J. Solender Culture, cuisine and conservation flow with the crystalline waters at the heart of Rosewood Baha Mar.

98 | Puerto Rico by Vanessa Infanzon This easy destination is Charlotte’s gateway to a Caribbean vacation.

101 | Jamaica by Krisha Chachra Going against the current at Dunn’s River Falls

SPECIAL SECTION 110 | Business North Carolina’s Top Doctors Top-ranking specialists in the Charlotte region.

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Owners Jack Andrews, Frank Daniels III, Lee Dirks, David Woronoff in memoriam Frank Daniels Jr. David Woronoff President david@thepilot.com Published by Old North State Magazines LLC. ©Copyright 2023. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Volume 28, Issue 1

blvd. PHOTOGRAPH BY DANIEL COSTON

people, places, things

A LITTLE SONG AND DANCE

Past and present Blumey Award winners will return to Belk Theater on Jan. 13 for a 10th Anniversary Blumey Awards Celebration. Held each spring, the awards honor Charlotte-area high-school musical theater productions along with the talented students who bring them to life. The Blumeys have served as a springboard for several young performers and crew members who have launched careers on Broadway, in Hollywood and beyond. Proceeds for this benefit show will support the new Blumey Inspire Fund, created to support high-school students and theater programs in the Carolinas and help launch new theater programs. Tickets start at $35. blumenthalarts.org SP

southparkmagazine.com | 21

blvd. | people

SOUTHPARK SIT-DOWN

Molly Barker FINDING PEACE AT A SLOWER PACE by Natalie Dick | photographs by Richard Israel

hen Molly Barker walks into a room, people notice. She just has a way about her. Loved across the country for her unapologetic honesty and passion for helping others, Barker steps into the private dining room at Cafe Monte on this winter afternoon “dressed up” in slacks, a black sweater, and a pair of 10-year-old, well-worn Corral vintage cowboy boots. We’ve never met before, but it feels like we’ve known each other forever — like we’re old friends catching up. “I wasn’t sure what to wear,” she says as we hug. “I only have a few outfits now. I gave everything away before I moved to Texas.” (More on that later.) She’s back in Charlotte now and eager to reconnect with her hometown community. The “new” Molly is at peace embracing the moment. “I want to slow the pace and be present for the people in my life,” she explains. “I’m not sure yet exactly how that will show up or what it looks like.” Slowing down doesn’t come naturally to the 63-year-old who is best known for creating Girls on the Run (GOTR), the national nonprofit organization that blends running with positive life skills lessons to empower young girls in 3rd through 8th grades. Begun at Charlotte Country Day School in 1996, GOTR has served more than 2.5 million girls with programs in all 50 states. Barker’s career and successes go well beyond the track. She earned a master’s degree in social work from UNC Chapel Hill, has authored four books, worked on Capitol Hill, and competed in four Hawaii Ironman competitions, all while raising (and successfully launching) two kids as a single mom. “It’s pretty exhausting,” she says with a laugh and then pauses to reflect before continuing. “I guess we need to be really honest — yeah? Part of the energy that I think I have lived with is what some people might call anxiety. One way to relieve that pent-up anxiety was to be doing all the time. I’ve been a doer, and I’ve been admired for being a doer, but it can be exhausting.” A combination of exhaustion and the desire for new challenges led Barker to leave her day-to-day role with GOTR in 2013. “As I got more involved, the ‘leader’ box began to wiggle its way back in. It was hard, but I felt like I had to go because I was beginning to feel restrained in my role there. It was also strange because I felt like I was nothing because I had defined my entire existence by my roles as a mother and as the founder of Girls on the Run. I think it was during that time that I began to feel the anxiety rather than work it out.” So, Barker headed to Washington as one of 30 Americans selected by the Bipartisan Policy Center to serve on the Commission 22 | SOUTHPARK

on Political Reform. The Commission’s job was to examine the country’s partisan political divide and then recommend reforms. “That was 2013, so clearly things have gotten worse. I came home very cynical and very disheartened and felt a little bit like a fraud,” Barker says. “I’d been telling little girls for my whole life that if you are just yourself and you are empathetic, you’ll go far — when that really isn’t the truth. The fact is this game is mean up here.” In typical Molly style, she felt compelled to do something — to get to the heart of all the discontent. Her solution was a solo cross-country trip talking to everyday people in their hometowns. “It was just random conversations with people in coffee shops. I came back and realized there were several things at play, and one of them was we just don’t know each other anymore. Race was a big part of it, too. It’s at the core of everything that we do in America, so I started the Red Boot Way, a curriculum to teach people how to listen to each other.”

Cafe Monte’s mussels and frites with white wine, butter and tomato

blvd. | people TAKE FIVE

Comments have been edited for length. Why SouthPark? It’s home. It’s my community. My family has such nostalgic memories of our time living just around the corner in Beverly Woods catching fireflies and walking to the Harris Y playground. Favorite restaurants and shops: Cafe Monte, BrickTop’s, Hawthorne’s Pizza, and Barnes & Noble for coffee and sweets. Why Cafe Monte, and what are your favorite dishes? This is a special place because my kids grew up with [owner Monte Smith’s kids] and are close friends. My favorite dishes are always the mussels, the French onion soup and the wonderful salads. Favorite grocery store: The Taj Ma-Teeter — that became like a family outing for us. What would you bring back? Earth Fare! I loved Earth Fare. We would shop and get our dinner and eat it there. As a single mom, I felt like [my kids] were eating something healthy.

She named the program after a pair of red boots her daughter had given her for her 50th birthday. “The idea was to walk in someone else’s shoes — or in this case, boots — to get to the root of our divide.” Though Barker is no longer directly involved with the Red Boot Way, it’s still used by a wide range of organizations in workshops and retreats across the U.S.

THE MARFA AWAKENING Ironically, the Red Boot Way would become the impetus for a life-changing decision, or as she calls it, her “awakening.” “I realized after starting the Red Boot Way that I was still feeling an obligation to fix things to make the world a better place. Because I had left GOTR, I felt this urgency to fill that void, and then I recognized these programs don’t need me to be successful. That’s when I high-tailed it to Texas,” laughs Barker. Marfa, Texas, to be exact. A tiny, artsy town in the far western part of the state and a three-hour drive to any major city. southparkmagazine.com | 23

blvd. | people

Above: Escargot traditionnel baked in garlic butter and puff pastry. Top left: Artisanal cheeses, cured meats and pate. Bottom left: House French onion soup, one of Barker’s Cafe Monte favorites.

“I literally looked at a map and said, I want to go to a place that’s not commercial. Then, I remembered a cowboy I met on a plane years earlier who told me about Marfa. Sight unseen, that’s where I headed.” She gave away everything she owned except for a handful of clothes and her dogs, determined to discover who she is and not what she had become known for. Her days in Texas were filled with meditation, contemplation and quietness. For five years, she painted, journaled, practiced yoga and took up cycling again. “Becoming minimal like that requires a minimalist approach toward everything — not just things, but how you fill your day. This rush, rush, rush — it all changes. There was no urgency. That’s when things began to really change.” She discovered the real meaning of peace and the importance of having the discipline to practice it. “I used to think peace was something I would feel when I got there, and I realize now that peace isn’t the goal; it’s the journey.” For all the things Barker cherished about Marfa, she missed her family and friends in Charlotte. At the end of a long bike ride this past summer, it suddenly hit her — it was time to return home. “It’s like a switch flipped and I just knew,” she says. “Community is so important to me. Marfa is a fantastic place with a great community — it’s just not my community.” These days Barker splits her time between writing, speaking engagements, and working with several organizations in the recovery realm, including Beyond Sober, Mission 34 and Vision Possible. She’s also heavily involved in grassroots programs around affordable 24 | SOUTHPARK

housing and assisting those with housing insecurity. While it may seem like hyperbole to say that 2024 could be Barker’s most exciting year yet, it just might be. Her first grandchild is due in March (Barker will be called “Goggy,” like her mom was), and she just completed writing her memoir, which she describes as terrifyingly honest and exciting. In it, Barker chronicles the demons she fought in childhood and their lingering effects. “Growing up in an alcoholic home brought with it a lot of unknowns,” Barker recalls. “My mom struggled with substance-abuse disorder from the time I was born until I was 10 years old. My siblings were much older than me and out of the house by the time I was 6, which meant I had to navigate these unknown and terrifying circumstances on my own. When my mom got sober, it was the greatest gift. She became my best friend, and we began running together when I was 14, which led to my getting sober at 32. I’m still in the process of healing.” I asked her what the Molly of today would say to the Molly of years past. “In writing this memoir, I have developed a lot of compassion for that young woman who was really doing the best she could with the skill set she had,” she says. “And I would just say … I love you, and hang in there, you know? Which I did. This too shall pass.” SP Scan the QR code to see more of Barker’s interview with Natalie, and learn which role Barker most identifies with, a tool she used to navigate tough times while raising her children, and more.

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blvd. | food + drink

Great grazing BABE & BUTCHER HEADS INTO THE NEW YEAR WITH AN EXPANSION TO PARK ROAD SHOPPING CENTER.

he babe and the butcher just finished a very big year. The couple behind their eponymous brand celebrated four years since launching their wildly successful charcuterie catering company. In December, they debuted a second, larger storefront in their dream location in Park Road Shopping Center (the first shop opened in Camp North End in 2021). Oh, and they finally got married after five years of dating and recently learned they’re expecting their first child. “We drive each other insane — we are complete opposites,” says Lindsay Anvik (the babe), who oversees product development and marketing. Her husband Rob Hendricks (the butcher), focuses on operations. “But there’s no one I’d rather fight in a walk-in with,” Anvik says, referring to the massive walk-in refrigerator at their new shop. “We were both so excited to get married, we were shaking with excitement at the altar.” Anvik was nearly as excited after getting some unexpected news during a chance phone call. Anvik had long had her eye on the busy Park Road shopping mecca, but their real-estate agent wasn’t very optimistic. “They said there’s no way we’ll ever get in, so we were looking all over the place. And then I thought, why don’t I just try 26 | SOUTHPARK

— I’m gonna roll the dice and call and just see if I can get on a waiting list. It turns out they were looking for a food spot, and they knew our brand.” A spot near Michael’s had opened up after Southern Pressed Juicery closed in February. The newest Babe & Butcher shop opened in December, featuring even more choices of cheese, accoutrements and wine than at the Camp North End location. Like the original store, there’s a display case for customers to build their own boards. And of course, a huge walk-in fridge that will allow them to do even more catering. Anvik had her eye on the new address to ease delivery to clients in south Charlotte and because the shopping center is such a popular hub. “My dream was to be here, because I feel like you can do everything here. You can go to the movies, drop off a package, get your nails done, go for a drink — and now you can get cheese from us.” Last holiday season, Babe & Butcher had to stop taking orders because their kitchen space was limited. The business has come a long way from the days when a busy Saturday meant they had 10 cheese boards to deliver. Now that number is closer to 70 on a typical weekend, and their staff of 13 is expected to double now that the new store is open.

PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY BABE & BUTCHER BY CORRIE HUGGINS

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blvd. | food + drink Clearly, the charcuterie trend that took off just a few years ago isn’t slowing down. “I think people have shifted in terms of the way they think about food in general. There’s a lot more interest in elevated fast casual, and people don’t feel like they have to eat at dinner with linen napkins,” Anvik says. “They’re throwing out the rules and embracing charcuterie more. You can have a charcuterie board for dinner and enjoy it.” Make-your-own charcuterie boxes for one to three people are $24.95; boards (veggie, brunch, dessert, charcuterie and others) are $75 and up. Bestsellers include the full-size charcuterie board ($170), which comes with a custom wood cutting board and feeds 10-15 people. The Flora board ($190), a playful offering filled with edible flowers and flower-laced cheeses, crackers and macarons, is a close second. Still, the couple is constantly coming up with fresh ideas. “Customers always want something new, so we’re always bringing in new themes and ideas and new cheeses and recipes to the boards.” Now that they’re finally settled in at Park Road, Anvik has her eye on Charleston, S.C., for the next Babe & Butcher storefront. “I would love to cross the border. Charleston is such a great food city.” Until then, Anvik is enjoying the new shop — including the signature “cheese” mural loyal customers have come to look for. Anvik, who worked in marketing before becoming the babe, polled social media followers to decide on the fun saying splashed against the wall. The winner? “Don’t worry, brie happy.” SP

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blvd. | wine

Natural selection

FROM BREWERIES TO COFFEE SHOPS, CHARLOTTE IS FILLED WITH UNEXPECTED PLACES TO “WINE” DOWN. by Liz Logan

Salud Cerveceria

30 | SOUTHPARK

wines and small-production selections — can be found all around town, if you know where to look. From coffee shops to specialty-food stores and breweries — here are a few of Charlotte’s hidden gems for unexpected wine.

HEX COFFEE, KITCHEN & NATURAL WINES 201 Camp Rd., Ste. 103 Located at Camp North End’s The Mount district, HEX Coffee, Kitchen & Natural Wines got its start as a coffee shop and roastery. The concept has evolved into a minimalist kitchen marrying the Japanese-Hawaiian and Southern heritages of its owners accompanied by a wine list centered on natural wines. Amphitheaterlike seating and modern black booths with pops of sandalwood set against white brick walls give an ambience of elegance, while the outdoor seating is casual-yet-upscale. Working with small, independent producers, co-owner Chandler Wrenn puts his focus on Hex’s dynamic by-the-glass selection. Wrenn hopes to draw curious palettes into the world of natural wine. “Our goal is to break down the perceived barrier into wine,” he says. “Natural wine is an opportunity to tell the story of provenance for some beautiful wines and, more importantly, the people who make it.” Wrenn recommends: Jolie-Laide 2021 Syrah, Alder Springs, Mendocino

PHOTOGRAPH BY JUSTIN DRISCOLL

ears ago, Melissa Varvaro, co-owner of Summit Coffee NoDa, went out for drinks and returned forever changed. A connoisseur of craft beer and sipper of fine whiskey, Varvaro timidly tiptoed into the world of wine with the help of a knowledgeable server. “He brought out a glass of white wine and said, simply, ‘You’re not going to think of anything else after I say this to you: green pepper,’” Varvaro recalls. After a few sips of a vegetal sauvignon blanc, she picked up on the tasting notes and realized there was more to wine than a house chardonnay. The dichotomy of wine drinkers — those who are sommelier-level adept or those grabbing a two-buck Chuck from the bottom rack of their local Trader Joe’s — is expanding into a spectrum as more approachable and diverse wines can be found not only in high-end restaurants but in unexpected spots, like Varvaro’s coffee shop. Not only is there a shift in the types of establishments carrying curated wines, but also in the types of wines available. Dairelyn Glunt, co-owner of Salud Cerveceria, handpicks a rotating menu of natural wines (wines produced via traditional methods without additives). When the upstairs companion of Salud Beer Shop opened in 2017, it was one of the few places in Charlotte selling natural wine, Glunt says. Now natural wines of all types — pét-nats (short for pétillant naturel, a method of sparkling wine production), orange

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FREE RANGE BAR

Dairelyn Glunt of Salud Cerveceria was a pioneer in Charlotte’s natural wine scene Free Range Bar

301 Camp Rd., Ste. 100 Steps away from HEX, Free Range Bar, with its exterior mural depicting lively yellow bumble bees, is best-known for craft beer focusing on local flora. It was from this same mindset that co-owner Jason Alexander began crafting the wine program found at both the Camp North End and Villa Heights locations. “We chose wine partners that are small, creative and intentional with how they produce, and found this most easily achieved through the world of natural wine,” Alexander says. “With natural wine, there is a return to the old-school way of making wine with high quality ingredients and minimal processing — take care of soil as much as anything else, and you get out what you put in.” Drew Jordan, Free Range’s beer buyer, curates a selection of weekly rotating bottles and seasonal by-the-glass options. Unique profiles and affordability take equal precedence. The selection closely compliments the beer program; there’s a lot of crossover with natural wine and the complexities you would find in wild or sour beer. Alexander recommends: A chilled red wine. “Chilling a red leads to an easier sensory point, and a bonus is it will warm up as you drink it. If you take time in how it begins and ends, you’ll see how its expression can evolve.”

SALUD CERVECERIA 3306-C N. Davidson St. The cozy-yet-vibrant Salud Cerveceria is home to a stellar lineup of craft beer and unique wood-fired pizza plus a selection of natural wines selected by co-owner Dairelyn Glunt. After leaving her banking job in 2016, Glunt poured herself into the wine program at Salud Beer Shop. She implemented the same intentionality when the Cerveceria opened in 2017, becoming a pioneer in Charlotte’s natural wine scene. “Back then, natural wine was not a thing — at least not here in Charlotte,” Glunt says. The crux of her program is Wine Down Wednesday, where selections range from pét-nats to pinot noir. Each week, Glunt tastes and researches wines to create a four-wine selection from 32 | SOUTHPARK

FREE RANGE PHOTO BY LOYD VISUALS; SALUD CERVECERIA PHOTO BY JUSTIN DRISCOLL; HEX PHOTO COURTESY UNIFYJONO

blvd. | wine

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blvd. | wine

A WINE GLOSSARY Pét-nat: A sparkling wine made by bottling still-fermenting wine, resulting in a soft, fizzy, unfiltered (read: cloudy) wine. Short for the French pétillant naturel, which means “naturally bubbling.” Orange wine: Also known as amber wine or skin-contact wine, orange wine is made with white-wine grapes that are allowed to macerate in their skins, similar to the way red wine is produced. Natural wine: Wines typically made without the use of chemical pesticides or herbicides; with minimal to no sulfites; and with wild yeasts naturally present in the vineyard. Biodynamic wine: Wines made with a holistic method of farming based around a specific astronomic calendar and without the use of chemicals. Free Range Bar at Camp North End

REID’S FINE FOODS RESTAURANT & WINE BAR 4331 Barclay Downs Dr. Tucked behind SouthPark Mall, with other locations in Uptown and Myers Park, Reid’s Fine Foods’ bistro-esque interior beckons casual diners and drinkers to an afternoon of sipping and snacking. A sense of connection imbues the vast wine list found at Reid’s. Leyla Arcovio, director of wine operations and special events, says seasonality plays a significant role in the wines sold here — but it goes a bit deeper than that. Yes, in winter one may traditionally opt for a rich red, like a shiraz or pinot noir, but beyond that is a feeling. “Cold weather may remind you of a delightful village in a foreign country, where you had a certain bottle of wine — authentic, reflecting the place and the varietal. Then you search for the wine producer who was able to capture your senses in a magical way. A wine has to speak to your soul.” Reid’s Fine Foods is a full gastronomical experience, one that Arcovio leans into when curating the wine list. “Our guests expect 34 | SOUTHPARK

sips of wine and bites of food to be in perfect harmony — you know, that ‘Wow!’ moment when wine and food become one delicious experience. They expect to discover new wines, new flavors and find new favorites.” Hundreds of wines line the market shelves, tasted, analyzed and procured by Arcovio. These span from Old World wines to a multitude of West Coast selections, including their very own Reid’s and Leyla’s private wine labels. Arcovio recommends: Leyla Oregon Pinot Noir. “This is our third vintage, and I think it is the best: concentration, depth of flavors, color and structure, earthy and expressive.”

SUMMIT COFFEE NODA 416 E. 36th St. Evelyn Henson’s Confetti Stripes mural next door leads to a covered patio of teal chairs and umbrellas, true to Summit’s signature aesthetic. A glass garage-style door opens to a French bistro-inspired shop, with botanical tiles lining a coffee bar set off by trailing pothos plants and rotating works from local artists. A casual-yet-curated wine experience was the motivation and inspiration behind Summit Coffee NoDa’s wine list. Owner Melissa Varvaro set out to create an afternoon destination for those who didn’t want coffee but weren’t looking for a bar scene, either. Seeing the clear crossover in wine and coffee drinkers — those looking for high-quality beverages with soul and a story — Varvaro began curating her wine selection, ideal for those looking for a glass before heading home or out to dinner. Annotated wine lists serve as a guide to Summit’s selection of organic and biodynamic wines, while quarterly wine tastings of small, independent labels give patrons the opportunity to develop an intimate knowledge of what they are drinking. The approach is simple, Varvaro says. “Sometimes you just want to have a glass of good wine that exceeds expectations — that you didn’t know you were looking for.” Varvaro recommends: Trying something new, like a Vermentino — an Italian light-bodied wine similar to a sauvignon blanc.

PHOTOGRAPH BY LOYD VISUALS

small vineyards consisting of orange wines, roses and (always) two reds. Orange wine is a skin-contact wine produced with white wine grapes, making production more akin to red wines, that has gained much popularity in the natural-wine movement. The diversity in tasting notes is based on region and how long the juice remains in contact with its skin during fermentation. As Bon Appetit put it, “It all comes down to what happens in the vineyard and winery.” The daily by-the-glass menu at Salud Cerveceria helps those new to the world of orange wine navigate their selection, with notes of how long wines were in contact with skin. Typically, the longer the maceration period, the bigger the shift in the tannin structure and the “funkier” the wine. As an added bonus, Glunt’s favorites are also marked on the list for those looking for an easy starting point. Glunt recommends: A sparkling orange wine, like Domaine Glinavos Ioannina Paleokerisio from the Epirus region in Greece.

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blvd. | wine

Salud Cerveceria

THE BRASS BIRD 320 Main St., Pineville Stepping into The Brass Bird is a nostalgic experience, the shelves lined with curated artisan-made goods (including several local brands) and an exquisite bar serving wines by the glass. The modern-day mercantile opened in September in downtown Pineville. Its black-painted exterior, complete with gold accents and rocking chairs, emits a welcoming, elevated ambience, perfect for leisurely experimenting with new wines. Owner Emily Anderson takes her inspiration from her trips to wine country. “While traveling through Sonoma and Mendocino, we fell in love with the local passion for good food, good wine, good friends and the American spirit,” she says. The primary focus of the wine selection is family-owned wines made in the U.S., with most sourced from California, Oregon and Washington vineyards. And Anderson loves knowing the story behind the wines in her collection — specifically those from Smith Story Wine Cellars, an organic winery in Sonoma whose philosophy centers on integrity and Old World technique. Located in a renovated historic landmark building, The Brass Bird is playing a role in returning downtown Pineville to its storefront roots, creating a community gathering place reminiscent of its historic past. Anderson recommends: Smith Story sauvignon blanc, Sonoma County, 2022. “This sauvignon blanc is sourced from two family-owned organic vineyards in Sonoma County and is a true representation of the best that Sonoma has to offer.”

STABLE HAND 125 Remount Rd. B From the team behind HEX Coffee, Kitchen & Natural Wines, Stable Hand’s interior transports guests into an artistic landscape of approachable wines set inside its South End tasting room. A brightly hued abstract mural is the backdrop of Stable Hand’s retail wine shelf, mirroring the artistry behind the wine itself. As with HEX, 36 | SOUTHPARK

Leyla Arcovio of Reid’s Fine Foods

Stable Hand focuses on natural wine, but here there’s a strong focus on classical European winemakers. Innovative bar snacks accompany an ever-expanding natural wine list. Selections from Broc Cellars, a natural winery from California, speak to Stable Hand’s commitment to quality organic and biodynamic wines. Tastings from select vineyards and producers allow patrons to learn more about the wines, each at an approachable price point. Wrenn recommends: Trying a selection from European producers found on the rotating wine list.

ARTHUR’S OF CHARLOTTE 4400 Sharon Rd. With Arthur’s Wine Shop located on the lower level of Belk at SouthPark Mall and a newly opened Arthur’s Wine Bar on Belk’s main level, Arthur’s provides a tucked-away vintner experience, whether guests are taking a break from shopping or solely seeking out this unique wine experience. Employee Dana Fowler says that with excellent price points and an extensive menu, Arthur’s offers something for everyone — with an added bonus that you can shop throughout the entire four-level department store glass-in-hand. Arthur’s has a rich history, beginning in uptown in 1972 before relocating to a coffee shop in the Ivey’s department store in 1973. Fast forward to 1990, when the shop relocated to the same Belk in which it currently resides. The history of shopping and sipping spans just over five decades, and education is at the heart of Arthur’s. The Wine Shop hosts drop-in wine tastings each Saturday with what Fowler calls a “low-key, modern vibe,” and wine classes throughout the year, led by advanced and certified wine professionals. The hidden element of this specialty wine bar adds to its mystique — an understated space for fine wine. Fowler recommends: Chateau Pontet Teyssier, Saint-Emilion, France — a blend of 80% merlot with the remaining 20% composed of cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc. SP

ARTHUR’S PHOTO BY MICHAEL HRIZUK; SALUD CERVECERIA BY JUSTIN DRISCOLL; COURTESY REID’S FINE FOODS

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blvd. | wellness

Changing the blueprint

EXPLORER, JOURNALIST AND PRODUCER DAN BUETTNER SHARES WISDOM LEARNED FROM YEARS STUDYING PLACES WHERE PEOPLE LIVE LONG AND HEALTHY. HE’S COMING TO CHARLOTTE IN FEBRUARY.

t’s that time of year, when many of us decide we’re going to shed a few pounds, give up alcohol or dust off that Peloton in the basement. For real, this time. The truth is, nearly all of those New Year’s resolutions ultimately fail. So what’s the key to healthier living in the long term? According to Dan Buettner, journalist, explorer and New York Times-bestselling author, it’s less about the conscious changes we make with our diets and exercise regimens, and more about the features and social structures that are baked into the societies in which we live. “The idea is you want to get people to unconsciously move more, eat less processed food — more whole food, plant-based — socialize more, and socialize with the right kind of people (who encourage healthy choices),” Buettner tells me on a Zoom call in early December. “And then live their purpose through either their jobs or their families or through volunteering.” Teaming with National Geographic and the National Institute on Aging, Buettner began two decades ago researching the Blue Zones, the five places on Earth with the healthiest, longest-living populations. He and a team of scientists spent time in each of these locations (Okinawa, Japan; Sardinia, Italy; Nicoya, Costa Rica; Ikaria, Greece; and Loma Linda, Calif.), getting to know the people and studying their lifestyles and habits. He’s written multiple books based on the research, and last year debuted a Netflix series, Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones. And he’ll appear in Charlotte next month as part of Queens University’s The Learning Society speaker series. Buettner’s first book about Blue Zones became a New York Times bestseller. That landed him appearances on CNN, Good Morning America and The Oprah Winfrey Show, where he’d sometimes bump into other longevity experts touting trendy diets and exercise routines. “And I just said to myself, ‘That’s not right.’ So I got the idea of manufacturing a Blue Zone, of taking what I’ve learned in these places and applying it.” Armed with a grant from AARP and partnering with the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, Buettner launched the first Blue Zones Project in Albert Lea, Minn. “We went about devising a blueprint for a city where the environment has changed such that the healthy choice is the easy choice. And that involves working with all the restaurants, grocery stores, schools, workplaces 38 | SOUTHPARK

and churches so that they optimize their designs and policies.” That could mean anything from adding more sidewalks and community gardens to having grocery stores label foods known to increase longevity to getting restaurants to remove sugary sodas from kids’ menus. Buettner has partnered with municipal governments, large employers and health-insurance companies to implement Blue Zones Projects in more than 70 communities, workplaces and universities, from Fort Worth, Texas, to Naples, Fla. “The big insight here is where people live a long time, it’s not because they try. It’s not because they pursue health as we do — some diet or supplements. It ensues — it’s the result of living in the right environment.” Part of establishing that environment means creating more walkable cities. “Our bodies evolved in a constant state of motion,” Buettner explains. “Our Paleolithic ancestors were on the move all the time. That’s the way our bodies are engineered. They’re not engineered to sit around all day in our offices.” Buettner says achieving this, even among cities congested with traffic, isn’t as impossible as it may seem if city leaders are open-minded. To track results, Blue Zones Project hires Gallup to measure obesity rates, life satisfaction, chronic disease and physical activity levels. “If you live in an environment where it’s easy to walk to get your coffee, walk to go to work, it’s easier for kids to walk to go to school — if the places you encounter are on the way or serving healthy food, the recipes you’re exchanging with your friends and neighbors are healthy, or your friends and neighbors are healthy — it creates a swarm of nudges and defaults that engineers our unconscious behavior,” Buettner says. “It works when the focus of your efforts are shaping the surroundings for the long term, so that people’s unconscious decisions are slightly better all day long, for months and years and decades. That’s what works.” SP Unlocking the Secrets of Happiness with Dan Buettner is Feb.

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PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY QUEENS UNIVERSITY

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blvd. | around town

Dilworth Tasting Room

The first phase of the Backlot Trail opened in October, connecting Park Road Park to Woodbine Lane off Park South Drive. Though short in length, the impact of the .3-mile stretch of greenway is significant in that it’s the first segment of an east-west connector linking Little Sugar Creek Greenway and the 30+-mile Cross Charlotte trail to SouthPark and The Loop. Eventually, the Backlot Trail will extend behind Fairview Road to McMullen Creek Greenway near Governor’s Square off Carmel Road. The new section includes a pedestrian crosswalk with a traffic signal at Park Road to ensure safe crossings.

Comings & goings The Crust Pizza plans to open a second Charlotte location at Promenade on Providence in south Charlotte. Other newcomers to the center include a J.Crew Factory store and Bonnie & Clyde’s, a bar and lounge with a rooftop bar from the team behind Midtown Tavern.  Moo & Brew plans to open its long-awaited second location in downtown Matthews this month. Guests can expect plenty of indoor and outdoor seating with a patio and back porch; 32 beers on tap; and the restaurant’s signature Carolina Cup specials on UNC game days.  Dilworth Tasting Room will open a third location in Plaza Midwood on Central Avenue in the third quarter of this year.  Mano Bello Artisan Foods is opening at the Morrison shopping center in the former Bit by Seoul Food location.  Outdoor retailer

NEW ON THE MENU Chef Marc Jacksina is finally putting his stamp on the menu at Little Mama’s. The veteran chef took the helm at the SouthPark hot spot last May. Not wanting to mess with a good thing, Jacksina took his time evaluating the menu, and in December introduced a slate of new dishes, including a Broiled Swordfish served with polenta, pepperonata,

40 | SOUTHPARK

Orvis will open a 6,000-square-foot store

this spring at Strawberry Hill shopping center at Providence and Fairview roads. Smooth Monkey, a smoothie and juice bar with a store in Plaza Midwood, also plans to open at the center.  Led by Executive Chef Edmar Simoes, Resident Culture Brewing pivoted to a new barbecue menu at its South End taproom and at the food truck at its Plaza Midwood location. El Toro Bruto has ceased operations at both RC taprooms.  Biblio, the wine-focused restaurant from Sam Hart, closed. Hart will open Spaghett, a “craft pasta and cocktail house,” in the former Poplar Tapas location in uptown’s Fourth Ward.  Fat Cat Burgers + Bakeshop in Dilworth has closed.  Dressing Room Interiors closed its retail store but will continue online sales.

pesto and vegetables; a Mama’s Crab Cake appetizer with escarole and fennel-orange salad, pesto, and paprika oil; and Chicken Riggies (fresh rigatoni, chicken, red bell and cherry peppers and mushrooms in a tomato sauce), pictured here. Little Mama’s loyalists, have no fear: Menu staples like the Penne alla Vodka, Chicken and Eggplant Parms, and the Mozzarella Bar aren’t going anywhere.

PHOTOGRAPH BY ETHAN MARTIN

from Prime Fish, opened at the Arboretum in the space previously home to The Charlotte Cafe.  Joan’s Bakery and Deli opened at The Metropolitan in Midtown. Named for owner John Dressler’s mom, Joan’s sells baked goods including cake by the slice. It’s also the new home of Meshugannah, the Jewish deli concept by Chef Rob Clement, serving pastrami and corned beef sandwiches and more. Joan’s is open Tues.-Sat. 11 a.m.-3 p.m.  The Ugly cocktail bar opened in NoDa. From Idlewild owner Vince Chirico, The Ugly provides a more casual setting, with classic cocktails and well drinks priced from $10-$12 plus three rotating specials.  International fast-fashion retailer Primark opened its first North Carolina store at Concord Mills.

WALK ZONE

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY DILWORTH TASTING ROOM

Nusa, a fast-casual Indonesian restaurant

PHOTOGRAPH BY REMY THURSTON

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blvd. | calendar

Ice Skating at Whitewater Center

EVENTS + ACTIVITIES

MUSEUMS + GALLERIES

Charlotte Symphony On Tap at Triple C Brewing Co. Jan. 9 The On Tap series makes its return inside The Barrel Room across from Triple C Brewing in South End. The evening will feature music from Mozart, Grieg, John Williams and more. Craft brews, cider and wine will be available for purchase. Tickets are $20. carolinatix.org/events

Disrupting the Matrix through March 30 Elder Gallery of Contemporary Art presents its first exhibition dedicated solely to the practice of printmaking. Works by 15 artists explore a range of techniques in traditional and experimental printmaking methods. eldergalleryclt.com

Jazz Room: Wycliffe Gordon Quartet Jan. 11-12 Renowned jazz trombonist and composer Wycliffe Gordon and his quartet make their debut at The Jazz Room at Booth Playhouse. Gordon, whose arrangement of NPR’s All Things Considered theme song is known worldwide, has played with famed musicians Wynton Marsalis and Paul Simon. Tickets start at $25. blumenthalarts.org Ice Skating at Whitewater Center through Feb. 20 Winter fun continues at the Upper Pond with this one-of-a-kind ice skating experience which includes four skating areas. Take a break and grab a hot chocolate or refreshment from the Airstream camper. A single activity pass is $25. center.whitewater.org

42 | SOUTHPARK

Wycliffe Gordon Quartet 10th Anniversary Blumey Awards Celebration Jan. 13 Past and present Blumey Award winners will return to Belk Theater for a benefit show filled with special guests and surprises. Proceeds support the new Blumey Inspire Fund, created to support high-school students in their artistic pursuits. Tickets start at $35. Blumenthalarts.org Charlotte Restaurant Week: Queens Feast Jan. 19-28 For 10 days, dozens of the best restaurants around Charlotte offer a special threecourse prix fixe menu. Prices are $30-$50 per person, depending on the restaurant. Reservations are recommended. charlotterestaurantweek.iheart.com

Matt Kleberg: Fence Cutting and Liz Nielson: She LOVES me … Jan. 9 - Feb. 28 SOCO Gallery starts the new year by bringing two contemporary artists to the gallery. Nielson’s photographs are most often made without a camera. She works in a darkroom by processing light sensitive paper through traditional color chemistry. Kleberg creates colorful, texturized oil stick paintings inspired by architecture. socogallery.com SP

For more things to do this month and beyond, check out our Spring Arts Preview on page 59. Scan the QR code on your mobile device to view our online events calendar — updated weekly — at southparkmagazine.com.

PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY WHITEWATER CENTER AND WYCLIFFE GORDON QUARTET

January HAPPENINGS

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY MATTHEWS COMMUNITY FARMERS’ MARKET

blvd. | calendar

Winter harvest

MECKLENBURG COUNTY MARKET At the oldest farmers market in Mecklenburg County, shoppers can expect organic produce, local preserves (jam and honey), and homemade fare like salsas and granolas, including Beverly’s Gourmet Foods. Winter hours: Mon.-Sat. 7 a.m.-7 p.m., Sun. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. 1515 Harding Pl.

Bundle up and stop by these Charlottearea farmers markets for seasonal fare all winter long. From kale to honey to baked goods — you’ll find something perfect for a cold winter’s day.

CHARLOTTE REGIONAL FARMERS MARKET

SOUTH END FARMERS MARKET

Known for its farm-fresh meats, goat’s milk cheeses and beauty products, baked goods, and assorted jams and jellies, this longtime market is a must-see and do. Open Wed.-Sun. 8 a.m.-5 p.m. 1801 Yorkmont Rd.

Go early and get your pick of winter produce, handmade pierogies, specialty teas and other customer favorites. South End Farmers Market is open 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturdays at Atherton Mill. 2000 South Blvd.

MATTHEWS COMMUNITY FARMERS’ MARKET

This market has variety with a lineup of nearly 50 vendors selling everything from baked goods, sauces and dog treats to meats and produce. Winter hours: Jan. 13-March 16, Saturdays 10 a.m.-noon. 300 S. Davidson St. SP

WIth live music and food trucks all season, the downtown Matthews market has become a community tradition. All products and produce (with the excep-

UPTOWN FARMERS MARKET tion of fish) are grown with 50 miles of Matthews. Winter hours (through April 6) are Saturdays 9-11 a.m. 188 N. Trade St., Matthews

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Restless musical energy THE MOVING SOUND OF BETA RADIO

by Wiley Cash | photographs by Mallory Cash

en Mabry, lead singer of the Wilmington-based, two-man band Beta Radio, was 8 years old the first time he was moved by music. “My mom gave me this old tape from my aunt’s church,” he says. “And it was some kind of gospel. I don’t even remember the name of it, but I remember feeling the movements of the music, and just knowing something was happening inside me.” That something kept happening to Ben, whether it was in response to Christian music, Pearl Jam, or the classic rock he listened to with his dad. As a teenager, while attending summer camp in the mountains, he met someone who responded to music the same way. It was Brent Holloman, a fellow Wilmingtonian Ben had never met before. “I remember Ben being this funny prankster,” Brent says, cracking a smile while recalling their time at camp. “He would carry around a spray bottle and walk up behind people, fake a sneeze, and then spray their necks.” “I just thought you were cool because you could play ‘Stairway to Heaven,’” Ben says. He laughs. “Brent was the first person I knew who was really good at guitar.” We’re standing in their studio high up in the art deco Murchison Building in downtown Wilmington. The room’s windows peer out on a gray day during a fall holiday weekend. Guitars and banjos are resting in their racks along one wall; a drum kit is set up nearby. Everywhere you look are scribbled scratches of songs, mementos 46 | SOUTHPARK

fans have sent, boxes of tea and snacks: the detritus of two old friends who’ve spent long hours making music together. After their friendship formed at summer camp, it continued when they returned home to Wilmington, and they began playing music together with Brent joining Ben’s band on bass. The band was all electric guitars and drums, but after practice Ben and Brent would get together to play acoustic, realizing their shared love for artists like Simon & Garfunkel. Nearly two decades later, Beta Radio is still primarily an acoustic guitar band, and with nine albums to their name and hundreds of millions of streams across various music platforms under their belt, it’s safe to say they are now the ones moving others with their music. Over the years, American Songwriter has claimed the band is “evoking serenity” with “orchestral experimentation” to “emit an incandescent optimism,” and The Vogue has written that their “lyrics and music carve out a space in your head and find a way to fit into your own cosmology.” The praise is both heady and ethereal, much like the band’s previous albums, many of which are dominated by a gorgeous, yet restless musical energy and lyrics that never quite settle on answers. That sense of struggle reflects the years of spiritual yearning Ben experienced as a younger man searching for answers during time in college and the military, and later during travels through Peru, Hawaii, Costa Rica and the desert Southwest. He was writing lyrics the whole time. “I think it was 2009 when he went to Hawaii and ended up getting inspired by something there,” Brent says. “He’d send me these

|creators of n.c.

a cappella voice memos of songs, and I would write the guitar parts. And then I went to Ireland and picked up the banjo, and when I came back we started adding banjo to a few of the songs. Soon we had five or six songs, and we thought, ‘Hey, these are pretty good. Maybe we should record them.’ And by the time we got into a studio we had seven or eight.” And then the real work began. The newly minted Beta Radio had official letterhead made, and they spent hours packaging CDs of their debut album, Seven Sisters, and sending them off to music blogs and magazines, hoping for reviews. They also submitted songs to the new streaming services, at the time dominated by Pandora, with Spotify’s reign soon to come. “Friends were telling us, ‘Hey, I heard your song the other day on some coffeehouse playlist,’” Brent, says. “And other people were saying, ‘I heard you on the Mumford & Sons channel.’” People weren’t just listening to Beta Radio on streaming services; they were hearing the band and immediately downloading their album. Over the next 10 years, Beta Radio released follow-up albums at a steady clip, all of them bolstered by the millions of times their songs were listened to on streaming services. Most bands have to tour voraciously in support of their records, but Beta Radio was able to stay home, working on new music. As the pandemic emerged in 2020, the band began writing and recording the songs that would end up on 2021’s Year of Love. Once the world went into lockdown, Ben’s geographic searching came to a standstill and forced him to investigate exactly what it was that he’d been looking for. The songs on that album are mystical explorations of various forms of love, the music often swelling into sonic walls of strings and guitars, marked by gorgeous, ethereal lines like “In my soul, there’s something I want to say.” These lyrics open the album, and they set the tone for its themes of the intangibility of love and the many ways we search for it while struggling to find the language to express it. If Year of Love is about searching for something — language, answers, love — 2024’s Waiting for the End to Come is about finding it. The songs feel urgent, tactile, narrative-driven and grounded in a

physical space. This album marks the first time Ben and Brent have co-written songs with others, and the experience of spending time in Nashville and sharing ideas with fellow songwriters brought them closer while elevating what they could do musically. The two kids from Wilmington who’d been moved by music found themselves moved once again. “There’s just no other way to say it: I began to vibrate,” Ben says of those days writing songs with Brent and others in Nashville. “Just like that guitar would if I were to strum it; I was vibrating because I was the energy.” “That whole week flew by,” Brent adds, “and it was like we were living on a high. It was the first time we co-wrote with other people, and it was the first time we were writing songs this quickly.” One song birthed from the co-writing experience is “This One’s Going to Hurt,” which will be released as the album’s first single this month. The line itself was written by a co-writer named Henry Brill, and its honesty and directness struck Ben. “I would never write that line,” he says, “but I love it because it’s an admission, it’s an acknowledgement. And in all the prior stuff — Year of Love, for example — so much of the music up to now was me knowing that I had something to say but being afraid to fully say it.” The three of us have left their studio space and taken the elevator down to Front Street. We’re sitting at a table inside Drift Coffee, where Ben and Brent regularly drop in for coffee during the week. I wonder if the people around us, most of them young hipsters wearing headphones and ear buds and no doubt streaming music, would be shocked to learn that a band who’s part of their regular streaming rotation is sitting so close by. As our conversation wraps up, I say goodbye and make my way back to the counter for a refill to-go. I happen to know the barista, so I tell him who I’ve been sitting with for the past hour. “Those guys are in Beta Radio?” he says. “Brent and Ben? They come in here all the time. I had no idea. I love that band.” Another person, moved by the music. SP Wiley Cash is the executive director of Literary Arts at UNC Asheville and the founder of This Is Working, an online community for writers. southparkmagazine.com | 47

B L I N D S | S H A D E S | S HUT TE R S | M OTO R IZATION

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|bookshelf

January books NOTABLE NEW RELEASES compiled by Sally Brewster

Diva by Daisy Goodwin In the glittering and ruthlessly competitive world of opera, Maria Callas was known simply as la divina: the divine one. With her glorious voice, instinctive flair for the dramatic and striking beauty, she was the toast of the grandest opera houses in the world. But her fame was hard-won: raised in Nazi-occupied Greece by a mother who mercilessly exploited her golden voice, she learned early in life to protect herself from those who would use her for their own ends. When she met the fabulously rich Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis, for the first time in her life she believed she’d found someone who saw the woman within the legendary soprano. She fell desperately in love. He introduced her to a life of unbelievable luxury, showering her with jewels and sojourns in the most fashionable international watering holes with celebrities like Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton and the Duke and Duchess of Windsor. And then suddenly, it was over. The international press announced that Aristotle Onassis would marry the most famous woman in the world, former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, leaving Maria to pick up the pieces. In this remarkable novel, Daisy Goodwin brings to life a woman whose extraordinary talent, unremitting drive and natural chic made her a legend. But it was only in confronting the heartbreak of losing the man she loved that Maria Callas found her true voice and went on to triumph. The Waters by Bonnie Jo Campbell On an island in the Great Massasauga Swamp — an area known as “The Waters” to the residents of nearby Whiteheart, Mich. — herbalist and eccentric Hermine “Herself” Zook has healed the local women of their ailments for generations. As stubborn as her tonics are powerful, Herself inspires reverence and fear in the people of Whiteheart, even in her own three estranged daughters. The youngest — the beautiful, inscrutable and lazy Rose Thorn — has left her own daughter, 11-year-old Dorothy “Donkey” Zook, to grow up wild. Donkey spends her days searching for truths in the lush landscape and in her math books, waiting for her wayward mother and longing for a father, unaware that family secrets, passionate love and violent men will flood through the swamp and upend her idyllic childhood. Rage simmers below the surface of this divided community, and those on both sides of the divide have closed their doors against the enemy. The only bridge across the waters is Rose Thorn. With a “ruthless and precise eye for the details of the physical world” (Jane Smiley, New York Times Book Review), Bonnie Jo Campbell presents an elegant antidote to the dark side of masculinity, celebrating the resilience of nature and the brutality and sweetness of rural life.

The Curse of Pietro Houdini by Derek B. Miller August, 1943. Fourteen-yearold Massimo is all alone. Newly orphaned and fleeing from Rome after surviving the American bombing raid that killed his parents, Massimo is attacked by thugs and finds himself bloodied at the base of the Montecassino. It is there, in the Benedictine abbey’s shadow, that a charismatic and cryptic man calling himself Pietro Houdini, the self-proclaimed “Master Artist and confidante of the Vatican,” rescues Massimo and brings him up the mountain to serve as his assistant in preserving the treasures that lay within the monastery walls. But can Massimo believe what Pietro is saying, particularly when Massimo has secrets too? Who is this extraordinary man? When it becomes evident that Montecassino will soon become the front line in the war, Pietro Houdini and Massimo execute a plan to smuggle three priceless Titian paintings to safety down the mountain. They are joined by a nurse concealing a nefarious past, a café owner turned murderer, a wounded but chipper German soldier, and a pair of lovers along with their injured mule, Ferrari. Together they will lie, cheat, steal, fight, kill and sin their way through battlefields to survive, all while smuggling the Renaissance masterpieces and the bag full of ancient Greek gold they have rescued from the “safe keeping” of the Germans. The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins When Ruby McTavish Callahan Woodward Miller Kenmore dies, she’s not only North Carolina’s richest woman, she’s also its most notorious. The victim of a famous kidnapping as a child and a widow four times over, Ruby ruled the tiny town of Tavistock from Ashby House, her family’s estate high in the Blue Ridge southparkmagazine.com | 49

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|bookshelf

OUT WITH THE OLD

Mountains. But in the aftermath of her death, her adopted son, Camden, wants little to do with the house or the money — and even less to do with the surviving McTavishes. Instead, he rejects his inheritance, settling into a normal life as an English teacher in Colorado and marrying Jules, a woman just as eager to escape her own messy past. Ten years later, his uncle’s death pulls Cam and Jules back into the family fold at Ashby House. Its views are just as stunning as ever, its rooms just as elegant, but the legacy of Ruby is inescapable. And as Ashby House tightens its grip on Jules and Camden, questions about the infamous heiress come to light. Was there any truth to the persistent rumors following her disappearance as a girl? What really happened to those four husbands, who all died under mysterious circumstances? And why did she adopt Cam in the first place? Soon, Jules and Cam realize that an inheritance can entail far more than what’s written in a will — and that the bonds of family stretch far beyond the grave. Filterworld: How Algorithms Flattened Culture by Kyle Chayka From trendy restaurants to city grids, to TikTok and Netflix feeds the world round, algorithmic recommendations dictate our experiences and choices. The algorithm is present in the familiar neon signs and exposed brick of internet cafes, be it in Nairobi or Portland, and the skeletal, modern furniture of Airbnbs in cities big and small. Over the last decade, this network of mathematically determined decisions has taken over, almost unnoticed, informing the songs we listen to, the friends with whom we stay in touch, as we’ve grown increasingly accustomed to our insipid new normal. Kyle Chayka shows us how online and offline spaces alike have been engineered for seamless consumption, becoming a source of pervasive anxiety in the process. Users of technology have been forced to contend with data-driven equations that try to anticipate their desires — and often get them wrong. What results is a state of docility that allows tech companies to curtail human experiences — human lives — for profit. But to have our tastes, behaviors and emotions governed by computers, while convenient, does nothing short of call the very notion of free will into question. In Filterworld, Chayka traces this creeping, machine-guided curation as it infiltrates the furthest reaches of our digital, physical and psychological spaces. SP Sally Brewster is the proprietor of Park Road Books. 4139 Park Rd., parkroadbooks.com.

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S T R ETC H

your body & your experiences

On any given day, you’ll find a range of options to fuel your passions, meet new friends and enjoy a lifestyle rich with interesting and exciting educational and engaging programs. Learn more about our rental senior living community at TheBarclayatSouthPark.com or schedule a visit at 980.825.4211. I NDE P E NDE NT LI VI NG | ASSI STED LI V I NG | MEMORY S UPPORT S KIL LE D NURSI N G | R EHABI LI TATI O N A Life Plan Community offered by Liberty Senior Living

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|simple life

A welcome loss SOMETIMES LESS REALLY IS MORE. by Jim Dodson

poking yourself in the thigh or abdomen. It’s similar to the one advertised on television by the cheerful lady singing and dancing around a public fountain with the touring cast of Oklahoma! By helping your pancreas produce more insulin, thus lowering your blood sugar, the drug also can cause significant weight loss. To date, I’ve lost another 20 pounds on it, principally because it reduces your appetite for anything, which means you eat less and enjoy it more — or at least I do. While visiting my daughter in Los Angeles recently, I learned that this type of drug is in such high demand by Hollywood cosmetic surgeons and weight loss gurus, it’s being bought up by the case load and sold to their clients for as much as a thousand bucks per shot. Health authorities have expressed concern that this breakthrough treatment could result in people who really need it not being able to get it. Another report notes that experts speculate this drug may even have positive outcomes for treating alcoholism and depression. A wonder drug indeed. At a time when the FDA and makers of modern drugs and vaccines are often under attack, it’s encouraging to think how many ordinary people on this troubled planet may live longer and enjoy a better quality of life because of what modern medical science can do.

ILLUSTRATION BY GERRY O�NEILL

t the end of 2022, I decided I was going to give myself either a new left knee or lose 30 pounds before the end of 2023. Well, miraculously, I managed to do both. I actually dropped 50 pounds and discovered that my formerly dodgy knee works just fine, almost good as new. No replacement needed. In the most well-fed nation on Earth, losing weight seems to be our truest national pastime. There’s no big secret to how I managed to accomplish the feat: the old-fashioned way. I simply ate less of everything I thought I couldn’t live without — ice cream, real ale, double cheeseburgers, crusty French bread, pizza, jelly beans, diet soda and my talented baker-wife’s insanely delicious pies, cakes and cookies. To my surprise, once I cut back, my craving for them diminished. I also walked more and drank enough water each day to fill a small bathtub. The first 25 pounds came off quickly. Then, in early summer, my family doctor suggested I go on a new wonder drug intended for borderline and Type 2 diabetics, a disease I inherited a few years back from my dad and sweet Southern grandma. The new drug is a weekly injection you take via an EpiPen-like device by

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|simple life This undoubtedly explains why Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman — the two Perelman School of Medicine professors at the University of Pennsylvania who developed the modified mRNA molecule that allowed biotechs Pfizer and Moderna to mass produce therapeutic Covid vaccines — received a Nobel Prize this year. Millions of folks are alive today — and probably will be tomorrow — because of their work. Those of us who are old enough to remember the scourge of polio and how it terrorized domestic American life can only marvel at this Age of Misinformation and the plague of conspiracy theories that seem to accompany every public happening these days. To this day, I still think about a sweet girl named Laurie Jones who sat behind me in Miss Brown’s fifth-grade class. She wore her Girl Scout uniform every Wednesday for her after-school scout meetings. Laurie’s thin legs needed braces as a result of battling polio since the third grade, but she had the sunniest personality of any kid I knew. I sometimes walked with Laurie to her school bus to help her get safely onboard. She told me she planned to become a nurse someday. One day, Laurie Jones didn’t come to school. Miss Brown tearfully informed us that Laurie had passed away. A short time later, the entire school lined up in the auditorium to take a sugar cube

dosed with the latest Salk vaccine. It was the week before school let out for Christmas. They played Christmas music and gave us cupcakes and little hand-clickers labeled “K-O Polio.” Funnily enough, my dad was on the advertising team that came up with the plan to promote the new vaccine in public schools across North Carolina. Those hand-clickers drove parents and teachers across the state nuts for months. Thanks to modern science and my own desire to have less of me to love, losing a quarter of my body weight has been a blessing. I’m off blood pressure medicine and my sugar count is perfectly normal. I haven’t physically felt this good since I was driving my own mother nuts with the K-O Polio clickers. I really have only one silly problem now. None of my old pants fit. Losing four pant sizes makes me look like Charlie Chaplin minus the top hat and cane. Until several pairs of new jeans and khaki trousers arrive, I shall uncomplainingly do as T.S. Eliot’s J. Alfred Prufrock did as he walked through the evening dusk of a town filled with memories. I grow old . . . I grow old . . . I shall wear the bottoms of my trousers rolled. At unexpected moments, I still think about sweet Laurie Jones, wishing I could have said goodbye. SP Jim Dodson is a New York Times bestselling author in Greensboro.

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Join us as we continue our Journey as Charlotte’s Premier Senior Living Experts!

And One More To Grow On! Life Plan Community

Aldersgate Wins Charlotte Observer’s Best of Charlotte (Again) in Five Categories: Thanks to everyone who voted for Aldersgate for the 2023 Best of Charlotte awards. This is the sixth year in a row that Aldersgate, a non-profit Life Plan Community, located in East Charlotte, has taken home top awards in multiple categories. While we take pride in our achievements as a long-standing community partner, these awards show our residents are the real winners here. For over 75 years, Aldersgate has set the standard for vibrant senior living. Join us as we look forward to what the next 75 years will be! Located on hundreds of acres, Aldersgate is a 62+ entrance-fee, non-profit community that offers a variety of living options and amenities, including multiple dining venues, an indoor pool, salon and spa, wood shop, dog park, greenhouse, wooded trails, and a host of engagement opportunities. Plus, we offer a top-rated, full continuum of care.

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If you’re interested in learning more about our community, services or employment opportunities, please visit AldersgateLiving.org or call (704) 774-4044.

|well + wise

A clean slate HERE’S A RESOLUTION: PRIORITIZE YOUR MENTAL HEALTH. by Juliet Lam Kuehnle

s the calendar flips to a new year, many of us use this as an opportunity to set New Year’s resolutions. These resolutions tend to be aimed at self-improvement in some way and are often somewhat lofty goals. We see the first of the year as a clean slate, which will surely yield new motivation and commitment. According to Forbes, as of 2022 around 40-50% of people in the U.S. make New Year’s resolutions, yet only about 8-12% of people achieve their goals. The most common resolutions tend to include physical health-related goals (i.e. exercise more, lose weight), financial goals (i.e. save money, reduce debt), and personal development goals (i.e. learn a new skill, read more). Let’s start with considering the pros of setting New Year’s resolutions: • Goal setting can increase motivation. • If we stick to our goals, we experience increased self-efficacy. • Resolutions can lead to structured self-reflection. This introspection can help us better understand our needs. Cons of setting New Year’s resolutions: • There is a tendency to set unrealistic expectations that can then lead to feelings of failure. • Perfectionism can be fueled, as resolutions encourage all-or-nothing thinking: “If I don’t meet this goal, I have failed.” • Resolutions promote a short-term focus since it’s hard to maintain them throughout the year, causing a cycle of disappointment and self-doubt. • There tends to be an overemphasis on external validation as resolutions tend to be about meeting external societal standards or goals aligned with values that aren’t actually our own. Since so few people succeed in following through with resolutions and there are potential negative consequences to our mental health, I’d like to explore a different approach this January. Instead of setting rigid resolutions, I invite you to figure out what it could look like to prioritize your mental health and well-being, making it a central theme for your entire year (and life!). By focusing on mental health — without the constraints of resolutions — you can cultivate a healthier and more balanced well-being. This is an invitation to consider more realistic, individualized, values-aligned adjustments to your daily life that come from a gentler approach and are therefore more sustainable. Mental health is our emotional, psychological and social well-being. It is how we relate to the world and in the world and influences how we think, feel and act. By prioritizing our mental health, we can improve our resilience and our ability to tolerate distress, and we can maintain healthier relationships with ourselves and others.

Rather than viewing mental health as something to address only when problems arise, we need to learn to take a proactive approach. We need to do this in a way that makes taking care of our mental health a daily priority, not just saved for January or an upcoming Monday. This requires a commitment to ourselves, over and over again. Here are some tips to do just that: 1. Learn to take the time to reflect on your mental and emotional health by asking self-reflective questions like: How am I really feeling? What aspects of my life are causing me stress or anxiety? Are there any unresolved or unexpressed emotions that I’m carrying? 2. Focus on the process, rather than any particular outcome. For example, many New Year’s resolutions tend to be about weight loss (and other goals steeped in diet culture). Perhaps what you’re really after is incorporating more movement into your daily life. When you understand the “goal” as the intention to move your body in a way that feels intuitive, fun and meaningful, you’re more likely to stick to consistent physical activity. 3. Dedicate time to activities that nurture and nourish your mind, body and soul. For some, that might mean practicing daily meditation; for others, it might mean enjoying a soothing cup of herbal tea at the end of a busy day. Self-care is an investment in your mental well-being and is not just to be practiced when you’re already overwhelmed, stressed or burned out. Learn to proactively engage in daily acts that fill you up and help you recharge. 4. Work to improve self-awareness by learning to pay attention to what’s going on in the present, rather than living on autopilot or spinning out and worrying about the future. This is mindfulness, really, but there are many ways to practice paying attention to the present on purpose (try using your five senses when you brush your teeth tonight!). The intention is to learn to observe your thoughts and feelings so that you then understand that you have agency over how to cope with them. Making mental health a central focus every day, rather than some drastic resolution for the new year, will set you up for long-lasting benefits. It’s not resolutions we need — it’s a commitment to our mental health. SP Juliet Kuehnle is the owner and a therapist at Sun Counseling and Wellness. southparkmagazine.com | 57

ON VIEW THROUGH FEBRUARY 25 MINT MUSEUM UPTOWN AT LEVINE CENTER FOR THE ARTS

The Art of Seating: 200 Years of American Design is generously presented by PNC Bank. Additional individual support is kindly provided by Sarah G. Cooper, Lucy and Hooper Hardison, and Kati and Chris Small. The Mint Museum is supported, in part, by the Infusion Fund and its donors as well as by the North Carolina Arts Council. IMAGE: Roy Fox Lichtenstein (1923–97), Graphicstudio, University of South Florida (United States, 1968–), Beeken Parsons (United States, 1983–). Brushstroke Chair and Ottoman, 1986–88, laminated white birch veneer, paint, clear varnish. Collection of the Thomas H. and Diane DeMell Jacobsen Ph.D. Foundation. L2023.63.4a-b © Estate of Roy Lichtenstein Mint Museum Uptown at Levine Center for the Arts | 500 South Tryon Street, Charlotte, NC 28202 | 704.337.2000 | mintmuseum.org | @themintmuseum

SPRING ARTS PREVIEW

PHOTOGRAPH BY THEIK SMITH

You’ll laugh, you’ll cry… 20 REASONS TO GET YOURSELF TO A THEATER OR MUSEUM DURING THE FIRST HALF OF 2024 | by Page Leggett

Dance Theater of Harlem: Company Artists Kouadio Davis and Alexandra Hutchinson in Higher Ground

here’s a lot of funny business happening in Charlotte over the next six months. Comedians Nate Bargatze, Hasan Minhaj and Mike Birbiglia will be making stops in the Queen City. So will Stephen Kellogg, a singer-songwriter who’s added stand-up comic to his resume. And since life is all about balance, we’ll have a number of opportunities for a good, cathartic cry. Have hankies ready for QC Concerts’ Parade, Opera Carolina’s Madame Butterfly, Charlotte Ballet’s Swan Lake and Theatre Charlotte’s Next to Normal. Between the laughter and tears, we’ll be treated to spectacular dance, groundbreaking theater, crafts so remarkable they can be considered fine art. And there’s music — classical, jazz, country, Celtic and show tunes — to satisfy every taste. Baby, it’s cold outside. But there are plenty of reasons not to hibernate this winter. Here are 20 of our favorites — plus an innovative new concert series bringing music into the community.

January

Craft Across Continents: Contemporary Japanese and Western Objects — The Lassiter/Ferraro Collection, presented by The Mint Museum, through May 5 The exhibition, which opened in December, features about 60 works from artists in the U.S., Europe and Japan — all from the private collection of Lorne Lassiter and Gary Ferraro, Charlotteans with twin passions for fine craft and collecting. Lassiter previously served as executive director of the Founders’ Circle, an affiliate of The Mint, and as vice president of the American Craft Council. Ferraro is a retired professor of cultural anthropology at UNC Charlotte. The collection tells the story of their global travels and the decades they’ve spent visiting artists’ studios and building friendships with them. The couple say they collect “for the fun of

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PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY THE MINT MUSEUM

SPRING ARTS PREVIEW

Craft Across Continents at The Mint Museum: Tanabe Mitsuko 田辺光子 (Japanese, 1944–). Heart, 2016, bamboo. Promised Gift of Lorne Lassiter and Gary Ferraro.

it,” but that belies their extensive knowledge of contemporary craft. Mint Museum Uptown, 500 S. Tryon St. Admission to the Mint is $15 for adult non-members and free every Wednesday from 5 to 9 p.m. mintmuseum.org

of late-night hosts, including Jimmy Fallon, Conan O’Brien, Seth Meyers and James Corden, and he’s performed live for the troops in Iraq and Kuwait. Spectrum Center, 333 E. Trade St. Ticket prices may fluctuate and start at about $50. ticketmaster.com

School House Rock Live! Children’s Theatre of Charlotte, Jan. 13-28

Stephen Kellogg: Stories, Songs and Comedy, Jan. 23

Tom’s alarm clock rings, and he’s instantly nervous about his first day of teaching. He turns on the TV to get his mind off his jitters and is surprised when the voices in his head come to life as characters in the TV set. Those characters help Tom see what a great teacher he is. The show is for ages 5 and up. If you were a kid in the ‘70s, don’t miss Adult Night (Jan. 13), which is complete with a singalong, beer and wine prior to the show, and post-show treats in the lobby. Imaginon, 300 E. 7th St. Tickets start at $17.10. ctcharlotte.org

Nate Bargatze: The Be Funny Tour, Jan. 14 How popular is comedian (and noted nice guy) Nate Bargatze? So popular that a second show has been added to his Charlotte stop. The pride of Old Hickory, Tenn., recently broke the attendance record at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville when more than 19,000 fans saw him live. He managed the same feat at The Delta Center in Salt Lake City, where more than 32,500 fans were in the audience. Hailed as “The Nicest Man in Stand-Up” by The Atlantic, the comedian achieved another level of fame when he hosted “Saturday Night Live” in October. He invokes his father, a former clown-turned-magician, frequently in his act; his debut album was called Yelled at by a Clown. Bargatze’s Netflix specials have been critical and popular successes, as was his one-hour special, “Nate Bargatze: Hello World,” on Amazon Prime. He’s also a favorite

If Nate Bargatze is comedy’s nice guy, Stephen Kellogg is the music industry’s equivalent. The roots rocker describes himself on his YouTube channel as a “family guy, storyteller, song chaser, speaker, writer, entertainer, musician (in that order).” For more than two decades, the singer-songwriter, guitarist, TEDx speaker and standup comic has been wowing audiences through songs and stories. He’s been called “a first-class songwriter with a poet’s gift for fresh imagery” (Planet Bluegrass). And Rolling Stone described him as “John Prine fronting the Heartbreakers.” Now you can call him an author, too. His Objects in the Mirror: Thoughts on a Perfect Life from an Imperfect Person was published last year. This is a seated show, but seats are available on a first-come, first-seated basis. The Evening Muse, 3227 N. Davidson St. Tickets are $35-$40. eveningmuse.com

Madame Butterfly, presented by Opera Carolina, Jan. 25, 27 and 28 It’s been 12 years since Opera Carolina last staged Puccini’s enduring Madame Butterfly. The heartbreaking story, based on real people and events, follows Cio-Cio San, a Japanese girl who falls in love with an American naval officer. To say the pair was star-crossed is putting it mildly. Butterfly has all the elements you’d expect in one of the world’s best-loved operas — a soaring score, a story of a great love that’s doomed and, of course, a dramatic death. Soprano Hui He is the titular lead — a role she’s world-famous for southparkmagazine.com | 61

FEB. 13-18

BELK THEATER AT BLUMENTHAL PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

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SPRING ARTS PREVIEW playing. Likewise, tenor Jonathan Kaufman has built his reputation, in part, on his portrayal of her love, Pinkerton. Belk Theater, 130 N. Tryon St. Tickets start at $22.44. carolinatix.org

A.J. Croce Presents Croce Plays Croce 50th Anniversary Tour, Jan. 30 Singer-songwriter A.J. Croce was not yet 2 when his dad — already a folk legend — was killed in a plane crash. And though Jim Croce was just 30 when he died, he had written and recorded a lifetime’s worth of songs that still resonate deeply. His son is a talented singer-songwriter in his own right, but on this tour, he’s honoring his father’s legacy with songs such as “Time in a Bottle” (which the elder Croce wrote for his infant son), “Operator,” “Bad, Bad Leroy Brown” and “I’ll Have to Say I Love You in a Song.” A virtuoso piano player, A.J. has performed on The Late Show, The Tonight Show and The Today Show, and he’s toured with Willie Nelson; Earth, Wind & Fire; and B.B. King. He has a connection to our region through a 2018 Goodyear commercial featuring Kannapolis native Dale Earnhardt Jr. in which A.J. covered his dad’s 1973 hit, “I Got a Name.” Knight Theater, 430 S. Tryon St. Tickets start at $49.50. carolinatix.org

February

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY BECHTLER MUSEUM OF MODERN ART

Confederates, presented by Three Bone Theatre, Feb. 9-24

Black classical ballet company was founded in 1969 by Arthur Mitchell and Karel Shook. Shortly after Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated, Mitchell felt called to start a school to offer dance instruction to children — especially those in Harlem, his birthplace. Now in its sixth decade, it’s a legendary institution with a global reach. The 18-member, multi-ethnic company’s repertoire includes both classics and groundbreaking contemporary works. A gala reception will be held prior to the Feb. 10 performance. Belk Theater, 130 N. Tryon St. Tickets start at $29.50. carolinatix.org.

Hildur Ásgeirsdóttir Jónsson: Infinite Space, Sublime Horizons, presented by the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, Feb. 17 – June 2 Born and raised in Reykjavik, Hildur Ásgeirsdóttir Jónsson divides her time between Cleveland and Iceland. She earned a BFA and MFA from Kent State University, and her work blends drawing, painting and weaving and results in art — most notably, landscapes — that straddles the line between abstraction and representation. Organized by the Frederick R. Weisman Museum of Art at Pepperdine University, this exhibition features 45 works — many never before seen publicly — including large-scale “paintings” created on a loom and smaller watercolors and drawings. This show represents Jónsson’s first solo museum exhibition in the U.S. in nearly a decade. Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, 420 S. Tryon St. Free with museum admission, which is $9 for adults. bechtler.org

Fresh off their successful November run of The Lehman Trilogy, which saw multiple sold-out shows, Three Bone begins 2024 with the 2019 Edgerton Foundation New Play Award honoree. Confederates tells the stories of two women living parallel lives over a century apart. Sara is an enslaved rebel-turned-Union-spy, and Sandra is a tenured professor at a modern-day university. Both experience institutional racism. From MacArthur Fellow Dominique Morisseau, the work jumps back and forth in time to explore the lives of these two Black women as well as the racial and gender bias still at play in America today. Morisseau, who also wrote Detroit ’67, which Theatre Charlotte staged last May, has won a Drama Desk Award, two Obie Awards and a Steinberg Playwright Award. Donna Marie McMillan, founder and artistic director of TOASTCO, a theater company in Stockton, Calif., will direct. Due to adult language, partial nudity, adult themes and depictions of anti-Black and anti-female violence, this play is recommended for ages 16 and up. Despite its serious subject matter, Confederates manages to be laugh-out-loud funny. The Arts Factory at West End Studios, 1545 W. Trade St. Ticket prices weren’t determined at press time. threebonetheatre.com

Dance Theatre of Harlem, part of the Gantt Golden Year celebration, Feb. 9 and 10 The Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture celebrates its 50th anniversary all year long. One of the most thrilling events on the calendar is this production, held in partnership with Blumenthal Performing Arts. The world’s first southparkmagazine.com | 63

SPRING ARTS PREVIEW A Night of Jazz with Arts+ featuring Adrian Crutchfield, Feb. 27

PHOTOGRAPH BY MATTHEW MURPHY

Before Adrian Crutchfield played sax with Lionel Richie, Bette Midler and Anthony Hamilton, he was a student at Charlotte’s Arts+. The self-proclaimed “saxiest man alive” also played with Prince, whom he considered a mentor and friend. Crutchfield showed musical promise at a tender age. At just 4 years old, he was at a concert in Roanoke, Va., when the headliner noticed his enthusiasm, stopped the show and invited him on stage. The musician was so impressed, he gave the prodigy one of his own saxes. That artist? None other than Kenny G. It was an auspicious beginning for neo-soul superstar Crutchfield, who’d go on to hone his musicianship at Arts+, then known as Community School of the Arts. The nonprofit has been sparking creativity in Charlotte youth — and now, adults — for more than 50 years. Middle C Jazz, 300 S. Brevard St. Tickets for this fundraiser start at $100 and are available at artsplus.org/event.

March

Moulin Rouge! The Musical, presented by Blumenthal Performing Arts, March 19-31 Baz Luhrmann, who directed and co-created the over-thetop film Moulin Rouge! (2001), turned over the reins when his brainchild became a musical. Tony Award-winning Alex Timbers brought Luhrmann’s fever dream to wondrous life on a Broadway stage, which barely contains the extravagance. “I knew I wasn’t the right person to reinterpret something I made years ago,” Luhrmann wrote. “I feared I might be inclined to protect every choice … made in the original … as if it were somehow sacred, but that is the antithesis of art … So, I made the conscious decision to hand the work over and, instead of being the birther, to become something of an uncle to the project.” At the Moulin Rouge, barely-scraping-by Bohemians mingle with looking-for-a-good-time aristocrats. At Paris’ most decadent cabaret, they’re all just bon vivants savor-

The cast of the North American Tour of Moulin Rouge! The Musical southparkmagazine.com | 65

WOLF KAHN Remembering Wolf On View Through March 2

RIVERRUN, 2007, Pastel on Paper, 22 x 30 inches

Wolf Kahn (1927-2020) touched thousands of lives as a friend, teacher, patron and brilliant colorist. He doggedly explored the infinite possibilities found in the landscape before him or conjured from his splendid imagination.

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TICKETS ON SALE AT ETIX.COM 66 | SOUTHPARK

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY CHARLOTTE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

SPRING ARTS PREVIEW CSO Roadshow (April 28, May 5 and 12, June 21) Our Charlotte Symphony Orchestra is hitting the road! In an innovative bit of programming, CSO is taking its new Stage on Wheels out into the community for free “drive-up” community concerts. The mobile concert series — a partnership with the city — features a customized 40-foot trailer that can accommodate 25 to 30 musicians. The inaugural season includes four performances from April through June in underinvested neighborhoods identified as Corridors of Opportunity. The traveling musicians’ set list will be shaped by conversations between the symphony and the communities hosting the performances. Each program will be tailored to the neighborhood where the concert takes place. “A traveling concert series is the kind of unique and engaging initiative that I’m proud Charlotte residents will experience,” said Mayor Vi Lyles in a press release. “CSO Roadshow will bring the joy of music to the center of our

ing music, dance, Champagne (and absinthe, occasionally). The musical won a whopping 10 Tony Awards, including the coveted statue for Best Musical. And the songs? Naturally, a musical known for glorious excess is packed with them. There’s Nelly’s “Ride Wit Me,” Talking Heads’ “Burning Down the House,” Beyonce’s “Single Ladies,” P!nk’s “Raise Your Glass,” Elton John’s “Your Song,” Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep” and — the opening number, Labelle’s “Lady Marmalade.” And many more. “Come What May” (yet another song from the musical), don’t miss this. Belk Theater, 130 N. Tryon St. Tickets start at $35. carolinatix.org

Natalie MacMaster & Donnell Leahy at the Gambrell Center, March 23. Fiddle virtuosos Natalie MacMaster (who’s recorded with Yo-Yo Ma and toured with The Chieftains) and Donnell Leahy met as teens and are now husband and wife as well as musical collaborators. The couple will bring a bit o’ Ireland (by way of Cape Breton, Nova Scotia) to the Queen City in an evening of Celtic music, dance and stories. (It’s an appropriate way to celebrate a belated St. Paddy’s Day.) MacMaster is also a step dancer and an Order of Canada recipient who’s won two JUNO Awards (the Canadian equivalent of a Grammy), multiple East Coast Music Awards and a Grammy nod. Leahy, known for his high-energy performances, is widely recognized as one of the best fiddlers in the world. As they often do, the couple will share the stage with their seven talented children, the youngest of whom isn’t even in elementary school yet. Sandra Levine Theatre at the Sarah Belk Gambrell Center for Arts and Civic Engagement, Queens University of Charlotte, 2319 Wellesley Ave. Tickets start at $28 and are available at arts.queens.edu or 704-3372466 ext. 1.

community.” Look for six more performances this fall. The first appearance will be at the Latin American Coalition, 4938 Central Ave. Visit charlottesymphony.org/csoroadshow for details.

May

Swan Lake, presented by Charlotte Ballet, May 3 – 12 If someone told you Charlotte Ballet had never performed Swan Lake, you’d probably think they were misinformed. And yet, this production marks the first time the longtime ballet company — the oldest in the state — has staged what’s arguably the world’s most famous ballet. The story has its roots in Russian and German folk tales: A sorcerer’s curse turns Princess Odette into a swan. Can the love of Prince Siegfried, who falls for Odette, reverse the hex? No spoilers here. Ib Andersen, Ballet Arizona’s artistic director who was accepted into the School of the Royal Danish Ballet at 7 and became the company’s principal dancer at 20, has based his choreography on that of Marius Petipa, considered “the father of classical ballet.” The splendor you witness on stage will be matched by the splendor you hear; the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra is playing Tchaikovsky’s exquisite score. Knight Theater, 430 S. Tryon St. Tickets start at $30. carolinatix.org

Sarah Jarosz, Polaroid Lovers Tour, May 8 Singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Sarah Jarosz released her debut album, Song Up In Her Head, when she was just 18. The native Texan was a child phenom who began playing mandolin at age 10 and, soon after, took up guitar and banjo. Since her debut album, she’s put out five additional studio albums, earned 10 Grammy nominations and won four. She’s toured with fellow Americana darling Sara Watkins (of Nickel Creek) and Garrison Keillor of “Prairie Home Companion.” Jarosz’s latest album, Polaroid Lovers (out Jan. 26), examines life’s ephemeral moments. “What southparkmagazine.com | 67

SPRING ARTS PREVIEW

PHOTOGRAPH BY SHERVIN LAINEZ

Using humor, candor and a powerful pop-rock score, writer Tom Kitt and lyricist and book writer Brian Yorkey take on depression, grief, suicide, addiction and America’s upper-middle-class penchant for keeping up appearances. Next to Normal reveals the lengths some parents will go to try to keep life, in the aftermath of a tragedy, normal. Or as close as possible. Billy Ensley (whom theater lovers may know for playing Hedwig at Actor’s Theatre of Charlotte) directs the last play of Theatre Charlotte’s 96th season. Theatre Charlotte, 501 Queens Rd. Tickets from $15 (student) to $32 (adult). theatrecharlotte.org

Hasan Minhaj: Off With His Head, presented by Blumenthal Performing Arts, May 16

I love about a Polaroid is that it’s capturing something so fleeting, but at the same time it makes that moment last forever,” she said. Neighborhood Theatre, 511 E. 36th St. Tickets start at $35. neighborhoodtheatre.com

Holst’s The Planets, Charlotte Symphony Orchestra, May 17-18 CSO closes out the season with a real barnburner. The seven-movement orchestral suite by Gustav Holst grew out of the composer’s fascination with astrology. It took Holst three years to complete his masterwork. He wrote the first movement (Mars) in early 1914 and didn’t finish the orchestration until 1917. Each movement of the suite is named for a planet. Our own planet isn’t featured, and Pluto hadn’t yet been discovered, which is just as well, since it was later demoted. In the final movement, the orchestra is generally joined by a wordless female chorus, usually situated offstage. The entire program is celestially inspired. Greenville, N.C., native Caroline Shaw’s The Observatory and CSO cellist Jeremy Lamb’s A Ride on ’Oumuamua, inspired by the first known interstellar object to travel our solar system, round out the evening. (Shaw won the 2013 Pulitzer Prize for music for her a cappella Partita for 8 Voices.) William Eddins, former music director of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, conducts. Belk Theater, 130 N. Tryon St. Tickets start at $22. charlottesymphony.org

Next to Normal, presented by Theatre Charlotte, May 10 – 26 In the 2010 Pulitzer Prize-winning drama, a suburban family grapples with a crisis and the capriciousness of the mother’s bipolar disorder. The musical, which opened on Broadway in 2009, was nominated for 11 Tony Awards and won three: Best Original Score, Best Orchestration and Best Actress in a Musical for Alice Ripley.

Hasan Minhaj — stand-up comic, improv artist, political satirist — is unafraid to take on sensitive topics. He talks about politics, therapy and infertility with keen insight and irreverence. Minhaj, who majored in political science at UC Davis, was a senior correspondent on “The Daily Show” and headlined the 2017 White House Correspondents’ Dinner. (An honor that, in previous years, went to Bob Hope, Frank Sinatra, Richard Pryor, George Carlin and Stephen Colbert, among others.) He’s a two-time Peabody Award-winning comedian beloved for his Netflix specials, “Homecoming King” and “The King’s Jester” and the Netflix satirical series, “Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj,” which won an Emmy and a Peabody. In 2019, TIME magazine named Minhaj one of the 100 most influential people in the world. Knight Theater, 430 S. Tryon St. Tickets start at $49.50. carolinatix.org

Tim McGraw: Standing Room Only, May 17 In a career spanning more than three decades, three-time Grammy Award-winning Tim McGraw has earned a reputation for putting on high-energy live shows. Expect a big, lavish production; McGraw’s greatest hits (“Live Like You Were Dying,” “I Like It, I Love It”); and songs from his most recent album — his 17th — Standing Room Only. But don’t expect pyrotechnics; McGraw has said, “I’m not a big pyro guy. I’m scared to death … I move around all over the place and sure enough I’ll be standing right over one of those things when it goes off. We don’t need that. I’d light my a** on fire.” McGraw has sold more than 90 million records worldwide; won 21 Academy of Country Music Awards and 14 Country Music Association Awards; and added “actor” to his resume in 2004 when he joined the cast of “Friday Night Lights.” More recently, he’s been in “Yellowstone” and “1883.” Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter Carly “Every Little Thing” Pearce opens. Spectrum Center, 333 E. Trade St. Ticket prices fluctuate but start at around $40. ticketmaster.com

Parade, presented by QC Concerts, May 18-19 Against a backdrop of religious intolerance, social injustice and racial strife, Parade explores the evils of prejudice and the redemptive power of love. In 1913, Leo Frank, a Brooklyn-raised Jewish man managing a pencil factory in Georgia is tried for the murder of southparkmagazine.com | 69

SPRING ARTS PREVIEW Mary Phagan, a 13-year-old factory worker. A corrupt prosecutor, an antisemitic journalist and a janitor’s false testimony help seal Leo’s fate, although he’d already been considered guilty by nearly everyone around him. Gov. John Slaton and Leo’s wife, Lucille, are the only people who believe in his innocence. If it all seems eerily vivid, it’s because it’s based on a true — and tragic — story. With a book by Alfred Uhry (Driving Miss Daisy) and a score by Jason Robert Brown (The Last Five Years, Bridges of Madison County), the musical, which premiered on Broadway in 1998, examines a dark chapter in American history. The recent Broadway redux, starring Dear Evan Hansen’s Ben Platt and The Cher Show’s Micaela Diamond, won the 2023 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical. QC Concerts Founder Zachary Tarlton serves as both director and music director. Michael Hough conducts the “concert-style” production: Don’t expect an elaborate set or costumes. Do expect incredible music. Booth Playhouse at Blumenthal Performing Arts. Tickets start at $18. qcconcerts.com

June

Mike Birbiglia, Please Stop the Ride, presented by Blumenthal Performing Arts, June 26

known for mining his personal life for its comedic value. After getting his start as an intern on Conan O’Brien’s show, he gained worldwide fame that’s taken him everywhere from the Sydney Opera House to New York’s Carnegie Hall. His solo shows — Sleepwalk With Me, My Girlfriend’s Boyfriend, Thank God For Jokes and The New One (about his baby) — had successful runs on and off Broadway. As an actor, Birbiglia has appeared in Trainwreck, The Fault in Our Stars, A Man Called Otto and Taylor Swift’s music video for “Anti-Hero.” His book, Sleepwalk with Me and Other Painfully True Stories, was a New York Times bestseller. He sold out an 85-performance Broadway run of The Old Man and the Pool. His current tour, which began last November, is regularly selling out, too. Knight Theater, 430 S. Tryon St. Tickets start at $39. carolinatix.org SP

NOTE: The concert for Grammy-winning Americana-country singer-songwriter Rosanne Cash — originally scheduled for Dec. 8, 2023 (and listed on our Fall Arts Preview) — was rescheduled. Cash will perform at 7:30 p.m. on April 6 at the Gambrell Center at Queens University of Charlotte. Tickets start at $52. queens.edu/arts

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2023 Awards

Residential Kitchen $175,000 to $250,000 – Val Collective

Entire House $500,000 to $750,000 – ReVision Design/Remodeling

Residential Landscape Design/Outdoor Living Over $250,000 – Alair™ Charlotte

Residential Addition Over $500,000 – Keen Building Company

Residential Interior Over $500,000 – Simonini Homes

CONGRATULATIONS to all the 2023 NARI CotY Award Winners 72 | SOUTHPARK

THE WINNERS The National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) Charlotte Chapter announced the winners of the 2023 CotY (Contractor of the Year) Awards on November 11. An independent panel of judges from

across the country reviewed submissions to select the winners. Award-winning projects are listed below and are featured on the NARI of Greater Charlotte Chapter’s website at naricharlotte.com/2023-coty.

1. Residential Kitchen Under $100,000 Turner Contracting Services with team member The Marble & Stone Shop

6. Residential Bath $70,000 to $150,000 DGK Design + Build with team member The Tile Shop

2. Residential Kitchen $100,000 to $175,000 DiFabion Remodeling with team member Harkey Tile & Stone

7. Residential Bath Over $150,000 ReVision Design/Remodeling with team member Ferguson

3. Residential Kitchen $175,000 to $250,000 Val Collective

8. Residential Interior Under $100,000 ReVision Design/Remodeling

4. Residential Kitchen over $250,000 Omnia Construction Group

9. Residential Interior $100,000 to $250,000 Omnia Construction Group

5. Residential Bath under $70,000 ReVision Design/Remodeling

10. Residential Interior $250,000 to $500,000 DiFabion Remodeling with team member Harkey Tile & Stone

TELL ME ABOUT YOUR PROJECT! We are a full-service architecture firm, specializing in residential architecture. We are passionate about helping homeowners build their dreams.

NARI 2023 AWARDS Residential Addition $250,000-$500,000: Springdale General Contracting Design with Alison Hall Architect Residential Exterior $100,001-$200,000: Hansen’s Renovations with Alison Hall Architect and IDE Structural Engineers We are fortunate to have the opportunity to work with incredible clients and business partners in the Charlotte area. Most of our clients come to us through personal recommendations, which we consider the greatest compliment. Our longtime relationships with local construction firms, engineers, interior designers and others in the industry allow us to create beautiful spaces for our clients and provide an exceptional experience from start to finish.

alisonhallarchitect.com southparkmagazine.com | 73

Residential Historical Renovation Over $250,000 – Hopedale Builders

11. Residential Interior Over $500,000 Simonini Homes 12. Residential Addition Under $250,000 DiFabion Remodeling with team members IDE Structural Engineers and The Marble & Stone Shop 13. Residential Addition $250,000 to $500,000 Springdale Custom Builders 14. Residential Addition Over $500,000 Keen Building Company 15. Residential Exterior $100,000 to $200,000 Hansen’s Renovations with team members Alison Hall Architect and IDE Structural Engineers 16. Residential Exterior Over $200,000 Andrew Roby, Inc. with team members IDE Structural Engineers and Pinnacle Roofing & Exteriors 17. Residential Detached Structure DGK Design + Build 18. Entire House $250,000 to $500,000 DiFabion Remodeling with team members The Marble & Stone Shop, IDE Structural Engineers and Alison Hall Architect

Commercial Interior – Andrew Roby, Inc.

22. Commercial Interior Andrew Roby, Inc. with team member Roby Services 23. Commercial Exterior Andrew Roby, Inc. with team member Roby Services 24. Landscape Design and Outdoor Living Over $250,000 Alair™ Charlotte with team member IDE Structural Engineers 25. Basement $100,000 to $250,000 Hansen’s Renovations with team members Harkey Tile & Stone, Baxter Cabinets and Andronx 26. Residential Architectural Design Under 500 Square Feet Charlotte In-Vironments with team member The Art of Stone 27. Residential Architectural Design Over 500 Square Feet TIE: Anne Buresh Interior Design TIE: Charlotte In-Vironments with team member Queen City Audio Video & Appliances

19. Entire House $500,000 to $750,000 ReVision Design/Remodeling with team members Cosentino and Ferguson

PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARDS

20. Residential Historical Renovation Under $250,000 Simonini Homes with team member Harkey Tile & Stone

Bath: DGK Design + Build

21. Residential Historical Renovation Over $250,000 Hopedale Builders with team member Harkey Tile & Stone

Exterior: Alair™ Charlotte

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Kitchen: Val Collective Interior: Alair™ Charlotte Specialty Project: Andrew Roby, Inc. Architectural Design: Charlotte In-Vironments, Inc.

Congratulations TO ALL OF THE 2023 COTY AWARD WINNERS AND ALL OF OUR GREAT PARTNERS

Residential Exterior $100,000 to $200,000 Hansen’s Renovations with Alison Hall Architect & IDE Structural Engineers Basement $100,000 to $250,000 Hansen’s Renovations with Harkey Tile and Stone, Baxter Cabinets & Andronx Construction Co. 4715 Park Road Charlotte, NC 28209 | 704-408-4840 | hansensrenovations.com

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Ranch renaissance INTERIOR DESIGNER ANNE PEARSON HAMMETT REVITALIZES A FOXCROFT HOME WITH SOPHISTICATED ENGLISH COTTAGE-MEETS-MIDCENTURY RANCH STYLE. by Catherine Ruth Kelly | photographs by Dustin and Susie Peck

This page: Lenten roses from the yard adorn a round wooden inlay table. Opposite: A collection of artwork by Georgia artist Catherine Booker Jones welcomes guests in the entry hall. Decorative lampshades from Heritage adorn the console table, with Pottery Barn woven baskets sitting beneath.

hen two former New Yorkers and their young son moved into a sprawling ranch house in Charlotte’s Foxcroft neighborhood, they knew they would need some guidance in making it feel like home. “It’s an original ranch-style house with five additions over time,” explains the homeowner. “It’s updated but very rambling, so we needed someone to make it feel fresh and comfortable and meet our family’s needs.” The homeowners called Anne Pearson Hammett of Anne Pearson Design to take the reins. They had consulted Hammett to help with some finishing touches on their first Charlotte home in Dilworth and entrusted her to work her magic in their new abode. southparkmagazine.com | 77

Floral wallpaper by William Morris covers the walls in the powder room. Custom reeded cabinetry is painted a cheerful green to complement the walls.

“Anne figured out what I like way before I knew my own tastes,” the homeowner shares. “She has total confidence in what she does, and we completely trust her — it was fun to watch her vision come to life in this house.” The updates began with some cosmetic redos, such as painting walls and kitchen cabinets, refinishing floors, and replacing hardware and light fixtures. The homeowners had seen photographs of a Connecticut country house that served as inspiration for the makeover. “They wanted the home to feel warm and inviting and wanted more color than their previous home, which was very cool and gray,” says Hammett, who began her interior design career in 2008. “They gave me a lot of freedom, allowing me to create an eclectic space that feels like English cottage-meets-midcentury ranch.” Hammett transformed what was originally the formal living room into an office for a chic and comfortable 78 | SOUTHPARK

Hammett created a colorful and comfortable sitting area in the family room by layering a variety of furniture and fabric styles. The floor lamp and ottoman were in the homeowners’ previous home, but the rest of the furniture was newly acquired.

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Vintage accessories are displayed on the dining room sideboard, topped with a wooden mirror from India that Hammett found on Etsy.

work-from-home space that doubles as a cozy gathering area for family and friends. The natural, nubby texture of the grasscloth wallpaper and the soft cantaloupe color of the newly constructed cabinets provide a serene ambience as well as a stylish backdrop for video conference calls. Above the custom coral velvet settee hangs a dark blue modern painting, offering an unexpected, masculine contrast. “I work in finance and wanted my office to be feminine but not girly, and Anne achieved the perfect balance,” the homeowner says. The family room features built-in shelves, which the homeowners filled with books to create a library-like setting. Hammett, following their cues, procured casual, comfortable furniture to offer ample seating for curling up with a book or watching television. She found a pair of midcentury-modern wooden chairs from Classic Attic, a local consignment store, and had them recovered, then rounded out the vignette with a more traditional English-style sofa and duo of upholstered arm chairs. The blue, green and golden hues of the fabrics are a soothing and classic color scheme. 80 | SOUTHPARK

Opposite page: Abstract art by George Reid adds modern flair to the rustic wooden furnishings in the dining room. Thibaut grasscloth wallpaper envelops the room.

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A Visual Comfort lantern hangs above the breakfast table by Dovetail. Fresh flowers fill a spongeware pitcher Hammett purchased on Etsy. Rattan chairs are from Red Egg.

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In the small office, walls are swathed in a blue and cream grasscloth by Peter Dunham. Hammett purchased the vintage chair at HamiltonStuart in Charlotte.

“Our jumping-off point was the pillow fabric on the armchairs,” reflects Hammett. “It felt organic and imperfect and was the inspiration for the family room and dining room color palettes.” A rich green grasscloth wraps the walls of the dining room, complementing the jewel tones of the family room. Hammett cleverly combined new and old pieces, incorporating the homeowners’ existing traditional sideboard and modern dining table alongside newly acquired woven chairs made of synthetic rush and a wood inlay mirror she found on Etsy. The varying textures and finishes of the woods are earthy and natural, offering a relaxing and inviting area for entertaining. “It is a little funky with some unexpected, some traditional,” the homeowner says. “It’s the perfect mix.” The mix continues in the breakfast room, where Hammett pairs rattan chairs from Red Egg with a farmhouse table that served as the homeowner’s desk in her previous home. The chair cushions are covered in a faux leather southparkmagazine.com | 83

that is wipeable and easy to clean. Above the table, the generously sized lantern by Visual Comfort has an antique finish yet a decidedly modern vibe. “I don’t feel like I am bragging when I say how great my house looks because I didn’t do it — it was all Anne,” says the homeowner. “She is an artist — my house was her canvas, and she brought a vision to life that was inspired by us.” SP The soft color palette of the homeowner’s office creates a serene work environment and chic gathering space. A custom settee anchors the sitting area, which is centered around a woven table by Made Goods. Abstract art by Caleb Mahoney offers an unexpected pop of color.

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Spiritfree NONALCOHOLIC LIBATIONS GAIN GREATER FAVOR AS ADULT BEVERAGES OF CHOICE — OUT ON THE TOWN AND AT HOME. by Michael J. Solender

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grew by more than 7% across 10 key global markets, surpassing $11 billion in market value. This is up from $8 billion in 2018, according to beverage industry analyst IWSR (International Wine & Spirit Research) and reported by Forbes.

SOPHISTICATED OPTIONS

The pattern accelerated locally as Covid abated in late 2022, according to Tamu Curtis, founder of The Cocktailery, a beverage lifestyle shop in South End. Curtis says during the peak of the pandemic and extended home stays, alcohol consumption was up. But over the last 18 months, she’s seen a dramatic increase in demand for alternatives — both low-alcohol and nonalcoholic options. Interest is so great, she’s added an entire alcohol-free section at her Atherton Mill shop. “People want more sophisticated drinks beyond cranberry juice and soda,” Curtis says. “My customers were searching for products they’d researched online and asking for them by name. Initially, I was not quick to embrace this and was a bit resistant. Now, I see this is more than a trend — it’s a movement and is continuing to grow.” And why not? The market is responding with a broad palette of

PHOTOGRAPH BY PETER TAYLOR

hen Sarah Hosseini attends cultural events around Charlotte, she enjoys a libation or two, but typically sans alcohol. While Hosseini, 39, an English professor at Central Piedmont Community College, does not completely abstain from alcohol, she likes being in the moment and fully engaged in social situations, without any extra encouragement. “When out socially, especially at events that celebrate creativity, I prefer mocktails or nonalcoholic beverages just to be as present as possible,” Hosseini says. “During Covid, I reevaluated how I wanted to be more present and how I wanted to be healthier. I looked at alcohol [consumption] patterns for myself and made the decision to reduce drinking. One way to do that is to not drink when I go out to events.” Hosseini’s approach to scaling back is representative of a trend that’s exploding well beyond “Sober October” and “Dry January” resets — one that’s gaining traction year-round. Hospitality and beverage-industry experts supplying restaurants, lounges, event venues and home markets have identified a steep rise in sales of zero-proof spirits, wine and beer, and an expanding variety of nonalcoholic alternatives. In 2022, sales of no- and low-alcohol beverages

Nonalcoholic beverages at Restaurant Constance

PHOTOGRAPH BY POP ROCK PHOTOGRAPHY

Chef David Burke enjoys a Faux & Falcon

nuanced choices and flavor profiles, from zero-proof rum, gin, vodka and whiskey that directly mimic the taste of spirits in mocktails to a category of adaptogens — herb-infused root- and plant-based beverages. These libations claim health benefits from increased energy and mood enhancement to aiding digestion and stress management. “There’s a lot of variety to be discovered,” Curtis says. “And just as much opportunity to innovate when creating layers of flavor where people won’t miss the joy of having a cocktail in social situations. There are endless options for people to enjoy smoky, sweet, bitter, sour or dry drinks — without alcohol. And when served a drink in a pretty glass, the sometimes social stigma of not drinking when out with friends is avoided.” Offering a variety of beverage selections to ensure all guests are attended to is also a smart business decision. Celebrity chef and serial restaurateur David Burke’s newest Charlotte eatery, The Fox & Falcon in SouthPark, has several specially crafted alcohol-free mocktails on the menu, as well as zero-proof sparklers and wine. “We saw this (preference for nonalcoholic drinks) trending even before Covid,” Burke says. “Guests want something in front of them that looks and tastes special. They want a delicious beverage they

can’t get at home or from a can. We adapt, accommodate and make people feel comfortable. We’ve had restaurants in Saudi Arabia where the entire beverage menu is nonalcoholic and learned a lot doing business there.” Burke says he looks to his local restaurant teams to craft specialty drinks of their own. “Mixologists are getting creative. We see more sophisticated drinks that aren’t simply fruit juice and soda,” he says. “The alcohol heat in a cocktail can be replaced with ingredients like jalapeno or black pepper. Drinking vinegars yield an adult beverage that is not too sweet. These are sipping drinks, not gulping drinks.” One of many specialty mocktails created by the Charlotte team is the Faux & Falcon. The modern libation is made with Seedlip Spice 94 (an aromatic blend of allspice, cardamom and fresh citrus), ginger beer, and nonalcoholic red wine syrup.

MORE THAN AN AFTERTHOUGHT

“Every guest should have the opportunity to enjoy their time with us, regardless of their personal preferences or dietary restrictions,” says Morgan Styers, mixologist and lead bartender at Merchant & Trade, the rooftop lounge at uptown’s Kimpton Tryon southparkmagazine.com | 87

Tamu Curtis of The Cocktailery

The Cocktailery

Park Hotel. “We believe that a good beverage program expands beyond ABV (alcohol by volume). Spirit-free cocktails should take as much time, care and effort as any other beverage offering,” Styers says. “I think the mark of a good bartender is if someone comes asking for a zero-proof beverage, they can produce a drink that’s beautifully crafted, providing interesting and balanced flavors. Our team is well-equipped to deliver on this.” Styers says the most popular mocktail on their spirit-free menu is the Madame Blueberry. The drink features Ritual Zero Proof rum, blueberries, fresh lemon, local honey, aquafaba (an egg-white substitute) and sparkling water. “It’s been a big hit,” Styers says. “The drink is bright, sweet and refreshing.” For Charlotte chef Sam Diminich, the creative talent behind 88 | SOUTHPARK

Restaurant Constance and the Your Farms Your Table Restaurant Group, alcohol-free offerings on the menu represent an important part of his personal journey to sobriety. “It’s an extension,” says Diminich, who has been public with his struggle with alcoholism. “Recovery should be celebrated and accepted by society, not met with suspicion or apathy. When I decided to open a restaurant, I knew if I was going to do this, it would have to help change our current norms and help shape a sustainable future for the industry. This is part of my overall plan.” Diminich doesn’t use the term “mocktail” in conversation or on menus, as there are no synthetic or mock spirits in the nonalcoholic beverages served at Restaurant Constance. What guests find here are drinks such as the Moonlight Mile, made with yuzu, spring ber-

CONSTANCE PHOTOS BY PETER TAYLOR

Chef Sam Diminich of Restaurant Constance

ries and lemongrass, and the Ain’t Life Grand, featuring cucumber, agua fresca, mint and ginger.

A DIVERSE DRY BAR

Spirit-free options are expanding at event spaces in the Queen City as well, with Charlotte’s grand dame, the Duke Mansion, leading the way with one of the city’s first dry bars. The inn and popular event venue introduced its dry bar last spring, featuring a variety of zero-proof cocktails, sparklers and craft beer from Be Refreshed Beverage Co. Alcohol-free drinks include a mojito infused with spearmint and peppermint and a floral IPA with notes of tropical fruit and citrus. “There’s a high level of demand for mocktails and nonalcoholic options from our clients,” says Kelli Taddonio, the Duke Mansion’s director of sales and events. “And the interest shown is experienced nationally by my peers in the event-planning space.” Taddonio says the dry bar is here to stay at the Duke Mansion, which hosts many social and corporate events and weddings. “The Dry Bar has proven very popular and is a great option for our guests.”

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With a collective nod to health, wellness and social change, Charlotte’s drinking landscape is evolving. Hosseini, the English professor, has discovered she’s rarely alone in enjoying an alcohol-free beverage when out socially. “Many of my friends are right there with me,” she says. “It helps that many Charlotte establishments have several artisanal beverages. The mocktail situation in many places in town is very elevated. I ask for a fancy glass. My experience is enhanced, and it feels special.” SP

The Madame Blueberry at Merchant & Trade

ESPRESSO NONTINI

a mocktail recipe from Tamu Curtis of The Cocktailery Ingredients: 1 1/2 ounces Seedlip Spice 94 1 ounce chilled espresso 3/4 ounce coffee syrup 3 coffee beans, for garnish Cocoa powder, for garnish Directions: Add the first three ingredients in a shaker filled with ice and shake until chilled. Serve “up” into your cocktail class. Garnish with coffee beans and sprinkle with cocoa powder.

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KOMBUCHA CARRIES ON At South End’s popular Lenny Boy Brewing Co. taproom, visitors can enjoy craft beer, cider and hard seltzer — or one of several nonalcoholic organic kombuchas. “We’ve always been welcoming to folks who choose not to drink alcohol, or may prefer to have a single beer and then switch over to our kombucha,” says Lenny Boy founder Townes Mozer. In fact, Lenny Boy was started in 2011 as a kombucha business first and later expanded into beer. Mozer has noticed a shift to higher kombucha sales versus beer since coming out of the pandemic, both off-premise (Lenny Boy is available at retailers like Harris Teeter and Whole Foods in 19 eastern states) and in the taproom. “There’s definitely a health benefit and the trend toward less alcohol consumption when people go out,” Mozer says. “Kombucha is a functional beverage. It adds more than basic nutritional value for consumers. Ours is fermented for 30 days, has B vitamins, probiotics, amino acids and more than 100 different strains of lactobacillus, which is known to aid digestion and benefit the gut biome.”

WHAT’S THAT YOU’RE DRINKING?? In 2016, Cleveland County farmer Jamie Swofford of Old North Farm was approached by his pals at Charlotte’s Free Range Brewing to create a nonalcoholic beverage the NoDa brewery could offer in its taproom. The request sent Swofford down a rabbit hole of beverage research that resulted in the creation of Old North Shrub. The award-winning Shelby business makes drinking vinegars, known in bar parlance as fruit- and vinegar-based shrubs. In concentrated form, shrubs are often used as mixers. When mixed with carbonated water, the resulting sparkler is a standalone, refreshing cooler. “I thought it was interesting and cool, especially as I don’t drink,” Swofford says. “I found information on vinegar-based

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Flavors here include Good Ol’ Ginger, Lavenderade and Lost Rose. There’s always something new in the taproom, where a minimum of six nonalcoholic kombuchas are on tap at any given time.

beverages dating back to Roman times with poscas (herb-infused vinegar-based drinks given to soldiers) and in early American times before refrigeration. Then, they found ways of preserving fruit and covering it with sugar and old wine and kept it in jars.” Swofford says Old North Farm’s focus is on ingredients that are “of this place” — North Carolina agriculture. He uses ingredients that are wild and growing though the seasons. “We came up with the right ratio of water to our concentrate for serving on tap,” Swofford says. “We did a hibiscus and muscadine shrub that became known as State Grape.” That shrub won national recognition through the Good Food Foundation, receiving a Good Food Award in 2023. The organization honors food artisans and craftspeople making authentic, sustainable and ethically conscious products. In addition to State Grape, Old North flavors include Two in the Bush (strawberry, chamomile and lemon verbena) and The Pink Lady (apple cider, organic apple cider vinegar, apple molasses, ginger, spicebush berry and bay laurel). The shrubs remain on tap at Free Range, and are bottled and sold online and at retail shops including The Culture Shop in Charlotte and the Pickled Peach in Davidson.

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY SAINT LUCIA TOURISM AUTHORITY

CARIBBEAN CALLING

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he decorations are down, the guests are gone — and the gray season is upon us. While we’re generally blessed with mild winters here in the Carolinas, January and February can be downright depressing. Thankfully, it’s high season in the tropics. And with more than a dozen nonstop flights from Charlotte to Caribbean destinations, escaping the wintertime blues is a cinch. From a mega-resort in the Bahamas to a boutique getaway in St. Lucia — along with exploring the rich heritage and diverse landscape of Puerto Rico — we highlight three distinct locales, plus one popular attraction. Even if you’re not able to get away just yet, give yourself something to look forward to this spring or summer — a tropical island getaway is always a good idea.

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ST. LUCIA

HIKING THE PITONS, A CHAMPAGNE ZIPLINE, VOLCANIC MUD BATHS AND BEACHFRONT DINING AWAIT. by Michelle Boudin Cap Maison Beach

t. Lucia is an island steeped in romanticism that honeymooners have been drawn to for decades. But even its history has a storybook flair: Locals say St. Lucia was colonized in the 1500s by a pirate named François Le Clerc, nicknamed “Jambe de Bois” because of his wooden leg. Over the years, the French, English and Dutch have all fought for control of this beautiful island that is just 27 miles long. Since 1979, St. Lucia has been an independent member of the British Commonwealth, but it is still very much a cultural melting pot with competing influences that only add to its allure. The island’s mantra is “let her inspire you,” and it’s easy to see why. From the Pitons — the twin volcanic spires that call to adventure seekers — to the lush jungles and beautiful beaches, there is much to be inspired by in St. Lucia. Whether you’re looking to unplug and unwind or prefer an active vacation, there is plenty to explore on this gorgeous Caribbean island.

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PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY CAP MAISON RESORT AND SPA; SAINT LUCIA TOURISM AUTHORITY

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This page: Cap Maison Resort and Spa

PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY CAP MAISON RESORT AND SPA

EAT Rock Maison at Cap Maison Resort and Spa offers one of the most memorable waterfront sunset dining experiences anywhere. Champagne is delivered via zipline in a wicker basket to the cliffside deck built exclusively for private dining. The candlelit table overlooking the Caribbean Sea is large enough for a small group or family gathering, and equally perfect for a romantic dinner for two. To get to The Naked Fisherman Restaurant and Beach Bar you must pass through a secret door and down a few dozen steps. If the name alone doesn’t intrigue you, the setting and the food will. You know you’ve arrived when your feet hit the sand. Perfect for lunch, this beachfront café offers fresh fish, fun cocktails and an easy vibe with seating that ranges from beach loungers to tables overlooking the ocean just steps away. For top-notch local fare, head to Orlando’s Restaurant and Bar in Soufrière. Acclaimed chef and owner Orlando Satchell cooks up a true Caribbean dining experience with a prix-fixe menu of small plates made from fresh local ingredients in a cozy setting. Foodies will salivate over the taste and presentation of each dish, and everyone enjoys the personal touch of Chef Orlando, who makes a point to spend time getting to know each guest.

PLAY Hiking the Pitons, the twin peaks that inspired the country’s beer of choice, has become so popular the St. Lucia Tourism Authority recently launched a new experience: the Three Peaks Challenge. The goal is to climb the Pitons (Gros is taller and easier; Petit is smaller but more challenging) and Mount Gimie, the island’s highest peak, during a single visit to the island. Be warned: This challenge is for experienced hikers only. If the southparkmagazine.com | 93

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challenge seems too daunting, there are still plenty of ways to enjoy the Pitons, including the Tet Paul Nature Trail, where you’ll find lots of perfect Instagram opportunities along a 45-minute guided hike. For a slightly less taxing adventure, you can ride ATVs through the countryside, zipline through the jungle, or go snorkeling in the Atlantic Ocean or Caribbean Sea. If relaxation is on your list, plan to soak in the volcanic mud baths at Sulphur Springs (and later wash off in the nearby waterfalls), take a tour of a working cocoa farm at Hotel Chocolat (and make your own chocolate bar), or golf at the newly opened Cabot Saint Lucia, a Coore & Crenshawdesigned course with stunning ocean views. “It could be one of the most beautiful golf courses on Earth,” Golf Digest proclaims. If you’re looking for nightlife, head to Rodney Bay for some club hopping.

STAY Cap Maison Resort and Spa (home to Rock Maison and The

Naked Fisherman) is a charming boutique hotel set on and around a private stretch of beach called Smugglers Cove. Recently chosen as one of Conde Nast Traveler’s Top 20 Caribbean resorts and named a Relais & Chateaux property, Cap Maison is a collection of suites and villas with two pools, including a centerpiece overlooking 94 | SOUTHPARK

the Caribbean Sea. The resort features a variety of accommodations, most with a terrace and a balcony, some with private pools, and the option for ocean, courtyard or garden views. Be sure to check out the Walk In Wine Cellar for tastings or a private dinner. For a more budget-friendly stay, Tet Rouge on the southern part of the island is near the Pitons and the volcanic baths of Soufriere and offers modest one-bedroom lofts (with kitchens) that are literally steps from the resort’s pool and swim-up bar. The six-suite resort is also set to debut three luxury villas in early 2024. Each villa will have two bedrooms and two bathrooms, a full kitchen, a private pool, and decks overlooking the Caribbean. Guests can enjoy the resort’s newly opened restaurant, Soley Kouche (which means “sunset” in Creole). The Mediterranean-inspired menu borrows concepts from St. Tropez, Miami and Sicily with an emphasis on local seafood, fruits and vegetables and will eventually feature a chocolate lab. Make sure to take advantage of the spa services, including an oatmeal scrub and banana leaf wrap under the St. Lucia sun on your own front porch. GETTING THERE: St. Lucia is a 4-hour, 23-minute nonstop flight from Charlotte.

PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY TET ROUGE

This page: Tet Rouge Resort

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BAHAMAS

CULTURE, CUISINE AND CONSERVATION FLOW WITH THE CRYSTALLINE CARIBBEAN WATERS AT THE HEART OF ROSEWOOD BAHA MAR. by Michael J. Solender

Rosewood Baha Mar

PHOTOGRAPH BY DURSTON SAYLOR

or many holiday seekers, vacation motivations often fall under the “escape from” or “escape to” categories. There’s no question where Bahamas Rosewood Baha Mar sits in this equation. Reasons to visit this dreamy hideaway are as numerous and varied as the aquamarine waves nudging the shoreline. Spanish for “shallow water” or “low tide,” the word bajamar is often cited as the source for the island country name, Bahamas. The symbolism of azure seas reflecting brilliant sunlight and sustaining island life is a cultural touchstone. Rosewood Baha Mar is the crown jewel of an expansive multibrand property spanning more than 1,000 acres along Nassau’s Cable Beach. Sister properties SLS Baha Mar and Grand Hyatt Baha Mar are also situated here — Rosewood is the smallest but most luxurious of the three. Operating as a resort within a resort with 238 rooms and suites, Rosewood delivers exclusivity and intimate, curated spaces where guests enjoy the ultimate luxury of choice. Guests here can customize their vacation precisely as they wish, with a myriad of amenities accessible to them. Here’s a sampling of what’s offered.

GET ACTIVE Rosewood’s private stretch of Cable Beach is what island dreams are made of. Attentive staff anticipate guests’ needs and are quick to install shade umbrellas, deliver thirsty beach towels, and adjust cushioned loungers and cabanas. No one goes hungry as island snacks from nearby Costa (Mexican-infused coastal fare) and treats from one of several beachside eateries (Da’ Poke Bowl Shack is a knockout) appear upon request. Those looking to balance mind and body find Flamingo Yoga a truly special workout — where one’s new friends are decidedly pink. Baha Mar’s coral ambassadors are unphased as guests practice flamingo poses, breathing techniques and mindfulness with the resort’s fitness staff. Families with kids in tow get up close and personal with the flock at a special Flamingo Experience where one-on-one feeding, “conversation,” and photo-ops with the leggy avians enthrall the little ones. Family-oriented wildlife encounters are also found at the resort’s Wildlife Sanctuary, where guests observe marine life (nurse sharks, stingrays and a giant green sea turtle) feedings and discover a large touch tank with starfish, mini rays, and a variety of conchs and sea urchins. southparkmagazine.com | 95

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CELEBRATE BAHAMIAN ART & CULTURE

Youngsters and the young-at-heart enjoy the recently opened Baha Bay luxury water park. There’s no less than 24 water slides, dueling “water coasters,” wave pools, a lazy tubing river, one-of-a-kind surf simulator, and plenty of splash zones to ensure everybody (who wants to) gets wet. Golfers get their game on at Royal Blue Golf Club. The Jack Nicklaus-designed course (the only one in the Bahamas) is a visual stunner, running alongside inland waterways and ringed by hundreds of indigenous palms and lush greenery. Guests can leave their sticks at home as the rentals here are the latest PXG GEN4 collection, high-tech 96 | SOUTHPARK

Bahamian art embraces guests at every turn at Baha Mar. A driving force behind creating this sense of place and in developing a cultural narrative beyond the beach is The Current Baha Mar Gallery and Art Center. “Our team curates Rosewood’s public space with contemporary Bahamian Art, yet many of the pieces tell a historical story and draw from Bahamian folklore” says John Cox, an artist, curator, and the executive director of arts and culture for Baha Mar. “We look to use our art to help open windows into broader and deeper understanding of our rich Bahamian culture.” Cox and his team lead weekly art tours throughout Rosewood, where dozens of original works are on view. Guests

PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY BAHA MAR

clubs likely to shave a few strokes off most games. For extra TLC, score a lesson with Georgette Rolle. The former LPGA player is the first female club head professional in the Bahamas and a swing-doctor extraordinaire. Rolle’s easy manner and holistic approach to the game translate for her students into actionable instruction with immediate returns. Baha Mar Racquet Club offers a comprehensive tennis program run by the renowned Cliff Drysdale Tennis team. Har-Tru clay and grass courts are available. Find post-workout Zen at Rosewood’s exclusive ESPA spa, where custom treatments incorporate natural, indigenous and sustainable ingredients in facials, massages, body and nail therapies.

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can engage in specialized art classes (woodblock printing, botanical leaf printing, landscape painting and others) at Current’s studio or have private lessons outdoors or at the site of their choosing. Two must visits are ECCHO, the resort’s museum-quality gallery featuring some of the Bahamas’ most talented contemporary artists and the adjacent Baha Mar Convention Center. Here, the permanent Fairwinds Exhibition features more than 350 works (sculpture, wood carvings, paintings, Junkanoo costumes and photography) to reveal important backstories and allow for a better understanding of ideologies, beliefs and lifestyles that have shaped the culture.

DINE With 45 food and beverage destinations throughout the greater resort, variety at Baha Mar leads to some difficult, albeit tasty, choices. It’s hard to beat a quiet morning breakfast at The Library, the bright and cheery botanical book-filled sunroom just off Rosewood’s lobby. Guests are welcomed with expertly pulled cappuccinos, freshly baked muffins, juices and made-to-order specialties (the ricotta pancakes are the bomb) that get the day off to a grand beginning. At afternoon high tea, a large collection of Bahamian-grown and cultivated bush teas command attention. For an early morning beach picnic, guests head to Café Madeline for authentic French pastries, croissants, egg dishes and breakfast sandwiches to go. There’s even New York-style bagels and schmears for deli fans. Choices get more difficult for dinner. Our hands-down favorite was Café Boulud, delivering contemporary French cuisine created with the freshest Caribbean ingredients. Renowned Chef Daniel

Boulud’s menu is inspired by four culinary muses — La Tradition, La Saison, La Mer and Le Voyage. Spot-on attentive service, an extensive wine list, and a sexy dining room ringed with Bahamian artwork make lingering over dessert a foregone conclusion. Marcus at Baha Mar Fish & Chop House embodies the playful spirit and vibe of celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson. This menu is made for sharing; Samuelsson’s Yard Bird (special fried chicken), cornbread, conch croquettes, and peas and rice fuel a down-home approach to family-style dining. Dine al fresco here, as the extra large beachside patio offers unspoiled ocean views.

NIGHTLIFE Baha Mar positively jumps when the sun goes down. The on-site casino is the largest in the Caribbean, with more than 100 live table games including blackjack, roulette, baccarat and craps. There are more than 1,100 slot machines and live race and sports betting. Bond nightclub, located inside SLS Baha Mar, rocks with sets from global DJs. Skybar, a rooftop venue, has roots extending to Los Angeles’ iconic Sunset Boulevard. There’s dynamite ocean views and an ultra-cool evening vibe. Live music nightly at the Jazz Bar offers great tunes and superior people-watching. Monkey Bar at the SLS Baha Mar lobby is where everyone always seems to end up for a nightcap. Getting there: Nassau is just a 2-hour-and-15-minute nonstop flight from Charlotte. Baha Mar is a 10-minute drive from the airport.

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PUERTO RICO ISLAND THRILLS: CHARLOTTE’S GATEWAY TO A CARIBBEAN VACATION

he warmth of Puerto Rico, its people and surroundings engulfs you about the same time you realize you’re on a Caribbean island and still in U.S. territory. Though there are many practical reasons to head to Puerto Rico — there’s no need for a passport or international cell service, and U.S. currency is accepted — it’s the island’s beauty and history that make it an ideal Caribbean destination for Americans. Each year begins with the San Sebastian Street Festival (SanSe) in Old San Juan; this year, it’s Jan. 18-21. Tourists and locals celebrate the culture and traditions of Puerto Rico’s heritage with art, food, music and dancing. But a visit anytime of the year affords access to Puerto Rico’s cities, beaches and mountains.

CITY LIFE An electric energy runs through the streets of San Juan. Founded in 1521, it’s the oldest city under the United States flag. Streetside tables are filled with patrons sipping piña coladas, the island’s national drink, and sampling em-

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PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY DISCOVER PUERTO RICO

by Vanessa Infanzon

travel Opposite: Old San Juan, top, and the pool at Condado Vanderbilt, below. This page: Old San Juan, left, and Condado Vanderbilt, below.

panadas. A stroll along Ashford Avenue, one of San Juan’s main thoroughfares, fills the senses, pulling guests into the excitement of the city. Condado Vanderbilt Hotel, a seaside luxury resort named the No. 1 hotel in Puerto Rico by Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards, is central to local attractions and minutes from Old San Juan. After a complimentary glass of champagne or a passion fruit mimosa upon checkin, guests are free to explore the beach and an infinity pool overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. Book a facial or massage at the spa, or enjoy poolside service while lounging on the deck. A variety of rooms — including connecting suites for larger parties — are available. Restaurants, such as 1919, the hotel’s premier fine dining experience under Michelin star-rated Executive Chef Juan José Cuevas, serve traditional Puerto Rican foods and various dishes featuring locally sourced ingredients. For a crash course on the area, walk the blue cobblestone-lined streets of Old San Juan with Flavors Food Tours. During the 90-minute, smallgroup guided food and history excursion, pay attention to the churches, landmarks and museums you pass along the way for an in-depth visit later in your trip. Old San Juan’s building designs complement the sweeping views of the ocean meeting the cityscape. One architectural marvel is Castillo San Felipe del Morro, a six-level fort built by the Spanish from the 1500s

to the late 1700s. Roam inside its walls while learning about centuries of military operations. Puerto Rico produces more than 70% of the rum sold in the United States. One of its three main distilleries, Casa Bacardi, is 30 minutes from San Juan. Bacardi’s rum tasting tour starts under the bat-shaped pavilion with a signature cocktail. Then, guests travel on an open-air trolley for two tastings and a guided history tour of the plant’s grounds.

COASTAL EXCURSIONS Traveling east from San Juan toward the Caribbean Sea lands visitors in several ecosystems, one being El Yunque National Forest, the only tropical rainforest in the U.S. National Forest System. The nearly 29,000-acre rainforest features an educational center, self-guided hiking trails and waterfalls. Nonprofit Para La Naturaleza leads 90-minute southparkmagazine.com | 99

travel

guided hikes through the rainforest, explaining the history of the area and pointing out the local flora and fauna, like Caracolus caracolla, the large snails clinging to the trees. Kayaking Puerto Rico provides an all-day adventure with hiking in the rainforest and an evening kayak tour in a bioluminescent bay. On the edge of the forest is Wyndham Grande Rio Mar, a seaside resort in Rio Grande, a town in northeast Puerto Rico. In the style of an 18th-century Spanish hacienda with grand staircases and candelabras, rooms and suites — some overlooking El Yunque or the Caribbean — are steps from the beach, restaurants, pools, cabanas and two championship golf courses. Roots, open for lunch and dinner, serves sandwiches, pizzas, poke bowls and salads. Roots on the Go and 5 O’Clock Somewhere offer casual dining with outdoor seating by the pool and gardens. The resort’s Mandara Spa boasts 11 treatment rooms for couples massage, facials, body scrubs and more. A redesigned casino will reopen later this year. Activities such as morning yoga, water polo and s’mores by the fire pit are open to guests. A children’s club will debut this year. Other excursions such as ATV, horseback riding, jet skis and kayak tours can be booked through the hotel.

Condado Vanderbilt

Thirty years ago, Kurt Legner founded Pomarrosa Coffee Lodge, a coffee farm perched atop the Cordillera Central mountain range about an hour north of the coastal city of Ponce. Most Saturdays, Legner leads a two-hour tour through the 8-acre farm. Guests enjoy banana bread made from bananas grown on property and, of course, coffee, while Legner weaves together tales of coffee history and island lore. During the second half of the tour, guests follow along a dirt and grass trail as Legner continues with his storytelling, encouraging guests to taste the red ripe coffee beans and pick a banana from the bunches growing just off the trail. Overnight guests can stay at one of the four villas on the farm. In this rustic setting, the simple furnishings, front porch views and mountain breeze can bring calm and peace to any city dweller. Thousands of coqui (tree frogs) whistle a lullaby into the night; the creatures’ mating sounds carry through the villas’ open windows. Each morning, Legner treats guests to Pomarrosa coffee and a full breakfast under a covered patio overlooking the mountain range. If you’re lucky, a coqui may join you. SP GETTING THERE: San Juan, Puerto Rico is a threehour nonstop flight from Charlotte via American Airlines.

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Wyndham Grande Rio Mar Pomarrosa Coffee Lodge

PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY DISCOVER PUERTO RICO; WYNDHAM GRAND RIO MAR

MOUNTAINTOPS

JAMAICA IT’S THE CLIMB: DUNN’S RIVER FALLS

hile cruising in the Caribbean last spring, my family and I booked an excursion to Dunn’s River Falls on our one-day stop in Jamaica. We heard the falls near Ocho Rios were an astounding sight — almost 200 feet high, descending to the sea in a stair-step fashion that is naturally carved by the current. Climbing these falls, which were featured in the James Bond movie Dr. No, and relaxing in the wading pools along the way are “bucket-list” activities that make Dunn’s Falls one of the most popular destinations on the island. I wasn’t sure if my then-7-year-old daughter would be up for the challenge as the cascading water rushed against her in full force. But our guide, and my husband, were determined to let her try. The climb is steep at times; the guide

leads the group in a “human chain,” one behind the other, calling out essential footholds and crevices to scale the falls successfully. The rocks are slippery, and water shoes are required (you can buy them at the entrance if you don’t have your own). Adventurers choose whether to start at the base of the falls or begin partway down at one of several access points on the path to the beach where the river meets the sea. Standing on the beach where the cool, fresh water of Dunn’s River hits the salty, bathlike warmth of the Caribbean Sea, your body comes alive with a tingly feeling as the different temperatures wash over you at the same time. In the end, my daughter conquered the falls and learned something new: Sometimes climbing against the current is not only satisfying — it’s also fun. — Krisha Chachra southparkmagazine.com | 101

SPONSORED SECTION 102 | SOUTHPARK

SENIOR

LIVING

Enjoy your ideal retirement at The Cypress Sitting on 65 lush acres in the heart of SouthPark, The Cypress is Charlotte’s premier Life Plan Community. With the feel of a high-end resort, The Cypress is a vibrant and welcoming retreat, offering superb amenities, great food, and countless opportunities to connect with interesting people. One of the best parts about The Cypress is stress-free home ownership. When you live here, you own your cottage or villa, yet none of the upkeep falls on your shoulders. You and your family enjoy the financial benefits of homeownership, while The Cypress handles all home maintenance. You won’t even have to change a light bulb! The health and well-being of our residents is a priority at The Cypress. Along with a comprehensive wellness program designed to fuel the ongoing fitness of the mind, body and spirit, every Cypress member — from the most independent to those requiring more advanced care — has access to the exceptional medical facilities and care on campus. Our recently expanded Stewart Health Center offers short-term rehabilitation, long-term care and memory care. The five-star rated, Medicare-certified facility features a new assisted-living neighborhood comprised of private rooms, as well as individual rooms for skilled nursing and memory care. Other highlights include restaurant-style dining and a state-of-the-art rehabilitation center. Come see how easy it is to love your life at The Cypress. Schedule a tour today, and learn about the unique opportunities to move to The Cypress this year. A small number of one- and two-bedroom residences are coming soon. Hurry to reserve yours.

3442 Cypress Club Drive, Charlotte, NC 28210 | 704.714.5500 | thecypressofcharlotte.com SOUTHPARK PARTNER

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SENIOR

LIVING

A new standard in luxury independent living In March 2024, Symphony Park will redefine luxury independent living. This exclusive community will offer a unique blend of comfort, style and service, tailored for those who seek the best in retirement living. Symphony Park features elegantly designed one- and two-bedroom luxury apartments. These suites boast high ceilings, large windows, full kitchens, and bathrooms with dual vanities and walk-in showers, offering a perfect balance of style and functionality.

An enriching, luxurious lifestyle designed for you The heart of Symphony Park is its 58,000-square-foot Grand Clubhouse — a three-story complex housing three distinctive restaurants, where expert chefs serve a variety of cuisines. The fine dining option on the third floor includes a private dining room, while all restaurants offer indoor and outdoor seating for an unparalleled dining experience. Residents also enjoy access to our private sports bar and our high-end cocktail lounge, both featuring their own special food and drink menus.

12221 Sam Furr Road, Huntersville, NC 28078 I 704.351.6404 I symphonyparkliving.com 104 | SOUTHPARK

SOUTHPARK PARTNER

The Grand Clubhouse offers endless amenities, including a demonstration kitchen, arts studio, game and billiard rooms, a movie theater, and a full-service salon and spa. For fitness enthusiasts, there is a well-equipped gym, a group fitness studio, and an indoor heated saltwater pool. Outdoor activities include pickleball, bocce ball and strolls through the beautifully landscaped grounds. For moments of quiet reflection, you’ll find several fireplaces, sitting areas, a library and a chapel. The complex also boasts a children’s play area and a dog park.

Your dream lifestyle becomes your home Symphony Park stands out by deviating from the traditional entry fee model. Instead, we provide a more forward-thinking rental model, eliminating the need for substantial upfront payments. This approach liberates your finances for more meaningful use, ensuring flexibility and peace of mind. At Symphony Park, luxury, innovation and experience converge to redefine independent living. We offer a distinct experience unlike any other option available. For our residents, this is more than just a visit; it’s a home in an oasis of luxury. We aim to cultivate an environment where every moment is infused with a sense of belonging. Living at Symphony Park, you will feel as if you are on an endless retreat, where the pleasures and comforts of upscale hospitality are a lasting experience. To schedule a private tour and reserve your spot on our priority partner list, contact our leasing consultants at 704.351.6404 or email us at info@symphonyparkliving.com. We are here to assist you in making a seamless transition to the lifestyle you deserve.

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SENIOR

LIVING

The Sharon at SouthPark: A new name, a long legacy The new year brings a new name for Sharon Towers, along with other exciting changes on our campus — all designed to continue our legacy of leading the way in residential living for those 60+ in Charlotte. Sharon Towers is now The Sharon at SouthPark, as we build toward a future that ensures our residents live with joy, purpose and well-being. Nestled in the heart of SouthPark, our 28-acre community recently opened The Deerwood, our largest residential building in 20 years featuring five state-of-the-art floor plans and an array of amenities. We’ve also created new, lush outdoor spaces, like idyllic gardens with water features and a half-acre community park for both residents and the community to enjoy. Our Weisiger Health Center has been transformed into a modern, light-filled residence for comprehensive, around-the-clock temporary or long-term nursing care. Spacious gathering areas provide plenty of room for visits with friends and family, ample terraces offer a place for residents to rejuvenate, and a full-service salon caters to residents’ needs. The new Hicks Wellness Clinic — open seven days a week — offers convenient healthcare just steps from residents’ doors. Beautiful renovations and additions to our dining areas provide residents with creative culinary choices for every mood and taste. Sample small plates in an intimate bar setting at Wolfe Bar & Lounge or enjoy casual, fresh fare at The Bistro. Dine indoors or out at the picturesque, full-service Overlook Dining Room & Terrace. And for special occasions, Allison’s offers fine dining in an elegant environment, along with chef’s pairings and wine tastings. It’s a new day at The Sharon at SouthPark, and we couldn’t be prouder to show you how we’ve grown. Contact us to learn more or arrange a personalized tour to witness our transformation yourself.

5100 Sharon Road, Charlotte, NC 28210 I 704.553.1670 I thesharon.org 106 | SOUTHPARK

SOUTHPARK PARTNER

SENIOR

LIVING

Engaging retirement living in the heart of SouthPark In and around SouthPark, you’ll find some of the most desirable places to live, work and play. In the middle of it all is The Barclay at SouthPark, a luxury non-entrance fee senior-living community. The Barclay offers elegant independent-living apartment homes, high-end amenities, distinctive dining options, concierge services, and an engaging lifestyle that emphasizes whole-person wellness. Life at The Barclay includes an abundance of services such as weekly cleaning, grounds maintenance/landscaping, concierge services and more. Your home also extends well beyond your apartment, thanks to a new partnership between Fairmeadows Swim & Racquet Club and Liberty Senior Living, where residents of The Barclay can access an impressive array of amenities at Fairmeadows, completely free of charge. Liberty Senior Living, the parent company of The Barclay, undertook a significant investment to revitalize Fairmeadows Swim & Racquet Club so that residents and their guests can revel in the club’s amenities without incurring additional costs. The refurbishment initiative encompassed a broad spectrum of facilities, catering to a diverse range of interests and preferences. Accessing Fairmeadows Swim & Racquet Club is easy. Linked by a handy pedestrian bridge located at the rear of The Barclay, the club’s facilities are incredibly convenient. Enjoy a spirited game of tennis or pickleball or take an invigorating dip in the outdoor pool. Relish moments of tranquility by the firepit, savor a delightful picnic under the gazebo or simply enjoy nature at its finest surrounded by plentiful trees. The collaboration between The Barclay and Fairmeadows Swim & Racquet Club epitomizes an innovative approach to upscale community living. It not only enhances the residential experience but also fosters a sense of community by encouraging social interactions and an active lifestyle. Learn more about retirement living to the fullest at The Barclay. Schedule a tour today!

4801 Barclay Downs Drive, Charlotte, NC 28210 | 980.825.4211 | barclayatsouthpark.com SOUTHPARK PARTNER

southparkmagazine.com | 107

Senior Living at Windsor Run gives you

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Gain a community filled with extraordinary benefits—at a value that may surprise you! We’re Southeast Charlotte’s premier destination for vibrant senior living. Here, you’ll enjoy more amenities, more services, and additional levels of care for more peace of mind.

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Does your house come with a professional chef? How about a fitness center and indoor pool? Here, you’ll dine on chef-prepared meals, enjoy dozens of clubs and activities, and experience amenities that a house just can’t offer.

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We’re bigger than one community. We’re part of a national network of communities managed by Erickson Senior Living® with nearly 40 years of experience serving the needs of seniors.

Call 1-866-462-6351 or visit

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North Carolina’s most respected doctors in 61 specialties are presented in this annual report published by SouthPark’s sister publication Business North Carolina. Those cited were selected by their peers with a goal of saluting the state’s leading medical practitioners. Methodology and disclaimer: This report was produced by DataJoe Research, a software and research company specializing in data collection and verification. The Lakewood, Colo.-based company conducts various nominations across the United States on behalf of publishers. To create the “Top Doctors” list, DataJoe facilitated an online peer-voting process, also referencing government sources. DataJoe then tallied the votes per category for each doctor to isolate the top nominees in each category. After collecting nominations and additional information, DataJoe checked and confirmed that each published winner had a current, active license status with the state regulatory board. If DataJoe was not able to find evidence of a doctor’s current, active registration with the state regulatory board, that doctor was excluded from the list. In addition, any doctor who has been disciplined, up to the time frame of DataJoe’s review process for an infraction by the state regulatory board, was excluded from the list. Finally, DataJoe presented the tallied result to the magazine for its final review and adjustments. We recognize that there are many good doctors who are

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not shown in this representative list. This is only a sampling of the huge array of talented professionals within the region. Inclusion in the list is based on the opinions of responding doctors in the region and the results of DataJoe’s research campaign. DataJoe takes time and energy to ensure fair voting, although we understand that the results of this survey nomination are not an objective metric. We certainly do not discount the fact that many, many good and effective doctors may not appear on the list. DataJoe uses best practices and exercises great care in assembling content for this list. DataJoe does not warrant that the data contained within the list are complete or accurate. DataJoe does not assume, and hereby disclaims, any liability to any person for any loss or damage caused by errors or omissions herein whether such errors or omissions result from negligence, accident or any other cause. All rights reserved. No commercial use of the information in this list may be made without written permission from DataJoe. For research/methodology questions, contact the research team at surveys@datajoe.com.

ADDICTION MEDICINE Stephanie Newby

Atrium Health Behavioral Health

CRITICAL CARE MEDICINE Charlotte

ALLERGY IMMUNOLOGY Caroline Hobbs

Atrium Health Allergy Asthma & Immunology

Charlotte

J. Gray Norris

Carolina Asthma & Allergy Center

Charlotte

Maeve O’Connor

Allergy Asthma & Immunology Relief

Charlotte

Vandana Patel

Carolina Asthma & Allergy Center

Gastonia

Ekta Shah

Atrium Health Allergy Asthma & Immunology

Charlotte

ANESTHESIOLOGY Katherine Nicholas

East Carolina Anesthesia Specialists

Gastonia

Farrukh Sair

Providence Anesthesiology Associates PA

Charlotte

CARDIOLOGY Michael David Elliott

Atrium Health Sanger Heart & Vascular Charlotte Institute Atrium Health Sanger Heart & Vascular Charlotte Institute

David Framm

Tryon Medical Partners

John W. Holshouser Daniel N. Koehler

Atrium Health Sanger Heart & Vascular Charlotte Institute Atrium Health Sanger Heart & Vascular Lincolnton Institute

K. Dale Owen Jr.

Tryon Medical Partners

Charlotte

Dermot Phelan

Atrium Health Sanger Heart & Vascular Institute Atrium Health Sanger Heart & Vascular Institute Atrium Health Sanger Heart & Vascular Institute Atrium Health Sanger Heart & Vascular Institute

Charlotte

Craig Clinard

Brian Douglas Powell Geoffrey Rose Jonathan Schwartz

Charlotte

Cheryl Russo Hadley Wilson

Bradley Davis Kevin Kasten

Justin Swartz

Charlotte

John Wynne

Atrium Health Pulmonary Critical Care

Charlotte

DERMATOLOGY April Atkins Boswell

Atlantic Dermatology

Charlotte

Marc Carruth

Carolina Skin Surgery Center

Charlotte

Meredith Dasher

Tryon Medical Partners

Charlotte

Hazem M. El-Gamal

Charlotte Dermatology

Charlotte

Jennifer Helton

Steele Creek Dermatology

Charlotte

Erin L. Hodges

Tryon Medical Partners

Charlotte

David Lane

Dermatologic Surgery of the Carolinas LLC

Charlotte

Martie L. Price

Tryon Medical Partners

Charlotte

Patricia K. Roddey

Tryon Medical Partners

Charlotte

DIAGNOSTIC RADIOLOGY

Charlotte

Michael Lavelle

Charlotte Radiology

Charlotte

James Oliver III

Charlotte Radiology

Charlotte

Amy H. Sobel

Charlotte Radiology

Charlotte

Charlotte Charlotte Concord Charlotte

EMERGENCY MEDICINE Bradley Lamar Anglemyer

Charlotte

Mid-Atlantic Emergency Medical Associates

Michael Gibbs Emily Champe MacNeill Daniel Jason Martinie Jason A. Mutch Erin Mancuso Smith

Charlotte Charlotte

Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center Mid-Atlantic Emergency Medical Associates Mid-Atlantic Emergency Medical Associates Mid-Atlantic Emergency Medical Associates

Charlotte Charlotte Charlotte Charlotte

Charlotte

ENDOCRINOLOGY DIABETES AND METABOLISM

Charlotte

D. Allen Brantley

Tryon Medical Partners

Charlotte

Kelli Coop Dunn

Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center

Charlotte

Adva Tal Eisenberg

Novant Health Endocrinology

Charlotte

Gary Rolband

Tryon Medical Partners

Charlotte

Ellen Shannon Story

Atrium Health Levine Cancer

Charlotte

Charles T. Upchurch Francisco E. Bautista Vitiello

Tryon Medical Partners

Charlotte

Tryon Medical Partners

Charlotte

COLON AND RECTAL SURGERY Atrium Health General & Complex Abdominal Surgery Atrium Health Gastroenterology and Hepatology

Charlotte

Atrium Health Jan & Ed Brown Center for Pulmonary Medicine

Charlotte

CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE Joseph D. Mishkin

Atrium Health Pulmonary Critical Care

Charlotte

Atrium Health Sanger Heart & Vascular Institute Atrium Health Sanger Heart & Vascular Institute Atrium Health Sanger Heart & Vascular Institute Atrium Health Sanger Heart & Vascular Institute

John M. Fedor

Charlotte

Charlotte Radiology

Jeffrey August Hagen

Atrium Health Sanger Heart & Vascular Institute Atrium Health Sanger Heart & Vascular Institute Atrium Health Sanger Heart & Vascular Institute Atrium Health Sanger Heart & Vascular Institute

Charlotte

Atrium Health Pulmonary Critical Care

Charlotte

Charlotte Radiology

Atrium Health Sanger Heart & Vascular Charlotte Institute

Larry Thomas Watts

Michael Wade Haley Alan Christopher Heffner Thomas Przybysz

Atrium Health Pulmonary Critical Care

Charlotte

John Childress

John Richards Frederick

Medhat Takla

Charlotte

Scott Hees

Charlotte

CARDIOTHORACIC SURGERY

Eric R. Skipper

Atrium Health Jan & Ed Brown Center

Benjamin Bringardner for Pulmonary Medicine Stephen George Atrium Health Pulmonology Cochran Douglas William Haden Atrium Health Pulmonary Critical Care

Charlotte Charlotte

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FAMILY MEDICINE Jenny Lee Chen

Atrium Health Primary Care Mint Hill Commons Family Medicine

Steven Lee Gilchrist

Novant Health Steelecroft Primary Care Charlotte

Milton Mark Hester

Charlotte

Lauren Bennett-Ale Hull

Novant Health Crown Point Family Physicians Atrium Health Primary Care Carmel Family Medicine

Melissa Jones

Priority Care

Charlotte

Michael McCartney

Tryon Medical Partners

Mint Hill

Lynnette M. Schiffern Kristin Elizabeth Wagner Eric L. Wallace

Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center Charlotte

Leslie T. Webster III

Surgical Specialists of Charlotte PA

Charlotte

Surgical Specialists of Charlotte PA

Matthews

Surgical Specialists of Charlotte PA

Charlotte

GYNECOLOGIC ONCOLOGY

Gastonia

Jubilee Brown

Atrium Health Levine Cancer

Charlotte

Novant Health Crown Point Family Marshall P. McMillan Physicians Benjamin James Novant Health Blakeney Family Physicians Missick Augustus Garland Novant Health Blakeney Family Physicians Parker Novant Health Lakeside Family Brent Douglas Penhall Physicians - Langtree

Charlotte

Erin K. Crane

Atrium Health Levine Cancer

Charlotte

Janelle Marie Fauci

Novant Health Cancer Institute

Charlotte

R. Naumann

Atrium Health Levine Cancer

Charlotte

Derek Reed

Gaston Family Practice

Gastonia

Benjamin Simmons

Atrium Health Primary Care Union Family Practice

Monroe

Caroline Dove Stephens

Piedmont Urology Associates

Belmont

Christopher Vieau

Atrium Health Primary Care Union Family Practice

Monroe

Craig White

Davidson Family Medicine

Davidson

Geoffrey Thomas Wrinkle

Atrium Health Primary Care Carmel Family Medicine

Charlotte

Brian Wysong

Gaston Family Practice

Gastonia

Charlotte Charlotte Mooresville

Erika Gordon Gantt

OrthoCarolina

Charlotte

Glenn Gaston

OrthoCarolina

Charlotte

John S. Gaul II

OrthoCarolina

Charlotte

Lois K. Osier

OrthoCarolina

Charlotte

Julie C. Woodside

OrthoCarolina - Gastonia

Gastonia

Edward A. Copelan

Atrium Health Levine Cancer

Charlotte

Nilanjan Ghosh

Atrium Health Levine Cancer

Charlotte

Gregory Knight

Atrium Health Levine Cancer

Charlotte

Mary Ann Knovich

Atrium Health Levine Cancer

Charlotte

Jonathan Levine

Atrium Health Levine Cancer

Charlotte

GASTROENTEROLOGY Amit Aravapalli Oscar Brann

Tryon Medical Partners Tryon Medical Partners

HAND SURGERY

HEMATOLOGY

John Clements

Lake Norman Medical Group

Mooresville

Ifeyinwa Osunkwo

Christopher Ferris

Tryon Medical Partners

Charlotte

Charles H. Packman Atrium Health Levine Cancer

Charlotte

Atrium Health Levine Cancer

Charlotte

Charlotte Charlotte

Eric G. Hilgenfeldt

Tryon Medical Partners

Charlotte

Brittany K. Ragon

Kent Holtzmuller

Tryon Medical Partners

Charlotte

Peter Voorhees

Jason Lewis

Atrium Health Gastroenterology and Hepatology Charlotte Gastroenterology & Hepatology Atrium Health Gastroenterology and Hepatology

Charlotte

HEPATOLOGY

Mooresville

Andrew Scott DeLemos Transplant and Liver Center

Charlotte

Mark W. Russo

Transplant and Liver Center

Charlotte

Steven Zacks

Atrium Health Liver Care & Transplant Pineville

Pineville

John H. Moore III Thomas Pacicco Martin W. Scobey

Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center Charlotte

D. Scott Smith

Tryon Medical Partners

Charlotte

GENERAL SURGERY

HOSPICE AND PALLIATIVE CARE Hospice & Palliative Care of Cabarrus

John Eldridge Barkley County

Kannapolis

Charlotte

Gina Morrill

Monroe

Atrium Health Levine Cancer

Charlotte

Beth Elisa Susi

Aaron Eli Bergsman

Surgical Specialists of Charlotte PA

Huntersville

Bryan Drew Blitstein Ashley Britton Christmas

Surgical Specialists of Charlotte PA

Huntersville

Vedra Augenstein

Atrium Health General & Complex Abdominal Surgery

Erin Baker

Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center Charlotte

Joseph P. Lang

Charlotte

Michael Leonard

Charlotte

Lewis H. McCurdy

Kent Kercher Cynthia W. Lauer

Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center Charlotte

Carl Jarrett Lowe Jr.

Novant Health Carolina Surgical

Charlotte

Katie Passaretti

Natalie L. Nowak

Surgical Specialists of Charlotte PA

Matthews

David Weinrib

Lee C. Pederson

Surgical Specialists of Charlotte PA

Charlotte

B. Todd Heniford

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Charlotte

INFECTIOUS DISEASE

Atrium Health General & Complex Abdominal Surgery Atrium Health General & Complex Abdominal Surgery Atrium Health General & Complex Abdominal Surgery

Paul Colavita

Atrium Health Supportive Oncology

Atrium Health Infectious Disease Kenilworth Atrium Health Infectious Disease Kenilworth Atrium Health Infectious Disease Kenilworth

Leigh Medaris Heather C. Michael

Charlotte Charlotte Charlotte Charlotte

Novant Health Infectious Disease Specialists Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center Atrium Health Infectious Disease Kenilworth

Charlotte Charlotte Charlotte

INTERNAL MEDICINE

MEDICAL ONCOLOGY

Daniel A. Aquino

Tryon Medical Partners

Charlotte

Julie Fisher

Atrium Health Levine Cancer

Charlotte

Lorri A. Ayers

Atrium Health Perspective Health & Wellness

Charlotte

Arielle Heeke

Atrium Health Levine Cancer

Charlotte

Ashley Sumrall

Atrium Health Levine Cancer

Charlotte

Antoinette Roslyn Tan Atrium Health Levine Cancer

Charlotte

Anne Barnard

Tryon Medical Partners

Charlotte

Erika L. Bono

Atrium Health Primary Care Charlotte Medical Clinic

Charlotte

Kerry Briones

Tryon Medical Partners

Charlotte

Faye Sherwood Campbell

Novant Health Ballantyne Medical Group

MEDICAL ONCOLOGY AND HEMATOLOGY

Charlotte

Jing Ai

Atrium Health Levine Cancer

Charlotte

Jason Carnes

Tryon Medical Partners

Huntersville

Asim Amin

Atrium Health Levine Cancer

Charlotte

Iris S. Cheng

Charlotte

Jennifer Atlas

Atrium Health Levine Cancer

Charlotte

Sitarama Raju Chintalapati

Atrium Health Primary Care Charlotte Internal Medicine Carolinas Hospitalist Group at Atrium Health

Kathryn W. Brownlee

Novant Health Cancer Institute

Matthews

Alicia Cole

Tryon Medical Partners

Charlotte

Gary Frenette

Atrium Health Levine Cancer

Charlotte

Gregory V. Collins

Atrium Health Primary Care Randolph Internal Medicine

Charlotte

Daniel E. Haggstrom

Atrium Health Levine Cancer

Charlotte

Bei Hu

Atrium Health Levine Cancer

Charlotte

Peter Copsis

Tryon Medical Partners

Matthews

Kunal Kadakia

Atrium Health Levine Cancer

Carolinas Hospitalist Group at Atrium Health Novant Health Southern Piedmont Michelle Lynette Foster Primary Care Atrium Health Primary Care Charlotte Michael B. Friedland Medical Clinic

Charlotte

Pineville

Kathryn F. Mileham

Atrium Health Levine Cancer

Charlotte

Metrolina Nephrology Associates

Charlotte

Kym Furney

Tryon Medical Partners

Pineville

Kathleen Anne Doman Nephrology & Hypertension Consultants Charlotte

Jane Harrell

H3 Healthcare

Charlotte

Chris Neil Fotiadis

Metrolina Nephrology Associates

Charlotte

Lane Knox Jacobs

Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center

Charlotte

Nancy Jo Gritter

Metrolina Nephrology Associates

Charlotte

Prachee Jain

The Hometown Doctors PA

Kannapolis

Kimberly M. Yates

Metrolina Nephrology Associates

Huntersville

Peter Stinnett Justis

Atrium Health Primary Care Charlotte Medical Clinic

Charlotte

Tina Kennelly

Tryon Medical Partners

Charlotte

Benjamin Kirk

Atrium Health Primary Care Charlotte Medical Clinic

Charlotte

Eric Landis

Tryon Medical Partners

Pineville

Adam Ligler

Tryon Medical Partners

Charlotte

Justin Miller Elizabeth Marshall Perry Alicia Reams John W. Sensenbrenner G. Ryan Shelton

Tryon Medical Partners

Kelly M. Forb

Pineville

Monroe Charlotte

NEPHROLOGY Paul Stephen Blake

NEUROLOGICAL SURGERY Anthony Lawrence Asher

Charlotte

Martin M. Henegar

Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates

Matthews

Erin Nicole Kiehna

Novant Health Brain & Spine Surgery

Charlotte

Signature Healthcare

Charlotte

Tryon Medical Partners

Charlotte

NEUROLOGY

MDVIP

Charlotte

Tryon Medical Partners

Charlotte

Joshua Shoemake

H3 Healthcare

Charlotte

John A. Tenini

Tryon Medical Partners

Charlotte

Hala Webster

Tryon Medical Partners

Charlotte

Julianne F. Weidner

Tryon Medical Partners

Charlotte

Caroline Lee Wilds

Tryon Medical Partners

Matthews

INTERVENTIONAL CARDIOLOGY Glen Kowalchuk Michael J. Rinaldi

Atrium Health Sanger Heart & Vascular Charlotte Institute Atrium Health Sanger Heart & Vascular Charlotte Institute

E. Hunter Dyer

Charlotte Charlotte

Liya Beyderman

Charlotte Neurological Services

Charlotte

Jill Marie Conway

Novant Health Multiple Sclerosis Care

Charlotte

Andrea L. Diedrich

Atrium Health Neurology

Charlotte

Danielle Englert

Atrium Health Neurology Specialty Care

Charlotte

Kaiwen Lin

Atrium Health Neurology

Charlotte

Rajdeep Singh

Atrium Health Neurology Specialty Care

Charlotte

NUCLEAR MEDICINE Shawn Paul Quillin

Mecklenburg Radiology Associates

Charlotte

OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY Atrium Health Women’s Care Creek

Natasha Adams-Denny Pointe OB/GYN

Charlotte

MATERNAL AND FETAL MEDICINE

Allison Bell

Atrium Health Women’s Care Charlotte Charlotte OB/GYN

John Raymond Allbert Novant Health Maternal-Fetal Medicine Cornelius

Mark Leekley Bland

Novant Health Rankin OB/GYN

Charlotte

Grant Campbell

Atrium Health Women’s Care Copperfield OB/GYN

Harrisburg

Ginger Dickerson

Atrium Health Women’s Care Eastover University OB/GYN

Charlotte

Amy Fletcher

Thrive Carolinas

Charlotte

Nikki Koklanaris Rebecca Pollack Lorene A. Temming

Atrium Health Women’s Care Maternal Charlotte Fetal Medicine Atrium Health Women’s Care Maternal Charlotte Fetal Medicine Atrium Health Women’s Care Maternal Charlotte Fetal Medicine

southparkmagazine.com | 113

Jennie Jarvis Hauschka Tryon Women’s Center Emily E. Hutcheson Astrid Jain Jennifer Kalich Leslie Hansen Lindner

Atrium Health Women’s Care Eastover OB/GYN Atrium Health Women’s Care Eastover OB/GYN Atrium Health Women’s Care Eastover OB/GYN Atrium Health Women’s Care Charlotte OB/GYN

Eleanor Mark McCurdy Novant Health Providence OB/GYN

Claude Moorman III

OrthoCarolina

Charlotte

Shadley C. Schiffern

Charlotte

Stephen H. Sims

OrthoCarolina - Shoulder & Elbow Center Atrium Health Musculoskeletal Institute

Charlotte

Bryan D. Springer

OrthoCarolina - Hip & Knee Center

Charlotte

Kevin J. Stanley

OrthoCarolina

Mooresville

Charlotte

Charlotte Charlotte

Aviva Stein

Atrium Health Women’s Care Charlotte Charlotte OB/GYN Atrium Health Women’s Care Charlotte Charlotte OB/GYN Atrium Health Women’s Care Charlotte Charlotte OB/GYN

Erin M. Stone

Tryon Women’s Center

Charles Termin Robert Wicker Jr.

Atrium Health Women’s Care Charlotte Charlotte OB/GYN Atrium Health Women’s Care Charlotte Charlotte OB/GYN

Kathryn J. Hull Wood

Novant Health Providence OB/GYN

Laura Pekman Christine Secrest

Charlotte

OTOLARYNGOLOGY EAR NOSE THROAT Charlotte Eye Ear Nose & Throat

Charlotte

Charlotte Eye Ear Nose & Throat Associates PA Charlotte Eye Ear Nose & Throat Associates PA Charlotte Eye Ear Nose & Throat Associates PA Charlotte Eye Ear Nose & Throat Associates PA Charlotte Eye Ear Nose & Throat Associates PA

Charlotte

John Redmond Blumer Associates PA Daniel S. Brickman Brett Heavner Hunter A. Hoover Brendan P. O’Connell Michael W. Sicard

Charlotte

Charlotte Charlotte Charlotte Matthews

PAIN MANAGEMENT

ONCOLOGY Chasse Bailey-Dorton

Charlotte

Atrium Health Supportive Oncology

Jessica-Lyn Masterson

Charlotte Charlotte

Kevin Costello

Southeast Pain and Spine Care

Charlotte

James E. Hancock Jr.

Atrium Health Cabarrus Pain Management

Concord

Jon-David Hoppenfeld Southeast Pain and Spine Care

OPHTHALMOLOGY

Charlotte

Jason Ali Ravanbakht

Atrium Health Cabarrus Pain Management

Concord

Binit Shah

Carolinas Pain Center

Huntersville

Shaun Williams

Atrium Health Cabarrus Pain Management

Concord

Joanna WroblewskaShah

Carolinas Pain Center

Huntersville

William A. Branner III

Horizon Eye Care

Charlotte

Galen Grayson

Atrium Health Ophthalmology Care

Charlotte

David Greenman

Greenman Eye Associates

Charlotte

Herb Greenman

Greenman Eye Associates

Charlotte

Joseph H. Krug Jr.

Horizon Eye Care

Charlotte

PATHOLOGY

Casey Mathys

Charlotte Eye Ear Nose & Throat Associates PA

Charlotte

Kiran Adlakha

Carolinas Pathology Group PA

Charlotte

Vandana R. Minnal

Horizon Eye Care

Charlotte

Jared G. Block

Carolinas Pathology Group PA

Charlotte

Nehali V. Saraiya

Charlotte Eye Ear Nose & Throat Associates PA

Charlotte

Arthur R. Cohen

Presbyterian Pathology Group

Charlotte

Akosua B. Domfeh

Carolinas Pathology Group

Charlotte

Edward H. Lipford

Carolinas Pathology Group

Charlotte

Chad Allen Livasy

Carolinas Pathology Group

Charlotte

Chad McCall

Carolinas Pathology Group

Charlotte

Elton T. Smith Jr.

Carolinas Pathology Group

Charlotte

Carol Weida

Carolinas Pathology Group

Charlotte

ORAL AND MAXILLOFACIAL SURGERY Brian Farrell John Carson Nale

Carolinas Center for Oral & Facial Surgery Carolinas Center for Oral & Facial Surgery

ORTHOPEDIC SURGERY Bruce E. Cohen

OrthoCarolina - Foot & Ankle Institute

Charlotte

Matthew David Ohl

OrthoCarolina - University

Charlotte

Mark D. Suprock

OrthoCarolina

Huntersville

ORTHOPEDICS

PEDIATRIC CARDIOLOGY Atrium Health Levine Children’s Congenital Heart Center Atrium Health Levine Children’s Matthew C. Schwartz Congenital Heart Center Atrium Health Levine Children’s Gonzalo Alberto Wallis Congenital Heart Center

Joseph Paolillo

Michael Bates

OrthoCarolina - University

Charlotte

Patrick M. Connor

OrthoCarolina - Shoulder & Elbow Center

Charlotte

PEDIATRIC ENDOCRINOLOGY

Michael Lee Dockery

OrthoCarolina - University

Charlotte

Lisa Durham Houchin

Nady Hamid

OrthoCarolina - Shoulder & Elbow Center

Charlotte

Jeffrey Kneisl

Atrium Health Levine Cancer

Charlotte

Bryan J. Loeffler James Patrick McDonald Patricia L. McHale

OrthoCarolina - South Park

Charlotte

PEDIATRIC GASTROENTEROLOGY

OrthoCarolina

Mooresville

Virginia F. Casey

OrthoCarolina - Gastonia

Gastonia

Jason Dranove

114 | SOUTHPARK

Jakub Mieszczak

Atrium Health Levine Children’s Endocrinology Atrium Health Levine Children’s Endocrinology

OrthoCarolina - Pediatric Orthopedic Center Atrium Health Levine Children’s Gastroenterology & Hepatology

Charlotte Charlotte Charlotte

Charlotte Charlotte

PEDIATRIC ORTHOPEDIC SURGERY

PSYCHIATRY

Christian Clark

OrthoCarolina

Charlotte

Michael D. Paloski

OrthoCarolina - Pediatric Orthopedic Center

Charlotte

PEDIATRIC OTALARYNGOLOGY ENT

Charlotte

Jonathan McKinsey

Concord

Charlotte Eye Ear Nose & Throat Associates PA

Charlotte

Jean Allen Melvin

Allen Melvin MD PA

Charlotte

Jason Peck

HopeWay

Charlotte

J.W. Scott Wallace

Eastover Psychiatric Group PA

Charlotte

Paul Kirshbom

Atrium Health Levine Children’s Congenital Heart Center Atrium Health Levine Children’s Congenital Heart Center

Charlotte Charlotte

Charlotte

Jodie Player Prosser

Atrium Health Levine Children’s Infectious Disease & Immunology Atrium Health Levine Children’s Genetics Atrium Health Levine Children’s University Pediatrics Atrium Health Levine Children’s Gastonia Children’s Clinic Atrium Health Levine Children’s Perspective Pediatrics Atrium Health Levine Children’s Arboretum Pediatrics Atrium Health Levine Children’s Charlotte Pediatrics Atrium Health Levine Children’s Charlotte Pediatrics Atrium Health Levine Children’s Charlotte Pediatrics

Amy Garrett Ryan

Novant Health Eastover Pediatrics

Charlotte

Kasey Wymer Scannell Park

Novant Health Pediatrics Symphony

Charlotte

Andrew Robert Shulstad

Novant Health Pediatrics Symphony Park Atrium Health Levine Children’s Charlotte Pediatrics

Charlotte

Amanda Lanier Anitha Leonard George A. Manousos Rhonda Patt

Charles Smoak

Charlotte

Scott Shannon Lindblom Jaspal Singh

Atrium Health Jan & Ed Brown Center for Pulmonary Medicine Atrium Health Jan & Ed Brown Center for Pulmonary Medicine Atrium Health Jan & Ed Brown Center for Pulmonary Medicine

Charlotte Charlotte Charlotte

RADIATION ONCOLOGY William Bobo

Atrium Health Levine Cancer

Charlotte

Carolina Fasola

Atrium Health Levine Cancer

Charlotte

Hadley Jean Sharp

Atrium Health Levine Cancer

Charlotte

Matthew C. Ward

Atrium Health Levine Cancer

Charlotte

Matthews

RADIOLOGY

Gastonia

Charlotte

Nicole Abinanti

Mecklenburg Radiology Associates

Charlotte

Matthews

Charlotte Radiology Deborah Agisim Emmanuel J. Mecklenburg Radiology Associates Botzolakis Chien-Chung P. Chang Charlotte Radiology

Charlotte

Andrew Demmert

Charlotte

Puneet K. Aggarwal

Atrium Health Musculoskeletal Institute

William Bockenek

Atrium Health Carolinas Rehabilitation Charlotte

Alexander W. Chasnis

OrthoCarolina

Charlotte

Mecklenburg Radiology Associates

Charlotte Charlotte

William Stuart Hartley Charlotte Radiology

Charlotte

Shannon Hill

Charlotte

Charlotte Radiology

James Patrick O’Brien Mecklenburg Radiology Associates

Charlotte

Daniel R. Scanga

Mecklenburg Radiology Associates

Charlotte

Paul J. Tobben

Mecklenburg Radiology Associates

Charlotte

Huntersville

REPRODUCTIVE ENDOCRINOLOGY

Charlotte

Ashley M. Eskew

Reproductive Specialists of the Carolinas

Charlotte

Bradley Hurst

Atrium Health CMC Women’s Institute

Charlotte

Michelle Matthews

Atrium Health CMC Women’s Institute

Charlotte

Rebecca Usadi

Atrium Health CMC Women’s Institute

Charlotte

PLASTIC AND RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGERY Parag Butala

Piedmont Plastic Surgery & Dermatology

Gastonia

Peter J. Capizzi

Capizzi MD

Charlotte

Nicholas Clavin

Atrium Health Plastic & Reconstructive Charlotte Surgery

Enam Haque

Queen City Plastic Surgery

Charlotte

Joseph P. Hunstad

HKB Cosmetic Surgery

Huntersville

Thomas G. Liszka

Ballantyne Plastic Surgery

Charlotte

John Robinson

Atrium Health Plastic & Reconstructive Charlotte Surgery Atrium Health Plastic & Reconstructive Charlotte Surgery

Edward Teng

Concord

Azeem Elahi

Charlotte

PHYSICAL MEDICINE AND REHABILITATION

Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine John Arthur Welshofer Associates

PULMONARY MEDICINE Daniel Howard

PEDIATRICS GENERAL

Lawrence Bradford Hurst

Charlotte

Atrium Health Behavioral Health Psychiatry & Counseling

Charlotte

Lubna S. Elahi

Charlotte

Scott N. Lurie MD HopeWay

Pediatric Surgical Associates

Laurie Demmer

Atrium Health Behavioral Health

Scott Nord Lurie Kevin York Marra

Daniel A. Bambini

Amina Ahmed

Charlotte

Matthews

PEDIATRIC SURGERY

Thomas Maxey

Atrium Health Behavioral Health

Charlotte Eye Ear Nose & Throat

Jonathan Randall Moss Associates PA Sajeev Kumar Puri

Anthony Joseph DiNome David W. Litchford Jr.

RHEUMATOLOGY Diane George

Tryon Medical Partners

Charlotte

Alison Johnson

Tryon Medical Partners

Huntersville

Andrew J. Laster

Arthritis & Osteoporosis Consultants of the Carolinas

Charlotte

Leslie Pack Ranken

Atrium Health Rheumatology

Charlotte

Amanda Wakeley

Atrium Health Rheumatology

Charlotte

Manika Zeri

Atrium Health Rheumatology

Charlotte

Jill Zouzoulas

Tryon Medical Partners

Charlotte southparkmagazine.com | 115

SLEEP MEDICINE Nancy Virginia Behrens Novant Health Sleep Medicine

Monroe

John Martinie

Atrium Health Levine Cancer

Charlotte

Zvonimir Milas

Atrium Health Levine Cancer

Charlotte

Jonathan Salo

Atrium Health Levine Cancer

Charlotte

Peter Smith Turk

Novant Health Cancer Institute

Charlotte

Richard L. White Jr.

Atrium Health Levine Cancer

Charlotte

Jacob Coleman

Tryon Medical Partners

Huntersville

Kimberly Mims

Charlotte

Michael S. Reif

Atrium Health Sleep Medicine Randolph Atrium Health Jan & Ed Brown Center for Pulmonary Medicine

Ehrlich Tan

Tryon Medical Partners

Charlotte

THORACIC SURGERY

SPINE SURGERY Byron C. Branch Domagoj Coric

Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates

Christopher Cicci Concord Charlotte

SPORTS MEDICINE

Atrium Health Sanger Heart & Vascular Concord Institute

UROLOGY Peter Clark

Atrium Health Levine Cancer

Charlotte

Manish N. Damani

Urology Specialists of the Carolinas

Charlotte

Augustus Garland Parker

Novant Health Blakeney Family Physicians

Charlotte

Jacques Paul Ganem

Urology Specialists of the Carolinas

Charlotte

Dana P. Piasecki

OrthoCarolina

Charlotte

Michael Kennelly

Atrium Health Urology Kenilworth

Charlotte

Stephen Riggs

Atrium Health Levine Cancer

Charlotte

Angela Schang

Atrium Health Urology Kenilworth

Charlotte

Catherine R. Rainbow

Atrium Health Musculoskeletal Institute

Charlotte

Bryan M. Saltzman

OrthoCarolina

Charlotte

VASCULAR SURGERY

SURGICAL ONCOLOGY Ilan D. Avin

Novant Health Carolina Surgical

Charlotte

Frank R. Arko III

Atrium Health Sanger Heart & Vascular Charlotte Institute

Meghan R. Forster

Atrium Health Levine Cancer

Charlotte

Peter Ford

Vascular Solutions

Novant Health Heart & Vascular Charlotte Institute Atrium Health Sanger Heart & Vascular Charlotte Institute

Lejla Hadzikadic Gusic Atrium Health Levine Cancer

Charlotte

Ashish Kumar Jain

Joshua Hill

Atrium Health Levine Cancer

Charlotte

Erin Heather Murphy

David A. Iannitti

Atrium Health Levine Cancer

Charlotte

We congratulate our North Carolina’s Top Doctors Charlotte region recipients for 2024 With seven Carolinas locations, the doctors and staff of Horizon Eye Care are proud to provide exceptional care to patients throughout the region.

William A. Branner, III, MD

horizoneye.com

116 | SOUTHPARK

Joseph H. Krug, Jr., MD

Vandana R. Minnal, MD

HEALTH +

Wellness

MAKING SOUTHPARK SMILE Three Leaf brings smiles to SouthPark with a practice built around caring for friends like you. Our clients notice the Three Leaf difference the moment they walk in the door. Our friendly staff greets you by name, and our modern, bright offices ensure a comfortable, positive experience for all. A board-certified orthodontist, Dr. Shane Markey has the skill and knowledge to treat a wide range of oral health issues related to teeth and jaw alignment. Whether it’s braces or Invisalign, our combination of state-of-the-art technology, quality care and kind, experienced team creates a fun journey toward amazing results.

Dr. Shane Markey

“Our practice buzzes with the spirit of family and friendship of all ages.” ThreeLeafOrtho.com

When Dr. Markey decided to open the office of his dreams, he had two criteria: it had to be filled with kindness and possess a patient-centered culture. A native of Ireland, he looked to his roots and found inspiration in the symbolism of a three-leaf shamrock: hospitality, friendship and fun. “Our practice buzzes with the spirit of family and friendship of all ages,” Dr. Markey says. “Every team member loves what they do. Our patients quickly become friends and members of our extended family.” We think you’ll notice the difference at Three Leaf Orthodontics. We will make you smile with our convenient hours and flexible payment options. We invite you to schedule a complimentary consultation at our beautiful facility at Apex-SouthPark. Let’s start your journey toward the healthy, gorgeous smile you deserve.

SouthPark - 3151 Apex Drive, Suite 102E • Charlotte, NC 28211 | 704.727.6868 S O U T H PA R K PA RT N E R

HEALTH +

Wellness

REMARKABLE RESULTS, EXCEPTIONAL CARE The new year marks a time of transformation for many people, a chance to reset and establish goals and healthy habits that make us look and feel our best. For some, that may include a visit to a plastic surgeon or a plan for cosmetic treatments. We spoke with double-board-certified facial plastic surgeon Dr. Jonathan Kulbersh of Carolina Facial Plastics to learn more about what’s new in the industry and what to consider if you’re thinking about having something done.

CarolinaFacialPlasticSurgery.com

Q: There are so many treatments available now to enhance one’s appearance that it can feel overwhelming to decide what’s best. How do you and your staff help guide patients on what’s right for them? A: We start first by listening to understand each individual’s concerns and goals. Once we understand those, our vast experience and knowledge allow us to present the most effective tools and options available. Often, the decision is driven by a patient’s ability for downtime and financial considerations. We work with each person to determine what fits best with their lifestyle and will give them the desired outcome. Q: What are some of Carolina Facial Plastics’ newest procedures? A: Carolina Facial Plastics is the first Charlotte practice to offer the innovative Moxi® laser, designed for all skin types but particularly effective for patients with darker skin tones. It enhances skin tone and texture, eliminates redness, and reverses sun damage in minutes.

6817 Fairview Road, Charlotte, NC 28210 | 704.842.3644 S O U T H PA R K PA RT N E R 118 | SOUTHPARK

We are also excited to provide patients with the BBL® Hero™, an award-winning treatment that improves the appearance of aging skin and reduces rosacea, acne, melasma, and sunspots comfortably and with little to no downtime.

“We focus 100% on cosmetic treatments for the face, providing an unmatched, laser-focused level of expertise that produces exceptional, natural results.” Q: What sets Carolina Facial Plastics apart from other plastic surgery practices? A: We focus 100% on cosmetic treatments for the face, providing an unmatched, laser-focused level of expertise that produces exceptional, natural results. That expertise includes me, a double-board-certified facial plastic surgeon, and a team of board-certified physician assistants, a nurse practitioner, a medical aesthetician, and a knowledgeable front- and back-office staff. Combined, our providers and I have more than 50 years of experience, and we’ve seen nearly 19,000 patients since opening Carolina Facial Plastics in 2010. Patients can have confidence in our commitment to prioritizing their best interests and delivering exceptional care. Q: Many people worry about the recovery associated with cosmetic procedures. What are some of the best options to enhance or maintain your appearance that require little or no downtime? A: For patients with a busy lifestyle, we often recommend using a combination of facial lasers and injectables, like Botox® and fillers, to help improve the contour of the face and smooth wrinkles with little to no downtime. Q: Some fear cosmetic procedures may make them look fake or alter their appearance too much. How does Carolina Facial Plastics address these concerns? A: Our goal is to make people look better, not different, and we do this by enhancing or restoring balance and proportions. It should be done in a way that no one can tell that someone has had anything done. Q: What should people consider when choosing a facial plastic surgeon? A: You want to look at results through before-and-after photos and learn about the physician’s reputation by reading online reviews and asking

friends and those in the medical community. A surgeon’s experience and training are essential. And lastly, verify that surgeries are performed in an accredited surgical center by board-certified plastic surgeons and anesthesiologists. Q: Why choose Carolina Facial Plastics? A: We provide a team of cosmetic experts, a fully accredited, state-of-the-art surgery center, and a luxurious private recovery retreat in the heart of SouthPark. We use only board-certified anesthesiologists. My background includes a five-year head-and-neck surgery residency at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, followed by fellowships in facial and plastic reconstructive surgery and oculoplastic surgery. I refined my skills by training with multiple world-renowned facial plastic surgeons in Beverly Hills — including Dr. Paul Nassif of TV’s “Botched” — and learned that the key to long-lasting patient relationships comes from exceeding expectations and delivering unparalleled, natural-looking results.

Q: What is the most rewarding part about being a facial plastic surgeon? A: The best part for me is going over patients’ before-and-after photos. The joy that I see patients experience and the improvement in their quality of life and confidence is priceless. S O U T H PA R K PA RT N E R southparkmagazine.com | 119

HEALTH +

Wellness

Dr. Ross Nash and Dr. Tyler Wurmlinger

OUTSTANDING PATIENT CARE AND A COMMITMENT TO DENTAL HEALTH CosmeticDentistofCharlotte.com

From whitening procedures to minimal teeth alignment to cosmetic and esthetic bonding and porcelain restorative solutions, Dr. Tyler Wurmlinger and Dr. Ross Nash are committed to improving or restoring patients’ dental health and smiles. Their meticulous attention to detail and outstanding patient care sets the practice apart. “We take pride in how we treat our patients and the quality of our work. To us, these are inseparable,” Dr. Wurmlinger says. Their mission of caring directs everything at Cosmetic Dentistry of the Carolinas. Dr. Wurmlinger and Dr. Nash offer virtual consultations to patients to explore treatment possibilities, and their in-office consultation process is scheduled to give patients all the time they need to feel comfortable and confident they have chosen the right office for their care.

403 Gilead Road, Suite E, Huntersville, NC 28078 | 704.895.7660 S O U T H PA R K PA RT N E R 120 | SOUTHPARK

Cosmetic Dentistry of the Carolinas is committed to providing the latest in dental materials and techniques. Utilizing state-of-the-art CAD CAM technology, crowns can be fabricated for patients on the same day. Invisalign and Inman aligners can expedite teeth straightening. Direct composite veneers can change the shape and color of teeth in a single visit. The office utilizes artificial intelligence, second-opinion technology to augment diagnosis of patients’ dental health.

Fred and Wendy’s smiles by Dr. Ross Nash

“Your mouth in its entirety is an important and even wondrous part of your anatomy, your emotion, your life; it is the site of your very being, the point at which your body receives its nourishment necessary for life; it is the means of speaking, of expressing love, happiness and joy, anger, or sorrow. Your mouth deserves the greatest care it can receive.” In addition to their other professional affiliations, Dr. Wurmlinger is a member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. Dr. Nash is an accredited fellow of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, and other dentists often refer to him for his cosmetic and esthetic expertise. (Some of them become patients themselves!)

Isabel’s smile by Dr. Tyler Wurmlinger

“I truly love what I do – it’s my vocation and my avocation. To change a person’s life by providing them a beautiful, healthy smile really makes my day,” Dr. Nash says. Whether for general dental care such as cleanings and restorative needs, or specific cosmetic and esthetic treatment, patients truly appreciate the professional expertise of the entire Cosmetic Dentistry of the Carolinas team. “Our high standard of care will always be in the best interests of our patients,” Dr. Wurmlinger says.

S O U T H PA R K PA RT N E R southparkmagazine.com | 121

swirl A monthly guide to Charlotte’s parties and galas

Mingle at The Union presented by SouthPark Magazine Nov. 14

Oh, what a night! Our pop-up to kick off the holidays and shop local was a great success. We enjoyed mingling and sipping to the sounds of smooth jazz provided by Middle C Jazz and tasty nibbles from Field Pea Catering. Thank you to the specialty vendors and artisans who filled The Union at Station West to give our SouthPark Magazine readers such a memorable evening of shopping and fun.

Molly Grantham

We could not have put on such an entertaining evening without our presenting sponsor, Palestra Boutique Spa, and signature sponsors California Closets and The Butler’s Pantry. As we enjoy looking back on a great night, we’re already thinking about Mingle next year! photographs by Daniel Coston

Publisher Ben Kinney and Palestra Boutique Spa team

Members of the SouthPark Magazine team

122 | SOUTHPARK

PHOTOS ONLINE

Middle C Jazz musicians

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swirl

A monthly guide to Charlotte’s parties and galas

Bella Notte

benefiting Opera Carolina November 4

This signature event is always a showcase of gorgeous gowns and dramatic scenery for an all-around enchanting evening at Belk Theater. Co-chairs Callie Kelly and Nazy Weeks led the way through a sparkling evening from start to finish. Sandra Levine and Nazy Weeks

Trevor and Ruth Runberg

James Meena

Berhan Nebioglu

Durham and Nazy Weeks, Callie and Win Kelly

124 | SOUTHPARK

photographs by Daniel Coston

swirl

A monthly guide to Charlotte’s parties and galas

Verse & Vino

benefiting the Charlotte Mecklenburg Public Library Nov. 2

Jennifer Green and Kristin Bradberry

Marcellus “MT” Turner

Five bestselling authors shared remarkable and moving stories at this book signing and dinner held at The Charlotte Convention Center. The sold-out event also celebrated Verse & Vino’s 10th anniversary. photographs by Daniel Coston

Nikki and North Moore

Paige Lanier and Maggie Akers

Peter Keane, Caroleen Towery, Jenni Gaisbauer

Melanie Benjamin, Brad Taylor, Roxane Gay, Etaf Rum and Sadeqa Johnson

Tracy Montross and Brittney Portes

Suzanne and Bill Schweppe

Tommy Tomlinson and Alix Felsing

Leigh and Luke Harmer

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swirl

A monthly guide to Charlotte’s parties and galas

Fall EnrichMint Forum presented by the Mint Museum Auxiliary November 15

Designer Joseph Altuzarra discussed the designs and ideas that have fueled his work. Patrons also shopped his collection and chatted with friends over mimosas.

Krissie Nuckols and Emma Hurley

photographs by Daniel Coston

Daniele Donahoe and Caroline Griffin

Sybil Godwin, Maggie Gavigan and Alice Ourso Cate Gutter, Daniel Gonzalez, Rivers Williams, Felipe Edmiston

Marie Cloud and Carol McCrorey

Victoria McDade, Lee Young, Joseph Altuzarra, Anna Glass

Karen Altuzarra and Ruth Runberg

Katie Bryant, Traci Zeller and Kayla Wall

Wells Fargo Kickoff Charlotte Wine + Food Oct. 12

This 10th annual dinner was a record-setter at The Foundation For The Carolinas. Guests enjoyed a cocktail reception followed by a four-course wine-pairing dinner featuring DAOU vineyards. The night wrapped up with a live auction to support children’s charities in our area. photographs by Josh Bannen Photography

Andrew Barker, Ariail Barker

126 | SOUTHPARK

Jim Deupree, Betsy Deupree

Mary Detweiler, Gail Kush

Alexis and Benjamin Thompson

Martha Reneau, Candice Johnson

swirl

A monthly guide to Charlotte’s parties and galas

Madelyn’s Fund Pink Bow Gala Oct. 21

It was all pink at The Ruth, from cupcakes to drinks, as friends and supporters came out for Madelyn’s Fund. The nonprofit was founded by Andy and Rachel Lee in memory of their daughter and aims to support NICU babies and their families. photographs by Daniel Coston

Sara Delaney and Mary Vincent Hager Bethany Michael, Abby Cenfetelli, Elizabeth Hall

Kelly and Tyler Gibson

Rachel Lee

Sara and Mike Hogan, Alston Mann

Gretchen Andrews and Dina Carey

Say “I do” to SouthPark! Don’t miss the opportunity to be a part of

Weddings by SouthPark this spring. Reach brides- and grooms-to-be in this targeted, beautiful issue of wedding inspiration and resources.

Publication date: Spring 2024 Space deadline: March 1 Contact Jane Rodewald at 704-621-9198 or Cindy Poovey at 704-497-2220 to learn more. Visit us online at southparkmagazine.com/advertise.

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| gallery

KING’S SPEECH

DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. WAS NO STRANGER TO CHARLOTTE. DURING THE ’50S AND ’60S, KING MADE SEVERAL TRIPS TO THE QUEEN CITY AND WAS SCHEDULED TO RETURN JUST BEFORE HE WAS ASSASSINATED ON APRIL 4, 1968.

by Sharon Smith

few months before Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech in Washington, D.C., he came to Charlotte for the convocation of six Black high schools. Behind the podium, a focused and deliberate King addressed the crowd. It was May 30, 1963. The visit came at a critical time. Days earlier, Johnson C. Smith University students and community members marched uptown to protest segregation. Black and white civic leaders responded by agreeing to meet and talk solutions, which Dr. King commended as a positive step. It’s one snapshot of a moment that helped mobilize a generation seeking equality. Three years earlier in Charlotte, King seemed to test an early version of the famous speech during an NAACP rally. In a draft archived by the Martin Luther King, Jr. Research and Education 128 | SOUTHPARK

Institute of Stanford University, King wrote: “In a real sense America is essentially a dream — a dream yet unfulfilled. It is the dream of a land where men of all races, colors and creeds will live together as brothers.” In September of 1966, King was back in Charlotte speaking at a packed Brayboy Gymnasium at JCSU. He sounded passionate and steady as he said, “I’m not only worried about the violence of the bad people, I’m gravely disturbed about the silence and indifference of the good people.” Thunderous applause erupted, forcing King to pause a moment before he continued. On April 2,1968, Charlotte civil rights leader and dentist Dr. Reginald Hawkins received word that King’s North Carolina tour and trip to Charlotte would have to be postponed because King was needed in Memphis. He was assassinated there two days later. SP

PHOTOGRAPH BY JAMES PEELER, COURTESY THE ROBINSON-SPANGLER CAROLINA ROOM, CHARLOTTE MECKLENBURG LIBRARY

MLK at a podium in Charlotte speaking to high school students May 30, 1963

TOP DOCTORS Congratulations to all of our providers who made the list of

We’re proud to have so many nationally recognized providers who help to make us the most trusted and preferred choice for health care in the region.