Lake Norman Currents 0710

Currents Robert Yates talks motorcycles Perfect swimsuits for the lake What’s up with docks AquaPalooza splashes back

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vol. 3 number

July 2010

www.LnCurrents.com

Water, Wings and Wheels

Hickory outlet center Now Featuring Maitland Smith & LaBarge Plus North CaroliNa’s FiNest MaNuFaCturers Wesley Hall

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Furnish Your Entire Home at Dealer Cost and Below A group of quality North Carolina furniture manufactures have joined together in one showroom to offer their Market samples, closeouts, overruns and discontinued items to the public at “factory direct to you” prices.

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Smile created by Dr. Ross W. Nash Photo by Shane Greene

Rachel Lee Carter

Mrs. North Carolina United States 2009

Of the nearly 8000 American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry members worldwide, there are only 45 who have achieved the exclusive level of Accredited Fellow. In all of North and South Carolina, only one dentist has earned this elite status by illustrating the required level of excellence in the area of cosmetic dentistry: Accredited Fellow Ross W. Nash, DDS.

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At Mercedes-Benz of South Charlotte, staying cool is effortless.

If you can’t stand the heat, then get into a new Mercedes-Benz.

Come into Felix Sabates Mercedes-Benz of South Charlotte today and test drive the new Mercedes-Benz that fits your lifestyle.

Felix Sabates

Mercedes-Benz of South Charlotte Powered by Trust | Driven by Value Proud Sponsor of Aquapalooza on Lake Norman, July 31.

95 0 N . P o l k S t r e e t ( S o u t h B l v d ) P i n e v i l l e |

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Š D. YURMAN 2010

Northlake Mall 704.927.4888 SouthPark 704.366.3120

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Contents |

10 The Main Channel What’s hip at Lake Norman

14 Porthole

The Lake Norman Wine and Food Festival, Bigger Than Big and Catwalk For A Cause

16 The Captain’s Chair

Dick Seidenspinner says this year’s AquaPalooza will be bigger than ever

20 Rip Currents — Recreation

16

The motorcycle lifestyle has personal appeal

30 Strong Currents 44

20

Community acupuncture offers healing in a whole new way

32 Rip Currents — Science and Technology

A group of aviation enthusiasts is working on a project that’s fit for the runway

44 The Galley

Owning a restaurant for Wesley Choplin is a blessing

60 30

47 G rapevine

After surviving a near-death experience, Viognier lives on

51 In the Kitchen Chef Charles brings gourmet takeout to town

52 Game On

47

Volleyball fun in the summer sun

60 Home Port

As lake homes become more ornate, docks follow suit

Lake Norman Currents | July 2010

69 Currently Cornelius celebrates Independence Day

72 O ne More Thing Flight 1549 impacted Vicki Barnhardt for life

6

52

Thank your lucky stars that you live here

F

orgive me for being cliché, but I’m going to be. Sometimes you really can’t see the forest for the trees. Living at Lake Norman is basically like living in paradise, but sometimes we get so wound up with work, errands and activities that we forget that. Lucky for me I have an extended family that reminds every summer of just how fortunate I am to live here.

Throughout the warmer months relatives visit us from around the world. These folks live in places like Belgium, Chicago, Denmark, England, New York City, Oregon and Washington, DC, yet their favorite vacation destination is Lake Norman.

All year long they look forward to their time at the lake. They’ll occasionally e-mail me during the year checking on the weather when they hear that the South is enjoying a warm day. When they have to return home, they almost never want to.

Sometimes there are tears, and sometimes they simply extend their stay. Look around and you’ll realize that they’re on to something.

First of all, it’s gorgeous here. Anyone who’s ever watched the sun set over the lake will tell you that, but when you’re hustling to the drugstore to pick up a prescription, it’s easy to for-

2009 APEX Award Winner for Publication Excellence Lake Norman CURRENTS is a monthly publication available through direct-mail home delivery to the most affluent Lake Norman residents. It also is available at area Harris Teeter supermarkets, as well as various Chambers of Commerce, real estate offices and specialty businesses.

photo by Maury Faggart

At the Helm | Lori K. Tate

Living in Paradise

The magazine by and for the people who call Lake Norman home

get about the beauty that surrounds you. Then there’s all the fun stuff you can do here.

If you’re into the outdoors, take your pick of activities. From cycling to sailing, there’s something for everyone. Folks even play lacrosse here now. Who knows? There might even be a cricket team lurking around somewhere. If the arts are more of your thing, there’s theatre, films, galleries, concerts and lectures. The Royal Shakespeare Company performs here for goodness’ sake.

But if you ask me what’s makes Lake Norman so special, I’m going to have to go with its people.

Whether you’re a native who remembers when Exit 25 was farmland or someone who recently moved here and has no idea what a fish camp is, you enrich this area with your knowledge and passion. You make it a place where people want to be, and that can only fuel a brighter future.

So this summer as you’re scurrying to the dry cleaners, frantically meeting a deadline or trying to get to the post office before it closes, take a moment to soak in your surroundings. Hopefully you’ll realize just how lucky you are.

Subscriptions are available for $29 per year.

Send us your name, address, phone number and a check made payable to Lake Norman CURRENTS at the address below and we’ll start your subscription with the next available issue.

Lori K. Tate Editor Lori@LNCurrents.com Sharon Simpson Publisher Sharon@LNCurrents.com

Carole Lambert Advertising Sales Executive Carole@LNCurrents.com

Cindy Gleason Advertising Sales Executive Cindy@LNCurrents.com

Jennifer Patnode Advertising Sales Executive Jennifer@LNCurrents.com

Kim Morton Advertising Sales Executive Kim@LNCurrents.com SPARK Publications Publication Design & Production info@SPARKpublications.com www.SPARKpublications.com Ad Production - Stacie Mounts About the Cover Cover photo by Sam Sharpe, www.TheSharpeImage.com, with photo illustration by Larry Preslar.

Lake Norman Currents | July 2010

Mission Statement Lake Norman CURRENTS magazine will embody the character, the voice and the spirit of its readers, its leaders and its advertisers. It will connect the people of Lake Norman through inspiring, entertaining and informative content, photography and design; all of which capture the elements of a well-lived life on and around the community known as Lake Norman.

Lake Norman CURRENTS P.O. Box 1676, Cornelius, NC 28031 704-749-8788 • www.LNCurrents.com The entire contents of this publication are protected under copyright. Unauthorized use of any editorial or advertising content in any form is strictly prohibited. Lake Norman CURRENTS magazine is wholly owned by Venture Magazines, LLC.

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Vol. 3 No. 7 July 2010

Change Your Body - Change Your Life!

With four locations now serving the Lake Norman/North Charlotte area, Gold’s Gym is making it convenient for local residents to get in shape for summer. The décor and ammenities in each of the four clubs are stunning. The gyms are unique with a modern, art deco style, characteristic of the streets of South Beach. Even more impressive, is the assortment of new, state-of-the art equipment throughout each club! Gold’s has great smoothie bars, pro-shops, and lounge areas, as well as a very impressive “Kid’s Corner” and the GGX Group Exercise classes are second to none.

The personal training staff utilizes a “Visual Fitness Planner” to provide you with the education, motivation, and support needed to achieve your goals. If you’d like to see yourself at your ideal weight, they have a 3-D imaging component which shows you what your new body will look like. This program can even calculate how long it will take you to achieve your goal!

Gold’s Gym is the perfect place to catch a workout for individuals, couples, and families of all ages. Co-owner of Gold’s Gym, Dr. Kevin Craft emphasizes: “The goal was to create an energetic and unique, yet trendy, environment where anyone, at any fitness level, could feel comfortable coming to meet great people and get in shape.” You don’t need to spend a fortune to get in the best shape of your life, and Gold’s Gym is ready to prove it. Currently Gold’s Gym is offering a free 7-Day VIP Pass -so you can try before you buy. First time visitors 14 years of age or older are eligible . A local ID must be presented to redeem the pass. Nominated in 2007 as the Best Overall Gym in the Gold’s Gym Chain, this is truly a “Gym for Every Body.”

$ As Low As

23

Monthly

Get Started Now!

Grand Opening of 2 New Locations In Lake Norman / North Charlotte! c

www.GoldsGym.com

Gold’s Gym Lake Norman 20420 West Catawba Ave Cornelius, NC 28031 (Formerly Peak Fitness) Phone: 704-895-8100

Gold’s Gym Mooresville 191 B West Plaza Drive (Across from Randy Marion) Mooresville, NC 28117 Phone: 704-664-4022

Gold’s Gym Cornelius 24/7 Executive Club 20035 Jetton Road, Suite D Cornelius, NC 28031 (Formerly Core Fitness) Phone: (704) 895-4545

Gold’s Gym N. Charlotte 24/7 Executive Club 8709 Arbor Creek Drive Bldg E-1 (Lowe’s Eastfield Village Shopping Center) Charlotte, NC 28269 Phone: 704-274-9075

c

FREE 7 Day Workout Pass

FREE ENROLLMENT

Must be a local resident, 1st-time user, 14 and older with local id or proof. Must present this coupon. Not valid with any other offers.

Must be a new member and present this coupon at sign-up. Not valid with any other offers.

Currents

*Processing fee applies

Currents

* Kids Corner • Personal Training • Tanning • GGX Classes Included * 24/7 Key Card Access • Complimentary Hand Towel Service • Travel Privileges To 650 Locations • FREE Personal Training Session *Amenities may vary per location

the

Main Channel Movers, Shakers, Style, Shopping, Trends, Happenings and More at Lake Norman

What Suits You

Lounging on a Boat for the Day Nadir Afonso suit from the Kirsti Grinna Collection “I like this suit for lounging on the boat because it is a high fashion piece that wouldn’t usually be worn to sunbathe but instead to look good, stand out in a crowd and make a statement. Tan lines can be gotten rid of later!”

Lake Norman Currents | July 2010

Photography courtesy of La Plage Swimwear.

Tara Grinna of La Plage picks the perfect swimsuits for summer fun

‘Tis the season for swimsuits, and because most folks, with the exception of Brooklyn Decker, don’t enjoy trying on swimsuits, we talked with an expert about what suits work best for certain activities. Tara Grinna, president of La Plage Swimwear, which recently opened a boutique in Birkdale Village, shares her insight into what swimsuits will make you shimmer in style this summer.

The Nadir Afonso suit from the Kirsti Grinna Collection is perfect for lounging on a boat all day.

10

Going to the Pool ESPO suit from the KGB Collection “If you are looking for a suit for the pool and not the lake, try a stark bright white bikini from KGB. Nothing makes you look more tan or sexy than a solid white swimsuit, and with its triple linAbove: The ESPO suit from the KGB Collecing, show thru is never a problem.”

Photography courtesy of La Plage Swimwear.

“We specialize in sandwiches ($5.95 – includes chips and a drink), sometimes barbecue and hot dogs on Saturdays. All of our sandwiches are very boat friendly because they can be stored in a cooler. We have ham, turkey, chicken salad, roast beef. They’re made to order.”

— Sarah Benson, employee, Armin’s Sunshine Café at Blythe Landing 15901 NC Highway 73, Huntersville 704.947.1670 “We make wonderful sandwiches ($3.95 - $7.50) and folks can come by and pick them up. We’ll have their sandwiches ready to go out on the boat. Another thing that we’re known for is our homemade desserts and goodies. We do little pecan tarts and cookies and pieces of pound cake (.65- $3.75, $5.50 for a dozen cookies). As far as a healthy snack for the boat, we always have fresh fruit salad ($4.25 per pound).

— Rita Deal, owner, Dockside Deli & Catering 123–E Trade Court, Mooresville 704.663.5252, www.docksidedelinc.com “Warm baked brie ($6 for individual size) with cranberry-pecan sauce, paired with an ice-cold bottle of Sauvignon Blanc ($10 and up). …Everybody gets their own, so if there are six people on the boat coming over, they order six individual bries.”

— Trudi Zangardi, owner, Lake Norman Cottage 200-G North Harbor Place, Davidson 704.237.3629, www.lakenormancottage.com “We just started our Lake Norman Boaters Box Lunch Special ($39.99, serves four to five people). You get a large sandwich on a full loaf of our freshly made Italian bread (it’s either the Italian Mix, The Grande or The Market house sandwich). You also get a pound of Derado’s specialty salads and a half-pound of Derado’s assorted Italian cookies for dessert. It’s all contained in an environmentally friendly cooler. The ice is sold separately. For this special we require a pre-order advance notification of at least 30 minutes prior to pick up.”

— John DeSieno, Jr., owner, Derado’s Italian Gourmet Market Magnolia Plaza 8301-3 Magnolia Estates Drive, Cornelius 704.237.3382, www.derados.com

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Lake Norman Currents | July 2010

Toulouse Latrec suit from the Tara Grinna Collection “I think this is a great suit for a pool or cocktail party because not only is it a fashion statement alone, but the addition of the palazzo pants gives the woman who wears this ensemble the ability to feel dressed almost completely until the time comes for a dip in the pool. The scarf/headband keeps hair smooth and sleek in the highest of humidity and adds a ton of sophistication to the overall look.”

— Lori K. Tate, photography courtesy of La Plage Swimwear

tion looks great poolside.

Below: The Toulouse Latrec suit from the Tara Grinna Collection is perfect for a cocktail party at the lake or at the pool.

Photography courtesy of La Plage Swimwear.

Celebrating with Cocktails by the Pool

One of the best parts about boating during the summer is eating yummy snacks. With that in mind, we asked local experts what they recommend for an afternoon on the water. Here’s what they came up with…

Photography courtesy of La Plage Swimwear.

D*Face suit from the KGB Collection “When planning a sporting activity on the lake, and when you also want to look your best, you need a bikini that has a bit more of an edgy feel and that also has the ability to stay secure while wakeboarding or skiing. This bikini from KGB fits the bill. The triangle top has binding around all areas of the cup to keep it in place when tied securely. The bottom has a shaped double ring that curves around the hip so that the snug secure fit is also very flatter- The D*Face suit from the KGB Collection works well for sporting activities. ing. This curved double ring doesn’t allow the bottom to dig into the hip.

When purchasing a bikini used for strenuous activity, we always suggest that you choose a snug, firm, but never a too tight fit. This insures better “stayability” while still looking like you just stepped off the runway.”

The Main Channel |

Yummy Boat Treats

Being a Sport

The Main Channel |

A Talent for Timeless Treasures David Wilgus gets up close and personal with his portraits

David Wilgus stands with one of his colored-pencil portraits.

Lake Norman Currents | July 2010

A dimpled cheek, freckled nose or gaptoothed grin. When Davidson artist David Wilgus draws a child’s portrait, he captures not only detail, but also personality. The realistic, coloredpencil facial close-ups show the sweep of eyelashes and the innocence of a shy smile.

“I love doing these portraits to see parents’ reactions,” says Wilgus. “Some tear up. It’s very fulfilling to do something that’s timeless and stays with a family.” Wilgus also creates portraits of pets, and recently he did one of a beloved horse.

His passion for portrait work is personal and began when his son, now grown, was 10 years old. It’s relaxing for Wilgus and quite different from how he spent the early years of his 40-plus-year career in the creative industry. After majoring in graphic design at an art institute in Ohio, Wilgus worked in advertising, eventually becoming an art director and working with famous fashion photographers.

Leaving the corporate world, he moved into freelance illustration and earned the respect of clients such as Delta Airlines, Disney, Nintendo and Sony. He has illustrated books and book covers; Wilgus’ work is seen in 12

Football Fever The Lake Norman Fear offers a gridiron fix

Football season is still a couple months away, but Lake Norman sports fans needing a gridiron fix are in luck. A minor league startup team — the Lake Norman Fear — is playing a 10-game schedule this summer.

The team plays its home games at Mooresville High School. Opponents include teams from cities like Asheville, Columbia, Raleigh and Myrtle Beach. The Fear roster consists of about 50 players, ranging in age from 17 to 42.

Most played high school football. Some even played at Division One schools such as North Carolina State University. Many of the players live in the Lake Norman area, though some travel from as far away as Kings Mountain.

Charles Keaton, 23, played football at Statesville High. He’s now a lineman for the Fear.

“It’s [the reason I play] pretty much to be part of a team,” explains Keaton. “We enjoy every minute of it. We’re all about having fun and winning games.” Head Coach Steve Taylor says there’s more to the Fear than just Xs and Os. He says the team is an opportunity for young men needing a positive experience.

“There’s too many kids out on the street, getting into trouble, doing other things they shouldn’t be doing because they don’t have those opportunities,” he says. Taylor says fans who show up to watch will see NFL-style footCaldecott Award-winning author Jane Yolen’s young-adult series Here There Be. He also has enjoyed great success drawing renderings of buildings and homes for architects and homeowners. Wilgus says he always admired the work of Norman Rockwell, Maxfield Parrish and M.C. Escher.

What he learned from working with wellrespected photographers helped Wilgus develop his head-turning portrait technique. He begins with a photography session, studying the highlights and shadows on a child’s face from each pose. “The portrait I draw is a composite of several photographs,” says Wilgus, who works out of his historic home, known for its enchanting exterior and work-of-art fence.

Top, Cory Taylor plays long snapper. Above from left, Buddy McDaniel, Coach Steve Taylor and Cory Taylor.

ball played by young men he hopes will become role models.

“We try to have a family environment where people can come out and bring their family and watch football games and have a good time.”

— Scott Graf, photography by Craig Reynolds The Scoop For more information, visit www.LakeNormanFear.org.

“Most artists aren’t doing these extreme close-ups. Once I was told [including] teeth is taboo,” he adds. “But I do teeth because, when a child smiles it’s real if you see teeth.” Wilgus says he enjoys both the detail work and capturing the child’s essence.

Often, it’s a child’s father who asks Wilgus to create the portrait for his wife as a surprise. “It’s very emotional,” he says. “If they cry, then I really know I’ve hit the target.”

— Lee McCracken, photography by Chad Macy The Scoop For more information on David Wilgus and his art, visit www.wilgusillustration.com.

LAKE NORMAN’S MOST DISTINCTIVE HOMES Cornelius Waterfront Gorgeous 2008 Augusta built waterfront estate home. Beautiful open floor plan, elevator, lower lever car museum and casual entertaining space. Private yet lots of waterfront. Has a great casual yet elegant feel, exceptional Augusta quality finishes throughout. MLS#888530 Agent: Reed Jackson 704-713-3623 $2,990,000

Lake Norman Island Waterfront Extraordinary views! 4 Bedrooms, 3 Full 2 Half Baths. Over 5000 sqft. Master on main. 2 story GR with Stone FP. Updated Kitchen. Private pier with boat lift. Year round views from large deck. MLS# 937307 Agent: Lori Jackson 704-996-5686 $1,599,900

Peninsula Waterfront

Sunset Views - Cornelius

Peninsula Waterfront

6 Bedrooms/ 4.5 Baths. French country style home. Gourmet kitchen with stainless steel, granite, 3 fireplaces, covered patio, his/hers offices. MLS# 851721 Agent: Reed Jackson 704-713-3623

Miles of SUNSET views. 4 Bedrooms, 4.5 Baths. Kitchen with Granite Bar. Fireplace in master suite. Pier. Dock with 2 slips. MLS# 936794 Agent: Lori Jackson 704-996-5686

6 Bedrooms, 5 full and 3 Half Baths, Granite bar/rec are in basement.

Open kitchen/main flr living area. Secluded private lot. MLS#939464 Agent: Lori Jackson 704-996-5686

$1,499,000

$1,349,000

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Green Certified Home -

Exit 25 Waterfront

The Peninsula Golf Course

The Point

Old Davidson

4 Bed, 3.5 bath, custom built. Blocks from Davidson College & village center.

Kitchen with thermador appl’s, stone fireplaces, hardwood floors & tile baths.

MLS#879933 Agent: Reed Jackson 704-713-3623

New construction on exit 25! 1.5 story w/unfinished walk out basement on private wooded lot w/pier. 3 car garage.

Granite counters, stainless appliances.

Stone & hardi-plank exterior.

MLS#910696 Agent: Reed Jackson 704-713-3623

Brick home with expansive vies of the lake, 16/17th holes & park. 4 Brs, 3.5 Baths. 10’ ceilings on main, 2 fireplaces, Kitchen & master bath remodeled.

Brick Patio. MLS# 928027 Agent: Lori Jackson 704-996-5686

Custom built, professionally decorated home. Great empty nest plan with main floor living spaces. 3 Car garage.

Deeded boat slip available. MLS# 887191 Agents: Doris Nash 704-2013786 & Reed Jackson 704-713-3623

Elegant Charleston style backing up to natural common area. 4 Bedrooms, 3.5 Baths 10’ ceilings. Screened porch, front porch, balcony with bead board ceiling. MLS#927451 Agent: Lori Jackson 704-996-5686

$859,000

$679,000

$549,900

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Porthole | by Sharon Simpson From left, Kandi Ranson and Jody Clark enjoy the festivities.

Laura Clayson uses her handy wine glass holder to grab a taste.

The Lake Norman Wine and Food Festival

Wine enthusiasts enjoyed two days of fun, food, and of course, wine at the first annual Lake Norman Wine and Food Festival.

The celebration was held on June 5 and 6 at Kenton Place in Cornelius. Allison Oaks Vineyards, DavestĂŠ Vineyards, Dobbins Creek Vineyards, Round Peak Vineyards, Shadow Springs Vineyard, Shelton Vineyards and more participated. Proceeds from the festival benefitted Hope House, Angels & Sparrows Soup Kitchen and Mooresville Soup Kitchen.

Lake Norman Currents | july 2010

Fran and Ted Whitlock enjoy food with their wine.

14

Charles King, Dobbins Creek Winery, and CURRENTS publisher Sharon Simpson share a sip together.

Wines from Round Peak vineyards.

Fourteen North Carolina wineries participated in the two-day event.

Julia and Steve Bird enjoy the shade.

From left, Kimberly Jacobs and Shrhonda Turner.

Porthole |

True to Carrie Bradshaw’s love of footwear, the hundreds of women in attendance wore their fiercest footwear.

Sex and the City fans wore their most fashionable outfits to the event.

Sex and the City 2 -Bigger Than Big

Hundreds of women celebrated the release of Sex and the City 2 at the Bigger Than Big event in Huntersville on May 26, featuring food and beverages from Dressler’s Restaurant, a sneak-peek screening at the Birkdale Stadium 16 theater, a champagne and dessert party, and goodie bags. Proceeds from the event, organized by Bruna Oliveira, benefitted the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

-Photos by Jason E. Miczek

Among the highlights of the Bigger Than Big event at Birkdale Village were belly-dancers and live camels.

Catwalk For A Cause: A Celebration of Fashion

The first Catwalk For A Cause: A Celebration of Fashion raised more than $15,000 for the Martin Truex Jr. Foundation. Held on May 18 at River Run Country Club in Davidson, the event featured fashion from Bella Ropa in Huntersville, as well as Lavendar and Dot’s Women’s Wear in Mooresville. In keeping with the high fashion/high speed theme, the emcee for the event was the fabulously stylish Jamie Little, ESPN/ABC pit reporter for NASCAR Nationwide and the Sprint Cup series.

Sheri George models clothing from Lavendar Boutique in the inaugural Catwalk For A Cause fashion show.

Macy Waltrip, daughter of NASCAR driver/owner Michael Waltrip, walked the runway in the Catwalk For A Cause fashion show.

15

Lake Norman Currents | July 2010

The team behind the inaugural Catwalk For A Cause fashion show included from left, Amy Crain, owner of Bella Ropa boutique; LeeAnn Little, owner of Dot’s boutique; Shannon Helms, Lavendar boutique store manager; Sherry Pollex, owner of Lavendar; NASCAR driver Martin Truex Jr.; ESPN pit road reporter Jamie Little and Michelle Hunt, executive director of the Martin Truex Jr. Foundation.

— Julia Pollex Photos

Captain’s Chair | by Lee McCracken photography by Glenn Roberson

Splish

As the organizer of Lake Norman’s AquaPalooza, Dick Siedenspinner makes sure everything stays afloat during the family fun event on the water.

Splash

D Dick

Lake Norman Currents | July 2010

Siedenspinner says this year’s AquaPalooza will be bigger than ever

16

ick Seidenspinner’s annual summer fling is all wet, and that’s a good thing.

As the organizer of Lake Norman’s AquaPalooza, he makes sure everything stays afloat during the family fun event on the water.

Seidenspinner has lived in the area since 1971. Studying business at both Lees-McRae College and UNC Charlotte, he worked in the automobile industry for two years before putting his skills to the test for two NASCAR/Winston Cup teams. From 1985 to 2000, he was the director of operations for Butch Mock Motorsports and SABCO Racing respectively. In 2000, he started Spinnerworks, an event execution company, organizing boat shows as well as the Davey Allison Memorial Golf Classic.

Seidenspinner lives with his wife, Julie, and two children, Corey, 10, and Christian, 8, in Cornelius and has enjoyed boating on Lake Norman for 25 years. The Seidenspinners and thousands of others look forward to AquaPalooza on July

31, as the free event is open to all boaters and features live music and many giveaways.

Recently, Seidenspinner shared with Currents how the event comes together and what partygoers can expect.

What’s the story behind AquaPalooza coming to Lake Norman?

It’s a corporate event sponsored by Sea Ray Boats every year during the last two weekends in July on more than 100 lakes around the world.

Tom Riemann, the general manager at Sea Ray of Lake Norman had put on an event in 2008, but was looking to make it bigger. I had been talking with Harry Smith at the Peninsula Yacht Club about putting on a water-based event, so he introduced me to Tom. We got together with Mark Lancaster of Midway Marina last year to Continued on page 18

Dr. Boatlifts

The Lowe’s and Lake Norman YMCAs offer a wide variety of activities to keep your family active and healthy.

If your boatlift is feeling blue then we are there for you.

Register now for fall sports!

We specialize in servicing and maintaining all boatlift manufacturers.

Plus, we offer boatlift maintenance programs.

We perform all manufacture time change items such as cable replacements.

Turn your existing lift into a remote controlled lift.

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Lake Norman Currents | July 2010

A Resort Destination

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Captain’s Chair |

Continued from page 16

ramp it up and make it a real AquaPalooza. We had more than 3,200 people last year.

How do boaters find the party?

AquaPalooza is just south of the N.C. 150 bridge near Midway Marina in Terrell. It isn’t a raft-up; it’s an organized event, where we have lines out in the water, and we provide the means for boats to tie up stern to bow.

When does the fun get started, and how long does it last?

Boats start gathering at sun up. AquaPalooza is noon to 6 p.m. Simplified, our featured band, plays from a barge starting at 1 p.m. and goes till about 4 p.m. WRFX-FM broadcasts live, and we’re working on a system where boats that are farther out can tune in via their FM radio.

There’s a dedicated swimming area called “Noodle Bay” in front of the stage, and we toss noodles and rafts into the crowd.

Who handles all the logistics — traffic, tying up, etc.?

How many boats do you expect?

The agencies in all four counties — Catawba, Iredell, Lincoln and Mecklenburg — are involved. We’re all about safety first. We began meeting with county commissioners, law enforcement, fire and rescue, state transportation officials and highway patrol back in May. We’re prepared for anything that can happen.

The Coast Guard Auxiliary initially directs boats into the tie-up area. Additional direction is provided and maintained during the event by the various divisions of law enforcement and fire/rescue from the counties that surround the lake. Their base of operations on the water is provided by Sherrills Ford/Terrell Fire and Rescue and is managed by Chief Keith Bost.

We also have six lifeguards from Davidson College positioned around Noodle Bay. This isn’t a beer bash — it’s a well-organized, PG-rated, family event, and we want people to come out and have a good time, remembering safety is a top priority.

This year, we’re expecting about 4,500 people. Last year, the area was totally full by about 11:30 a.m. The entire cove from the main channel to the marina was full of boats. … We hope Mother Nature cooperates like last year with light wind and a clear, blue-sky day. LNC THE SCOOP To register for AquaPalooza scheduled for July 31, go to www.aquapalooza.com and click on “Find an Event.” On the map, click on the pink states and then scroll down the list of events to click on Sea Ray of Lake Norman. Event information is also constantly updated on the event’s Facebook page, AquaPalooza Sea Ray of Lake Norman.

Lee McCracken is a Charlottearea freelance editor and writer who lives in Stanley and grew up spending summers on Cayuga Lake in upstate New York. Since moving to the Charlotte area in 1994, she has written about business, education, health care and real estate for various publications.

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Lake Norman Currents | July 2010

t first glance, Patty Griffin of Cornelius does not appear to fit the stereotype of the rough and tough outlaw that is the traditional Harley-Davidson motorcyclist. She is a mother of two, a wife, a Bunco player and a CPA who spends her workdays shuttling between any one of several family businesses. But spend a few minutes with Patty as she describes her 2003 Softail Fat Boy Anniversary Edition with a Gold Key Package that sits alongside her husband’s (Clay) 2010 Street Glide, and you will see how the appeal of the bike and a love of the motorcycle lifestyle help keep her life exciting.

From left, Clay and Patty Griffin of Cornelius say that riding motorcycles is in their blood.

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Lake Norman Currents | July 2010

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Rip Currents — Recreation |

Perhaps no one better understands the unique appeal of the lifestyle and the lure of the open road than Don Tilley, owner of Tilley Harley-Davidson in Statesville.

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More than a bike Handling a 700-pound Harley is no easy task, but Patty says living the lifestyle and traveling with friends and family makes it worth the effort.

“About seven years ago, a group of about 20 of us from around here just started buying motorcycles one right after the other. It became a group thing,” she explains. “We all went to the Daytona rallies. We went to Key West a couple of times, and we loved to take off anywhere together. I was glad to get back into it since I rode as a kid and remembered the freedom it gives me.”

Freedom is a word that Robert Yates, retired owner of legendary Robert Yates Racing, also uses to describe his lifelong hobby. “I can’t even begin to describe the freedom you feel when you ride. You really learn to understand how weather works when you are on a bike, and you learn to be aware of everything going on out there. It is a far different experience from being in a car,” says Yates. “To me, riding where there is no one else on the road gives me complete freedom.”

Perhaps no one better understands the unique appeal of the lifestyle and the lure of the open road than Don Tilley, owner of Tilley Harley-Davidson in Statesville. Listening to him describe how society’s perception of motorcycles has changed through the years, and what it means to ride, is like hearing a living legend share the story of his life. Motorcycles, according to Tilley, are now a cult that appeals to everyone.

“I have been in this business all my life and remember back in the early sixties when things

Continued on page 25

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Continued from page 22

were tough if you were a biker,” Tilley recalls. “If you rode a motorcycle then you were a roughneck and a bad character. If you rode a motorcycle and had a black leather jacket, well, people thought you were bad news even if you weren’t.”

He says the perception began to change during the eighties. “By 1985, when the economy improved, that’s when the rich urban bikers first got into riding,” Tilley explains. “And so did the women. It wasn’t for rebels anymore. When 1988 hit, I had a one-year-long waiting list for a new Harley.

Motorcycles got respectable, and it really took off.”

Tilley says that with the increased popularity came a better understanding of what it means to ride. The stereotype was gone. “People began to see that motorcycles are a great escape,” he adds.

“Even today, if I get frustrated, I jump on a motorcycle and take a ride through the country. I come back with a different attitude. There is something about it that blows your troubles away. That’s what brings us all together.”

Coming together as one Patty Griffin, Robert Yates and Don Tilley all

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Rip Currents — Recreation |

Smelling the Roses Robert Yates enjoys finding out-of-the-way places with his bike

Bikers take pride in their bikes, as they make sure they sparkle at local bike nights.

agree that the motorcycle community is a diverse group that shares a love of the machine and a sense of adventure. And through the years, they believe, bike nights have become a popular way for enthusiasts to come together as one.

“I like to think it’s the cheap beer, good food and music that brings in the crowd,” says Kristin Wicklund, general manager of Mac’s Speed Shop in Cornelius, which hosts a family friendly biker night every Thursday. “But bikers will travel from almost anywhere for bike night to see each other’s bikes and talk about what they have done to them. Anything that’s free wheeling is welcomed.

It’s the kind of thing people like to do together whenever they can.”

Yates says the bike crowd is an extraordinary group that most people never take the time to meet. “Ninety-nine percent of the motorcyclists are in it for discovery, to see this country and to add to their lives,” he explains. “There’s no better way to see this country than on a bike and, in my opinion, there’s no better place in the world to ride than on our piece of land.”

While some motorcyclists come and go, others stay with it for a lifetime. “I think I’m like the last of the Mohicans now,” Patty says as she reflects on how some friends have moved away from riding. “Mostly everyone else around here sold their motorcycles, but when my husband and I became empty nesters, we looked at each other and thought back to all the trips we took together and how much fun we had. We decided there was no reason we shouldn’t be doing this again. We know it is in our blood.” LNC

-Mike Savicki

26

Above, left and right, Robert Yates says there’s no better way to see this country than on a motorcycle.

Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

Lake Norman Currents | July 2010

Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

While Robert Yates is best known for his tremendous success in NASCAR, he says a lifetime fascination with motorcycles has always helped satisfy his continued sense of adventure and given him the balance he desires in life.

“As a kid, when we went to the state fair in Raleigh, my big thrill was to see the motorcycles ride sideways around the curved balls.

It’s all I could think of,” he recalls.

“When I got home, I’d put a motor on anything that had wheels and try to be the guy who rode side saddle.”

According to Yates, he wasn’t always successful. “When I was a kid at age 14, my brother and another guy and I, we went in together and bought a 1953 Triumph without my parents knowing. The first time I rode it was through a Pep Boys parking lot and when I turned to miss a mud hole, I hit a ‘57 Dodge on the quarter panel and went right across the car,” he explains.

“I had my annual ‘go to school’ clothes on that I tore all up, and I thought I broke my arm. I told my

parents I wrecked on a bicycle but didn’t tell them it was motorized.”

Since his retirement from racing in 2007, Yates works on his Robert Yates Ranch in North Wilkesboro and makes more time to ride.

“When I retired, I thought about Marty Robbins singing about Rose’s Cantina and El Paso. I made a plan to load up the motorhome, put the bikes on the trailer and head west. When we got to Texas, I dialed 411 to get the directions and address of Rose’s, and after we found a camping ground, we got on our bikes and headed across the Rio Grande River.”

Exploring the country, visiting out-of-the-way places and meeting new people are what Yates treasures most about riding. “I went through 40 years of racing without any fear, and now I’m not out to prove anything. Jumping over walls with gas cans and jacks and arms full of tires is what I did for a living and my body was trained for it,” he says. “That’s different from operating farm equipment and riding motorcycles for fun. I’m starting to slow down and smell the roses, but I still love the freedom of seeing the mountains and discovering places that aren’t on anybody’s map or radar.”

Freelance writer Mike Savicki has lived and worked in the Lake Norman area for 15 years, frequently covering the racing scene.

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hese days, Abe Rummage is living the best of both worlds in terms of providing effective acupuncture treatments to the residents of Lake Norman. Throughout the week, Rummage, licensed and board certified in acupuncture and Chinese medicine as well as therapeutic massage, provides patients with private treatments at his AcuCare Clinic in Denver. Then once a week he’s able to treat a sector of patients who might not otherwise be able to receive services in a Community Acupuncture setting at The Bindu in Cornelius.

A group effort Lake Norman Currents | July 2010

With Community Acupuncture, patients are treated in small group settings rather than in a private treatment room. Much like the way that acupuncture is practiced in China today, this method provides an affordable alternative to private acupuncture treatment. By treating small groups of people together in a slowly rotating fashion (one in every 15 minutes, one out every 15 minutes) costs are highly minimized.

30

One session of Community Acupuncture costs a flat rate of $25. In contrast, private treatments cost $95 for the initial intake and treatment, with follow-up treatments costing $65.

Rummage learned about the community model several years ago and says he always had it in the back of his mind as something he would like to one day provide.

“It’s different for the patient, but much more cost effective,” he says. “I felt like there were a lot of people who weren’t getting it [acupuncture treatments] simply because they couldn’t afford it.

That’s the niche it fills.”

Private acupuncture treatments are often more personalized because they include a combination treatment with herbal formulas and supplements and massage. Rummage says acupuncture in a group setting is just as effective, but only uses acupuncture with the needles.

Acupuncture up close Acupuncture involves placing needles in different points on the body in specific combinations to help balance the body’s energy flow. Acupuncture (often in combination with herbal medicine) can help adjust and harmonize the functions of all the systems and organs in the body as well as their interaction.

For many, acupuncture treatments provide relief from musculoskeletal pain like headaches, neck and back pain and chronic conditions such as fibromyalgia, allergies, digestive problems, gynecological and fertility issues, sleep disorders, anxiety, and depression, among others.

In April, Rummage began offering Community Acupuncture at The Bindu, a yoga and wellness center, on Thursdays beginning at 1 p.m.

A personalized intake typically takes five to 10 minutes, with treatments lasting 35 to 40 minutes. Participants can make an appointment for a guaranteed slot, and walk-ins are also welcome, he says.

Davidson resident Magdalena Pena had been suffering from plantar fasciitis, inflammation of a thick band of tissue that runs along the bottom of the foot, for almost a year when she went to an information session for Community Acupuncture at The Bindu.

“I found the idea of community and healing really interesting,” she says, adding that she likes the possibility of also understanding and sharing the pain of others. “I was desperate to feel really well again.”

Abe Rummage treats a patient at The Bindhu in Cornelius.

A Renewal of Spirit Patients are treated at The Bindu seated upright in chairs and futons, and the setting is casual and informal, with conversation not discouraged among members of the group. Five sessions later, Pena not only reports a drastic reduction in pain, but she looks forward to the spiritual renewal she gets after each shared community session.

She says she is slowly getting back into light exercising and wearing some of her old shoes again (previously, the pain only allowed her to wear flats).

“You have the ability to think about pain differently,” Pena says. “It’s not about feeling bad, but what we can do to feel much better.” LNC The Scoop For more information about Community Acupuncture, call 704.483.5441 or visit www.acucareclinic.com.

Above and below: Acupuncture involves placing needles in different points on the body in specific combinations to help balance the body’s energy flow.

Lake Norman Currents | July 2010

31

Rip Currents—Science and Technology | by Sam Boykin photography by Maury Faggart

Above, members of the Charlotte Chapter of the Experimental Aircraft Association build a Kitfox at Mooresville’s Lake Norman Airpark.

Lake Norman Currents | July 2010

A group of aviation enthusiasts is working on a project that’s fit for the runway 32

Crazy Like

a Kitfox

E

very Tuesday night they come from around Lake Norman and Charlotte to work on the little flying machine. It’s called a Kitfox, and it’s one of the more basic, economic ultralight planes available that enthusiasts can build at home.

While it’ll only accommodate one person and its top speed is 90 miles-per-hour, it’s still no easy task putting together the aircraft, which contains bizarre-sounding parts like a flaperon, elevator bellcrank and tail feather hinge bushing.

Old School

The Charlotte Chapter of the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) is building the Kitfox. EAA is an Oshkosh, Wisconsin-based organization that promotes recreational aviation, and its members build and fly a variety of planes including antiques, warbirds, aerobatic aircraft, ultralights and contemporary manufactured aircraft. The Charlotte Chapter, one of about 1,000, was formed in 1973, Continued on page 35

From left, John Wigney, Kenneth Larson and Ross Gresley test the Kitfox outside.

“

It’s a metal tube construction for the frame of the fuselage, and the wings are a combination of wood and aluminum covered by fabric. It’s old school.

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and has close to 100 members.

The Kitfox airplane is one of several projects the Charlotte organization does every year to educate its members, as it allows them to get hands-on experience.

Alex Becker joined the Charlotte EAA Chapter in 2008 shortly after moving to Mooresville and was promptly recruited to help build the Kitfox, which comes complete with all the parts and directions. Becker and his wife, Marianne, arrived here from Michigan and are both retired air traffic controllers with plenty of piloting experience.

Moreover, Alex had built his own plane before, a Long-EZ, a two-seater plane made of aluminum composite materials that can reach top speeds of about 200 miles-per-hour and “fly from Michigan to Florida on a tank of gas,” he says.

The Kitfox, which was first introduced in the early 80s, is a simpler design. “It’s a metal tube construction for the frame of the fuselage,

and the wings are a combination of wood and aluminum covered by fabric. It’s old school.”

Alex says they obtained the plane from someone who “didn’t have the wherewithal to finish it.” He’s one of about 10 Charlotte EAA members who regularly shows up at Mooresville’s Lake Norman Airpark where the plane is being assembled at resident Don Sink’s hangar.

Piecing it together Nearly every Tuesday night for about three hours the group works on piecing together the plane, which is a popular choice for backcountry camping trips. The project got underway in early 2009, and Alex expects the plane to be finished by September.

“It’s perfect for local, short-distance flying,” Alex says of the aircraft, which weighs about 250 pounds. “It’s a good, affordable way for people to get into flying.”

Alex says once the plane is built, the Charlotte EAA plans to sell it and use the money to build a hangar in Gastonia.

Meanwhile, Alex has plenty to keep him busy. He sold his Long-EZ, and is now working on fixing up a used Cozy Mark IV, a four-seat, single engine light aircraft. “I’m overhauling it, painting it and putting in new avionics. It’s going to be great.”

The Charlotte EAA Chapter is a non-profit charitable and educational organization with approximately 100 members. Pilots and nonpilots are welcome. The organization has regular monthly meetings, seminars, training sessions and builder’s workshops at Charlotte regional airports. It also offers the Young Eagles Program, which provides free airplane rides for kids between 8 and 17. LNC

Rip Currents—Science and Technology |

Continued from page 32

The Scoop For more information about the Charlotte Chapter of the Experimental Aircraft Association, visit http://home.eaa309.apps4rent.info/ default.aspx.

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Lake Norman Currents | July 2010

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42

The Galley | by Cathy Swiney

A

photography by Glenn Roberson

fter years of earning a following in several north Charlotte and lake-area restaurants for his Southern-inspired culinary creations, Wesley Choplin figured it was time to open his own place.

While some might question the timing of opening a new restaurant during an economic downturn, Choplin says he feels blessed for many reasons. With the March 10 opening of Choplin’s Restaurant in Cornelius, he has helped the economy by opening a business. He is giving back by supporting several charities and most importantly, he is continuing to do something he loves.

“When is the right time to do anything,” he asks rhetorically. “I’m really excited to be on my own. It really makes me feel good that we are taking the risk.”

Lake Norman Currents | July 2010

Southern gourmet A menu that packs a culinary wallop makes taking that risk a little easier for this chef who graduated from the prestigious Culinary Institute of America in New York in 1997. The menu at Choplin’s Restaurant features Southern cuisine with entrees such as slow-cooked baby back ribs and shrimp and grits in addition to grilled steaks.

A gourmet flare comes to the dishes in the form of sauces using ingredients such as garlic, cilantro and chilies, red wine and onion, and soy sauce and mustard.

Choplin says the ribs, served with parmesanlayered potatoes, are a big hit. The fall-off-the-bone meat is slathered with a coffee-brown sugar sauce.

“Our shrimp and grits is different than the low country way,” he says. “I use chilies and honey, fresh cilantro, and yellow stone-ground grits.”

Drawing almost as much attention as the menu items are a variety of fresh seafood features offered each night. Choplin’s purveyor delivers fresh seafood to the restaurant within hours after it comes off the boat.

“I don’t use a lot of ingredients, and the plating is simple,” says Choplin, who was cooking his way through college studying nursing when he realized that food was his true passion. “I think people want that [simple food] these days.”

Finding inspiration Lake-area residents aren’t the only ones 44

Sesame-wasabi seared tuna with soy-mustard sauce and a jasmine rice cake is a favorite entree at Choplin’s Restaurant in Cornelius.

simply fresh Owning a restaurant for Wesley Choplin is a blessing

Top Five Ingredients • Paw Paw’s Pickles, homemade

by Choplin’s father, Ed. • For a bit of humor, ask to be seated at the table with the monkey in the middle, a reference to the classic children’s game.

• Opportunities to give back to others through the purchase of coffee or wine.

• Fresh seafood features available each night.

• Understated gourmet food in a casual setting.

Choplin’s shrimp and grits with garliccilantro-chile sauce puts a tasty spin on a traditional favorite.

Dig In Crispy Lobster-Cabbage Rolls appetizer for $8 to 8-ounce filet mignon for $25.

Choplin’s Restaurant 19700 One Norman Blvd.

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the perfect doodling space for young diners.

Informal booth seating occupies most of the space with a few tables located in the middle.

When he can, Choplin likes to visit with diners, as does his wife, Adrianne.

Because he says he feels blessed with the opportunity to own his restaurant, he wants to pay it forward by helping others. Profits from Fair Trade coffee sales go to help growers’ families, while profits from Sycamore Lane wines, the house wine at Choplin’s, are

given to area Habitat for Humanity efforts, and profits from One Hope wines are distributed among five charities.

“We’ve been so lucky,” Choplin says. “I’ve got to give back.” LNC

The Galley |

who have enjoyed Choplin’s cooking. He has prepared spinach and walnut ravioli for R&B singer Alicia Keys and salmon for blues guitarist and singer B.B. King. But the person he would most like to cook for is Alice Waters, the California gourmet restaurateur who is credited with starting the farm-to-table movement.

“She’s [Waters] been an inspiration,” Choplin says.

Waters’ influence can be seen at Choplin’s through the use of in-season produce. Choplin continues to forge relationships with local farms for produce such as broccoli, squash and tomatoes.

His grandmother also inspired him in the kitchen and passed along her love and passion for cooking.

“She would prepare these big Sunday meals, and that inspired me,” the WinstonSalem native remembers.

The atmosphere at Choplin’s is as warm as a family gathering. Mustard yellow walls festooned with whimsical modern art create a casual, welcoming atmosphere. Butcher paper protects tablecloths and also provides

Free-lance writer Cathy Swiney, a Huntersville resident, has spent several years covering the restaurant scene in the Lake Norman area.

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Grapevine | by Trevor Burton

surprise,

It’s Viognier

After surviving a near-death experience, this wine lives on

W

were merely a few acres of these vines planted in the entire world. They were hanging on for dear life in the Condrieu region in France. A little surprising because the grapes had been around for 2,000 years or so, brought into France like so many other grapes by the conquering Romans. Fortunately, someone was smart enough to come up with the vinous equivalent of CPR, and Viognier was pulled back from the brink of extinction.

Since then, the grape has done rather well. It found its way across the Atlantic to California and around the world to Australia. Even closer to home, Viognier has established itself as one of the superb wines that we grow here in North Carolina. Many New World wine makers are combining Viognier in blends with Chenin Blanc or Chardonnay. Interesting wines, but for me Viognier stands nicely on its own.

Given the strength of this wine compared to something like a crisp Sauvignon Blanc you might think that it’s best left alone during the

A near-death experience Viognier almost bit the dust, so we’re lucky to have the wine around. As recently as 1965 there

Viognier has enough character to match with a dish of chilled salmon, and it is the answer to the timehonored question of what to pair with sushi.

47

Lake Norman Currents | July 2010

ines made from the Viognier (veeon-yay) grape can be surprising.

Surprising in a good way that is.

From their aroma you’d swear that you are about to taste a wine that is deep and cloying, maybe even a sweet wine. In fact, what you get is just the opposite. If you’ve never tasted Viognier, that first glass is going to be a revelation. It might just deliver the moment that forces you to say, “Hey, that’s what this whole wine thing is all about.”

These are aromatic wines. They have a heady perfume, a mix of things like oriental lychee nuts, very ripe white melon, freshly picked peaches and apricots, and ripe pears. They are amazingly floral with aromas such as honeysuckle and citrus blossoms. On the geeky side, the floral aspects come from compounds called terpens that are also found in the equally floral Riesling and Gewürztraminer wines.

It’s when you take a sip that you find out what a tease Viognier is. What comes across is not sweetness in a thick and sugary sense. What you find is best described as a nectar of honey flavor combined with all sorts of different layers of other flavors— almonds, spice, peaches and apricots.

Viogniers are luscious and viscous on the palate, certainly not shy. They have more body than most other white wines and what I really like is the wine’s aftertaste, not at all cloying, but fresh and vibrant. It just yells out for you to take another sip.

Grapevine |

warm summer months. Not really. This is a food wine, just right for summer dishes. As an example, it’s a great wine for an aperitif coupled with a creamy, salty goat cheese.

Viognier has enough character to match with a dish of chilled salmon, and it is the answer to the time-honored question of what to pair with sushi. To think, about 40 years ago this wine was on its last legs in France and here we are today, sipping it beside Lake Norman and pairing it with Japanese food. Ain’t life just grand?

A pronounced opportunity There’s another thing about this wine that is close to my heart. Viognier is a wine that is often passed over either when it’s on a wine list or at a wine merchant. While it doesn’t reach the tongue-twisting category of Gewürztraminer, it’s still a little bit of a challenge. The silent ‘g’ gets in the way. Don’t those unpronounced consonants in French words make you want to gnash your teeth?

It may be wishful thinking but, to me, Viognier’s little pronunciation issue should trans-

late into a better value for your wine dollar.

Certainly these wines are not wallet busters.

While you can drop a bundle to get your taste buds around one of the spectacular wines from Condrieu, you can easily find a New World Viognier in the $15 dollar range.

Although some of these wines, especially those from old vines and the late-harvest wines, are suitable for aging, most Viogniers are intended to be consumed young. Wines more than three years old tend to lose many of the floral aromas that make this wine unique and compelling. Aging Viognier often yields a very crisp drinking wine but a wine that has had all its character leached out and which is almost completely flat in the nose. And, with a Viognier, what’s the point of that?

So, some hot summer afternoon or evening break out the ice bucket and chill some Viognier. It’s a temptation, but don’t chill it too much; you’ll diminish your palate and this wine is all about aroma and complex tastes. Fill up a glass, give it a good swirl and take a deep smell. It’s almost like you’re smell-

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About 40 years ago Viognier was on its last legs in France.

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In The Kitchen | by Lori K. Tate

W

Chef Charles brings gourmet takeout to town Last year Semail would sell 20 to 30 baguettes at the market. During a weekend last month he sold close to 100. Ron Raeford, owner of Raeford’s Barbershop in Davidson, is a fan of Semail’s dried sherry pork barbecue spring roll and his grilled ham and homemade pimento cheese sandwich on wheat bread. Ron liked his cooking so much that he encouraged him to open shop in a vacant grill space owned by his father, James. The building, which was formerly Raeford’s Grill, dates back to the 1920s when it served as a segregated grocery store.

“One Saturday morning…I was coming into work just kind of browsing around the back of the farmer’s market and stopped at his [Semail’s] table and started talking,” recalls Ron. “From there it’s history.”

Now the cinder block building with just over 400 square feet of space cranks out gourmet takeout dishes from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Monday through Friday. Most of the prep work is done at Semail’s 2,000-square-foot catering kitchen in Charlotte.

“I focus more on local American food,” says Semail, who formerly worked as an executive chef at Dean & Deluca at Phillips Place and

Quail Hollow Country Club. “I had a good feeling about Davidson. People are very friendly, very welcoming and they are very cosmopolitan with all the professors and everything. I met some people from Spain, Chile, France, of course, and Germany. They want some good food, and people get excited with my product.”

Favorites include the slow-smoked pull pork barbecue sandwich, the hickory smoked beef brisket stack sandwich, and the turkey and brie cheese sandwich on a ciabetta roll topped with sliced tomato, lettuce and apricot mustard spread. Homemade potato chips and french fries coupled with homemade chocolate brownies and southern style pecan squares make for nice sides.

As for his off-the-beaten path location, Semail has no worries. “I wouldn’t have opened a place like that away from everything if I didn’t already have a year of marketing in Davidson,” he says. “The response has been great because it’s Davidson, and people are very supportive and help each other.” LNC DIG IN Chef Charles Grill2Go 300 Mock Road Davidson 704.896.5525 www.chefcharlescatering.com

51

Lake Norman Currents | July 2010

hen Charles Semail’s catering business slowed down last summer due to the sluggish economy, he began dabbling in the market, the Davidson Farmer’s Market that is. “I had mostly all my Saturdays off, and I was looking for something to do,” recalls Semail, who owns Chef Charles Catering in Charlotte. “I got the idea to go to the market in Davidson. I had heard about it.

I started to sell a little bit of things over there, and it started to grow like that.”

Grow indeed. Now Semail, a native of France, operates Chef Charles Grill2Go from a tiny space on Mock Road in Davidson, just down the street from Ada Jenkins Center. Pop by at lunchtime and you’ll probably have to wait in line for a few minutes because Semail’s cooking has developed quite a following in the Lake Norman area.

“I started with my pâté only,” recalls Semail of his debut at the market last June, D-Day to be exact. “My background in France is being a pork butcher, making pâté sausage. So I started to do my own country style pâté. After that I started to have some frozen entrees, some dip, some bread.”

A native of France and the owner of Chef Charles Grill2Go in Davidson, Charles Semail has an accent that’s as intoxicating as his cuisine.

photography by Glenn Roberson

Small Place, Big Taste

Game On | by Mike Savicki

Dig IT! photography by Craig Reynolds

Volleyball fun in the summer sun

I

t’s a Tuesday evening and the volleyball courts at Blythe Landing in Cornelius are packed. Sixteen co-ed teams of six are bumping, setting and spiking their way through weekly matches on four forgivingly soft sand courts. To these players, the love of the game, the camaraderie and a hint of recreational competition make nights like this pretty special during the summer.

Lake Norman Currents | July 2010

Playing volleyball in the sand is a favorite pastime for many folks in the Lake Norman area.

52

!

Jason Leach of Denver spikes his opponent.

Competitive fun Tracy Hunter of Davidson and her Sandy Britches team are in it for the fun as they battle Rec House 1 on court four.

Hunter keeps low key, smiles after volleys and explains, “When I moved here I wanted to meet people outside of racing — where I work — and decided to come out because it looked like fun. I like being outside in the summer and playing in the

top of the standings in the last few years.”

Jason likes the sport because it allows him to stay active while learning something new. He also plays indoors in the winter but says he likes the outside game better. “I played basketball growing up in Indiana and have been playing out here for the past three summers. You have softball

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Derrick Wynes of Mooresville helps set up a spike.

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On July 25th Sea Ray of Lake Norman welcomed 5,000 friends to Aquapalooza 2009. With the cooperation of law enforcement, sponsors,and the weatherman, Aquapalooza was the Biggest and Best boating celebration EVER on Lake Norman!

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Lake Norman Currents | July 2010

sand because it is more relaxed. We don’t stress about winning and losing too much, and we make it fun no matter what.”

The match on court two is closer and more competitive. Team Naked Oyster is battling Bucknuts, and Jason Leach of Denver is a force in the middle for Naked Oyster.

“This is a good way to get some competition during the work week,” explains Jason.

“I play on a team with my sister [Tammy Leach] and people from her neighborhood, and we like to win. I’m absolutely competitive, and our team has finished at or near the

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54

Game On |

and basketball leagues and even indoor volleyball, but this is different because you play in the sand and it forces you to jump and react differently.”

Playing in the sand is a unique appeal of the sport during the summer. Kevin Falank, the league coordinator who founded All in Play, Inc. in 2003 to promote volleyball in north Charlotte, explains, “Playing Playing in the sand is the unique appeal of playing volleyball during the summer.

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Lake Norman Currents | July 2010

in the sand is different than any other type of volleyball. People like to know they can dive around and not get hurt. They like the courts here in Blythe Landing because it is a public park and when they aren’t playing, the park offers a place for everyone to relax in the sun.”

Falank continues, “There is a difference between being competitive and being skilled. All our players have some degree of competitiveness in them, but they vary greatly in their skill level and knowledge of the rules. No one should feel intimidated

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Game On |

and have to play at a level they don’t want. We have leagues and teams for everyone.”

The demand for sand Marci Herron relocated to Mooresville from the West Coast two years ago with her fiancé, Derrick Wynes, and plays at the advanced level. Herron, a collegiate swimmer at University of Southern California, was raised playing volleyball on the legendary beach courts of Southern California. She discovered the local volleyball scene purely by chance after playing pickup volleyball at the YMCA and now participates in women’s doubles and co-ed four leagues at both Blythe Landing and the Huntersville Family Fitness and Aquatics Center.

“I picked this sport up again because I grew up playing beach doubles in Southern California,” recalls Herron.

“Finding this level of interest in North Carolina, our home away from home, is pretty neat.

I have met players at the same level as me and those who are Not only is volleyball a great way to exercise, it’s also great fun.

Continued on page 58

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Lake Norman Currents | July 2010

57

Game On |

Continued from page 56

better, too. I gravitate to the better players so they can teach me and I can improve.”

Falank says the All in Play leagues are growing as the sport gains popularity and that the players participate for a variety of reasons. “Our leagues have exploded across the board especially at the recreational levels in the last few years,” he says. “Almost all of our leagues are designed for adults, so

after the nine-to-five work day ends, some players come out just to relieve work stress and unwind. I like to think the sport itself is the draw, but it could very well be the chance to escape work these days.”

To meet the increased demand, Falank recently expanded his program. All in Play now offers eight different adult leagues for male, female and co-ed teams composed of two, four and six players. Skill levels range from recreational and intermediate

Players of all levels play volleyball at Blythe Landing.

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Lake Norman Currents | June 2010

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through open and advanced. All in Play’s summer schedule also includes an expanded camp for juniors between the ages of 12 and 18.

“No matter what you want out of the sport, you can get it in the sand,” says Herron. “You get people from all walks of life here and because it is a relaxed atmosphere, you can just show up and have fun in the sun.” LNC The Scoop If you want to play volleyball this summer, most area summer leagues begin play in July and registration occurs online. To learn more about outdoor leagues, tournaments and pick-up opportunities on the sand, grass or indoor visit: All in Play Adult Volleyball Leagues — www.allinplayinc.com Charlotte Sports Center — www.charlottesportscenter.com Charlotte Volleyball Players Community — www.charlottevb.com YMCA of Greater Charlotte — www.ymcacharlotte.org Freelance writer Mike Savicki has lived and worked in the Lake Norman area for 15 years, frequently covering the racing scene.

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Home Port | by Sam Boykin

photography courtesy of Lancaster Custom Dock and LiftSystem, Inc. and Rowboat Dock & Dredge

60

Lake Norman Currents | July 2010

Decadent

Mark Lancaster, owner of Lancaster Custom Dock and Lift System, Inc., has a two-story dock with two boatlifts, a full bar, two flat-screen TVs, three diving boards, a gas grill and a stereo system.

I

f you’re fortunate enough to live on the lake, a dock is great way to extend your home’s living space and take advantage of all the water has to offer.

Whether you’re in the market for a multilift, two-story dock for entertaining or a simple structure where you can stretch out and take in the view, there are a number of experienced builders in the area who can help.

As lake homes become more ornate, piers follow right along 61

Lake Norman Currents | July 2010

Docks

Keeping it steady Mark Lancaster, owner of Lancaster Custom Dock and Lift System, Inc. in Troutman, has been building docks on Lake Norman since 1986. He says that a lot has changed over the years in terms of dock construction and materials.

Perhaps the biggest change, Lancaster says, is the growing popularity of fixed

Home Port |

docks. “They weren’t the norm when I started,” he recalls.

These steady structures are anchored to the lake floor as opposed to floating docks, which move up and down with the rise and fall of the water level, and are typically supported by pontoons or foam and held in place with vertical poles.

But as Lake Norman has become more crowded and the water more choppy, fixed docks have become commonplace. “With a fixed dock, you don’t have to worry about rough water or big wakes,” Lancaster explains.

Lancaster has also developed a “Step-Down” system for his fixed docks, which consists of a series of small platforms joined by steps that allow easy access at any water level. “It’s great for kids and pets,” he says.

A variation on the fixed dock is what Lancaster calls a combination dock. Many Lake Norman dock builders offer this same basic construction, in which a floating dock is tied to a fixed roof and supported by pilings.

And Lancaster stresses that he doesn’t carry

This dock by Rowboat Dock & Dredge has a cottage feel to it with its stationary roof.

a big variety of products in terms of decking, handrails, and pylons, but rather focuses on materials that he’s used for years and knows work well.

For instance, for decking material, he typically uses VEKAdeck, a composite vinyl ma-

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Continued on page 64

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Serving Lake Norman for 35 Years

Home Port |

Continued from page 62

While Lancaster says he’s built some fancy docks over the years, including one for Rusty Wallace that has a helicopter pad and three boatlifts, he says the most extravagant one he’s done is his own.

The two-story dock has two boatlifts, a full bar, two flat-screen TVs, three diving boards, a gas grill and a stereo system. “It’s awesome,” he says. “We use it all the time.”

Designer docks Mozeley Construction in Troutman is another company that has been building docks on Lake Norman for a long time. Mark Mozeley’s father started the company in 1973, and Mark took over about 20 years ago.

Like Lancaster, Mozeley has seen the growing popularity of fixed docks and combination docks that have stationary roofs. “Nowadays many people have bigger, heavier 25- and 30foot cruisers, and you need a fixed roof if you want to lift the boat out of the water.”

Lake Norman Currents | July 2010

64

Docks 101 Dock prices start around $20,000 and can go up to more than $100,000, depending on how many bells and whistles you want, according to the builders interviewed. Before you get started, there are a couple of things you need to first consider: 1. The type of boating you plan to use the dock for — sailboat, kayak, powerboat, pontoon. The type of boating you do plays a role in dock construction, as far as fixed or floating, lifts and any dredging that might be necessary.

2. Docks must conform to a number of rules and regulations. On Lake Norman, Duke Energy governs these rules through its Shoreline Management Plan (SMP). Some of the rules include that a dock’s footprint cannot exceed 1,000 square feet and cannot extend into the lake more than 120 feet.

— Sam Boykin

And while Mozeley says the majority of his customers are now asking for the long-lasting composite decking materials, his company used cedar when building one of it’s first and most extravagant docks over 30 years ago, and it’s still standing.

They built the dock for John Belk, former Charlotte mayor and head of the Belk, Inc. department store chain, who at the time had a house in Mooresville near Queen’s Cove.

“It’s eight-sided and huge,” says Mozeley. “It cost about $50,000, which was unheard of at the time.”

Of course, not everyone is in the market for a big, pricey dock. Terry Morrow at All Waterways Construction in Mt. Ulla says that over the past few years, as the economy has stalled, he’s been keeping busy with repairing older docks and building small additions. “People have been keeping it pretty simple,” says Morrow, who was born and raised in the Lake Norman area and started his business in 1985.

Continued on page 66

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Lake Norman Currents | July 2010

cOrneLiuS 20117 W. catawba ave 704-892-9673

Home Port | The gazebo attached to this dock provides an outdoor entertaining space.

Continued from page 64

Despite the recession, Morrow says that when his customers ask for repairs, most of them want the more expensive composite decking materials. “I guess even in this economy people would rather spend more than

worry about maintenance and upkeep.”

One of the biggest dock builders in the area is Rowboat Dock & Dredge. Owner Bob Wilson started the Mooresville company in 1976, and today it employs approximately 32 people who build docks throughout the region.

Wilson says his company has a design/build

component that engineers and builds large, commercial structures including marinas and bridges. He’s able to bring that same high quality, commercial-grade workmanship and materials to private residential docks.

Wilson says his company only uses composite materials for decking, and galvanized steel for the docks’ frames, which rest on plastic encapsulated foam. It does offer a less expensive dock known as the Captain’s Series, in which the frame features reinforced wood with steel.

“With our residential dock work, you get commercial-grade product because that’s what we engineer and build,” says Wilson. “We’ve been very fortunate.” LNC Sam Boykin is an award-winning journalist and free-lance writer in Mooresville. He also has written for Scientific American, Entrepreneur, US Airways, Consumer’s Digest, Our State, Business North Carolina and Charlotte Business Journal. When he’s not writing, Boykin is often embarrassing himself on the tennis courts or working on his 107-year-old house.

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Lake Norman Currents | July 2010

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sell your jewelry Perry’s at SouthPark, Charlotte, NC With the price of gold at record highs, it seems like everybody is offering to buy unwanted gold jewelry.

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You’ll find the answers you’re looking for at Perry’s at SouthPark in Charlotte, North Carolina. Housed in Charlotte’s leading mall, SouthPark, Perry’s has been a trusted institution for over 30 years.

Perry’s is a nationally known expert in Fine, Antique and Estate Jewelry. Our widely experienced appraisers are second to none. One of them has even appeared as an expert on Antiques Roadshow, and has formerly held positions at Harry Winston and Tiffany & Company. All of our appraisers are ready to offer you top dollar for your unwanted or estate coins and Jewelry.

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High School & College Rings average from .............................. $50 – $250 Wedding Bands average .............. $50 – $250 Bracelets average........................$75 – $1,000 Charms average ..........................$50 – $2,000 Dental Gold (must be yellow) average ..........................................$25 – 200

If in doubt, bring it in.

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Diamonds We buy all sizes and shapes.

Price depends on quality, cut and size of diamonds. Average prices are as follows:

One-Quarter Carat average from .......................................$50 – $200 One-Half Carat average ..........$200 – $2000 One Carat average .............. $1,000 – $5,000 Two Carat average .............$2,500 – $10,000 Three Carat average ...........$5,000 – $25,000

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You don’t even have to make a trip to Charlotte to sell your unwanted gold, silver or diamond jewelry or coins. Send us the jewelry and we’ll gladly appraise it for you.

Include a list of the items you send, along with your return address and telephone number. If you accept our offer, we’ll write you a check. But if you don’t, we’ll return the jewelry at no charge.

For complete details, visit our website at www.Perrysjewelry.com, or call us at 1-800-339-0734. With the economy in less than great shape, selling unwanted valuables is a timely idea. You can count on getting top dollar at the highly respected Perry’s at SouthPark in Charlotte.

Mail jewelry to: Perry’s at SouthPark, 4400 Sharon Road, Charlotte, NC 28211.

Jewelry enlarged to show detail. Subject to prior sale.

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Silver Items We buy any items stamped sterling, 925, or hallmarked items from Europe.

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Currently A month of things to do in the Lake Norman area

L

ooking for a family outing on Independence Day? The Town of Cornelius has the answer with its first official 4th of July Celebration. “This is a new program,” says Rhonda Hollingsworth, special events coordinator for the Town of Cornelius. “We do a Movies in the Park series at Town Hall, so we just incorporated that and built some programming around the movie.”

The main feature of the evening is the showing of Avatar on the town’s blimp screen

on the back lawn of Town Hall, but before that, there’s plenty going on.

Local musicians Robin Burke and Kary Wall will play a couple sets of classic rock tunes from the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s. Burke’s voice is often compared to that of Janis Joplin and Me-

A Casual Celebration Cornelius sets the stage for the 4th of July

by Lori K. Tate The Scoop The Town of Cornelius’ 4th of July Celebration is on Sunday, July 4. 6:30 p.m., Avatar begins at 8:30 p.m. Bring chairs and blankets. Free.

Town Hall lawn, 21445 Catawba Ave., Cornelius. For more information, call 704.892.6031, ext. 160 or visit www.corneliuspr.org.

69

Lake Norman Currents | July 2010

Local musicians Robin Burke and Kary Wall will play a couple sets of classic rock tunes from the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s.

lissa Etheridge, yet her versatility allows her to cover Joni Mitchell tunes with no problem.

Kids will enjoy games, spin art, bubble pools and face painting in addition to riding a trackless train. Bruster’s Ice Cream will be selling hot dogs, ice cream, popcorn and soft drinks all evening, but guests are welcome to bring picnics as well.

“People can bring chairs and blankets,” says Hollingsworth. “It’s just a nice laid back evening.”

Currently |

A month of things to do in the Lake Norman area CHILDREN Kids Triathlon Series at Huntersville Family Fitness & Aquatics (July 17) The nation’s largest triathlon series for kids returns to Huntersville for its third year. The USA Triathlon-sanctioned races cover these ages and distances: 4-6 year-olds: 25-yard swim/0.3-mile bike/100-yard run; 7-8-year-olds: 50-yard swim/1-mile bike/0.3 mile run; 9-10-year-olds: 75-yard swim/1-mile bike/0.3-mile run; 11-12-year-olds: 100-yard swim/2-mile bike/0.75-mile run; 13-14-year-olds: 200-yard swim/3-mile bike/1-mile run. 6 p.m. $15-$25. Huntersville Family Fitness & Aquatics, 1725 Verhoeff Drive, Huntersville, 704.766.2222, www.hffa.com.

Story Time with Live Raptors from Carolina Raptor Center (July 20) Author Squad and the Carolina Raptor Center team together for story time.

11 a.m.-noon. Free, donations encouraged. Carolina Raptor Center, 6000 Sample Road, Huntersville, 704.875.6521, www.carolinaraptorcenter.org.

CONCERTS Mingling on the Green Concert Series (Friday and Saturday) Enjoy live music every Friday and Saturday night throughout the summer. 7-9 p.m. Free. Birkdale Village, Birkdale Commons Parkway, Huntersville.

Concerts on the Green (July 3, 16) Da Throwback Band performs music from the 1970s on July 3. Alabama Blue Brothers brings the blues to town on July 16. 6-8 p.m. Free. Davidson Village Green, Main Street and Concord Road, Davidson, 704.892.2118, www.ci.davidson.nc.us.

Lake Norman Currents | July 2010

Music on Main Concert Series (July 30) The Stranger is the complete premiere tribute to the music of Billy Joel. Comprised of some of the best and most experienced musicians in the business, this six-piece band brings together an authentic replication of Joel’s timeless music.

6:30 p.m. Free. Mooresville Town Hall Lawn, 413 North Main Street, Mooresville, www.mooresvillerecreation.org.

Musical World Tour (July 22-24) The East Lincoln Community Chorus presents a musical tour of the world. 7 p.m. Free. Unity Presbyterian Church, 8210 Unity Church Road, Denver.

70

The Piedmont Healthcare Friday After Five Concert Series (July 23) The Floyd Brothers perform rock, soul, jazz and blues. Produced by the Downtown Statesville Development Corp. and the Greater Statesville Chamber of Commerce, this concert series offers entertainment throughout the summer. 5:30-8:30 p.m. Free. In front of Mitchell Community College, Mulberry Street at West Broad Street, Statesville.

Lake Norman Excursion (July 17) Bike various routes to raise money for the American Red Cross. 6:30 a.m. registration opens, 8 a.m. combined start for 68- and 100-mile routes, 9 a.m.

Family Fun Ride begins, 10 a.m. 40-mile ride begins. 10-Mile Fun Ride - $10 per rider; all other rides, $30 per rider.

Begins and ends at Lowe’s Corporate Headquarters, 1,000 Lowe’s Boulevard, Mooresville, www.lakenormanexcursion.com.

Jazz in the Park (July 24) Enjoy an evening of smooth jazz under the stars.

Children’s activities and concessions available. 6 p.m. Free. Bailey Road Park, 11536 Bailey Road, Cornelius, www.corneliuspr.org.

Star Gaze @ Lake Norman State Park (July 17) Join the Piedmont Amateur Astronomers at the Swim Beach Parking Lot for an evening of star gazing. All telescopes will be provided. Saturn’s rings, distant galaxies and other amazing sights should be available.

Program is weather dependent. 8:30 – 11 p.m. Price TBD. Lake Norman State Park, 159 Inland Sea Lane, Troutman.

EDUCATION Boating Safety Class (July 17) The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary offers boating safety classes throughout the year. 8 a.m.-4 p.m. $45. Shepherd’s Fire Department, 2014 Charlotte Highway, Mooresville, 704.663.3333, www.cgauxlkn.com.

EVENTS Independence Day Celebration in Davidson (July 3) Enjoy a small-town parade as you celebrate the 4th of July early. The town parade will start lining up at 5:15 p.m. in front of Town Hall.

Participants are encouraged to march in the parade dressed in Independence Day attire — dress up your wagons, tricycles and pets with festive red, white and blue. At 5:45 p.m. the parade will leave Town Hall and march across to the Village Green, ending at the North Main and Concord crosswalk.

Concert on the Green begins at 6 p.m.

Free. Downtown Davidson, 704.892.7591.

July 3rd Summer Celebration (July 3) Celebrate Independence Day with children’s games, inflatables, rock climbing and a concert by the Lake Norman Orchestra and community choir. New this year, the field will be divided into red, white and blue sections for an all-out color war.

Colored glow sticks will be available for you to support your section and the winning section will be announced. The evening ends with a spectacular display of fireworks. Bring blankets and lawn chairs. 4-10 p.m. Free, glow sticks $5 each with proceeds benefiting Lowe’s YMCA Community Outreach. Lowe’s YMCA front lawn, 170 Joe Knox Avenue, Mooresville, www.ymcacharlotte.org.

Civil War Reenactment (July 17-18) Relive the battle between North and South as soldiers reenact the American Civil War. 2 p.m. $7, 5 and under free.

Historic Latta Plantation, 5225 Sample Road, Huntersville, 704.875.2312, www.lattaplantation.org.

Gallery Crawl at Oak Street Mill (July 23) Visit artist exhibits in each shop, along with the Carolina Art Garden. 6-10 p.m. Free. Oak Street Mill, 19725 Oak Street, Cornelius.

Gold Panning Day at Latta Plantation (July 24) Learn about Charlotte’s rich gold mining history and pan for gold at the miner’s cabin. Visitors can also tour the plantation house and grounds. 10 a.m. Free with regular admission.

Historic Latta Plantation, 5225 Sample Road, Huntersville, 704.875.2312, www.lattaplantation.org.

Big Day at the Lake 6 (July 24) Big Brothers/Big Sisters offers a day of fun on the lake for more than 200 children.

9:30 a.m.-1 p.m. boating on the lake for matches and hosts; 1:30 p.m. event opens. Free. Duke Energy Explorium, 13339 Hagers Ferry Road, Huntersville, www.bigdayatthelake.com.

AquaPalooza (July 31) Enjoy a concert

by Simplified, plus food and children’s games at one of the largest boating parties around. Noon.-6 p.m. Free.

Midway Marina near the N.C. 150 bridge, www.aquapalooza.com.

FILM Monday Morning Movies (Mondays) Treat you and your child to a free movie.

9:30-11:30 a.m. Free. War Memorial Building, Mooresville.

2010 Cornelius Outdoor Cinema Series (July 4, 8) Celebrate Independence Day with an outdoor showing of Avatar, plus a host of other family friendly festivities. Festivities begin at 6:30 p.m., movie starts at 8:30 p.m.

Free. Cornelius Town Hall lawn, 21445 Catawba Avenue, Cornelius. Enjoy Sandra Bullock’s Academy Awardwinning performance in The Blind Side.

Bring chairs and blankets. 8:30 p.m.

Free. Jetton Village Gazebo, 19818 North Cove Road, Cornelius, 704.892.6031, ext. 160, www.corneliuspr.org.

Movies on Main (July 17, 23) Explore the distant world of Pandora in Avatar (July 17, 8:30 p.m.). Bellingham Park, 1600 Bellingham Drive, Mooresville.

The classic story of The Frog Prince gets a modern twist with The Princess and the Frog (July 23, 7:30 p.m.). Charles Mack Citizen Center, 215 North Main Street. Free. 704.662.3334, www.ci.mooresville.nc.us.

Free Movie for Kids @ Birkdale (July 20-22 and July 27-29) From July 20 through 22 enjoy Tale of Despereaux and Alvin & The Chipmunks 2. From July 27 through 29 enjoy Charlotte’s Web and Night at the Museum 2. 10 a.m.

Free. Birkdale Stadium 16, 16950 Birkdale Commons Parkway, Huntersville.

Movies in the Park (July 23) Watch recent family movies under the stars.

Before the movie begins, enjoy Frisbee, corn hole, music and entertaining dramatic productions from local churches. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs is the featured movie of the month. Bring blankets and lawn/ camping chairs. First come, first served.

6-11 p.m.; movie starts at 9 p.m. (nightfall). Free. North Mecklenburg Park, 16131 Old Statesville Road, Huntersville.

Movies@McGuire (July 30) Enjoy a movie from the Energy Explorium lawn or from your boat anchored out in Lake Norman. Bring a picnic. Movie TBD. 8:30-11:10 p.m. Free. The Energy Explorium at Lake Norman, 13339 Hagers Ferry Road, Huntersville.

GALLERIES Artworks on Main New Works by Joyce Wynes is a continuation of the artist’s highly evolved style — combining bold, colorful, flat, stylized, vibrant

compositions with her own unique perspective. Through July 7. Mon-Fri 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Sat 9 a.m.-2 p.m. 165 North Main Street, Mooresville, 704.664.2414, www.artworksonmain.com.

Christa Faut Gallery Monthly exhibitions. Tue-Fri 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Sat 10 a.m.-3 p.m. 19818 North Cove Road, Suite E3, Jetton Village, Cornelius, 704.892.5312, www.christafautgallery.com.

Four Corners Framing and Gallery Monthly exhibitions. Tue-Fri 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Sat 10 a.m.-2 p.m. 112 S. Main Street, Mooresville, 704.662.7154, wwwfcfgframing.com.

Lake Country Gallery Various exhibitions. Mon-Fri 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Sat 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Exit 36 – Mooresville, between Belk and Kohl’s, 704.664.5022, www.lakecountrygallery.net.

Lake Norman Art League Gallery Resilience is an exhibit of artists’ work from ArtWorks945, a program of the Urban Ministry Center, comprised of Charlotte artists who struggle with homelessness and urban poverty.

Through July 9. The Annual 2010 Photography Exhibit features photographic works from a number of artists in a variety of styles. July 12-September 10. Opening reception, July 24, 6 p.m. Mon-Fri 8 a.m.-7 p.m.

442 S. Main Street, Davidson, 704.620.4450, www.lknart.org.

Landmark Galleries The work of watercolorist ‘Cotton’ Ketchie. Mon-Sat 9 a.m.-5 p.m. 212 North Main Street, Mooresville, 704.664.4122, www. landmark-galleries.com.

Merrill-Jennings Galleries The Summer Show includes new works by many gallery artists such as Loren DiBenedetto, Jim Chapman, Ray Byram, Laura Duis, Susan Jennings, Addie James and others. Through August.

Mon-Fri 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Sat 10 a.m.-3 p.m. 463 S. Main Street, Davidson, 704.895.1213, www.merrilljennings.com.

Van Every/Smith Galleries, Katherine and Tom Belk Visual Arts Center The Smith Gallery features the 2010 Summer Art Exhibition. Through August 13. Mon-Fri 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Davidson College, 315 N. Main Street, Davidson, 704.894.2519, www.davidson.edu/art/galleries.

Downtown Mooresville Cruise-In (July 3) The Cruise-In is a chance to show off your car in downtown Mooresville. To enter the show parking area, cars must be from the years 1979 or earlier. 3 p.m.

Free. North Academy Street and West Moore Avenue, Mooresville, www.mooresvillenccruisein.com.

Blue Planet Water Environmental Center Tour (July 6, 15) Learn about water and wastewater through a hands-on tour. Fun for all ages. Tours are available the first Tuesday and the third Thursday of the month on a first-come, first-served basis. 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

Admission TBA. Call 704.621.0854 or e-mail Bplanet@ci.charlotte.nc.us to schedule a tour.

At the Corner of Art & Main ArtWalk (July 9) Downtown Mooresville shows its artistic side with its monthly Art Walk. 6-9 p.m. Free. Downtown Mooresville, 704.664.2414, www.artworksonmain.com.

Trail Trivia Talk (July 18) Follow a guide down a nature trail and learn about raptors and our environment. 2-3 p.m.

Price TBA. Carolina Raptor Center, 6000 Sample Road, Huntersville, 704.875.6521, www.carolinaraptorcenter.org.

2010 Huntersville Main and Maxwell Farmers’ Market (Tuesday and Saturday) The downtown market features fresh produce, baked goods, jewelry and crafts. 7 a.m.-1 p.m. Free.

103 Maxwell Street, 704.766.2253, http://huntersville.org.

Development League. Asheville Grizzlies (July 17), Georgia Crush (July 24). Time TBA. $5, children free.

Mooresville Stadium, 828.461.5162, www.lakenormanfear.org.

Live Bird Presentations (Saturdays and Sundays) Come visit your favorite raptors up close. Sat 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 3 p.m.; Sun 1 p.m., 3 p.m. Price TBA. Carolina Raptor Center, 6000 Sample Road, Huntersville, 704.875.6521, www.carolinaraptorcenter.org.

Rock Band Wednesdays and Fridays

SPORTS Lake Norman Copperheads Come out and enjoy the Southern Collegiate Baseball League. Play ball! Carolina Chaos (July 3, 5 p.m., 7 p.m.), Asheville Redbirds (July 7, 7 p.m.), Tennessee Tornado (July 10, 5 p.m., 7 p.m.), Spartanburg Blue Eagles (July 13, 7 p.m.), Spartanburg Blue Eagles (July 17, 5 p.m., 7 p.m.). Adults $5, seniors and students $3 and children under 12 free. Hopewell High School, 11530 Beatties Ford Road, Huntersville, www.copperheadsports.org.

Iredell-Lake Norman Fear Enjoy pre-season Minor League Football with the Iredell-Lake Norman Fear. The Fear competes in the Gridiron

TEENS @ Ben & Jerry’s (throughout July) Whether or not you play an instrument, you can try your hand at being in a rock band by playing guitar, drums or even singing. Wed 6:30-9 p.m., Fri 3-6 p.m. Free. Ben & Jerry’s, 202 S. Main Street, Davidson, 704.892.0604.

THEATRE Noises Off (July 22-24, 29-31, August 1) Called the funniest farce ever written, Noises Off follows the trials and tribulations of a maladyriddled theatre company in Great Britain. The set revolves so that you see performances of the same play from both the audience’s point of view, as well as the drama happening backstage. Mature themes 14 and up.

Thu-Sat 8 p.m., Sat, July 24 2 p.m., August 1 2 p.m. $15-$22. Duke Family Performance Hall, Davidson College, 704.892.7918, www.carolinatix.org, www.davidsoncommunityplayers.org.

Car Show at Bruster’s (Wednesdays) Shine your ride and show it off at this weekly car show. 6 p.m.-dusk. Free.

Bruster’s Ice Cream, 252 Williamson Road, Mooresville.

Concerts at the Gazebo (Thursday) Enjoy live music every Thursday night of the summer. Bring blankets and chairs.

6-8 p.m. Free. Jetton Village Gazebo, 19818 North Cove Road, Cornelius, www.shopjettonvillage.com.

Davidson Farmer’s Market (Saturday) Farmers sell a bounty of vegetables; pasteurized meats and cheeses; and freshly baked breads, cakes and pies. 8 a.m.-noon. Free. Next to Town Hall between Main and Jackson streets in downtown Davidson, www.davidsonfarmesmarket.org.

The Evening Farmer’s Market in Pecan Park (Thursday) Fresh local produce, flowers, herbs, plants, homemade baked goods and a variety of crafts from local artisans are sold. 4 p.m. until. Pecan Park, 123 N. Center Street, Statesville.

Farmer’s Market at Bruster’s (Tuesday) Local farmers sell their best produce. 5 p.m.-dusk. Free. Bruster’s Ice Cream, 252 Williamson Road, Mooresville.

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Lake Norman Currents | July 2010

Tropical Connections Monthly exhibitions. Tue- Fri 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m.-4 p.m. or by appointment. 230 N. Main Street, Mooresville. 704.664.0236.

MONTHLY EVENTS

One More Thing | by Deb Mitchell

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photography by Chad Macy Lake Norman Currents | July 2010

Living with Courage and Faith Flight 1549 impacted Vicki Barnhardt for life

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race for impact.” Huntersville resident Vicki Barnhardt was among the 155 people onboard US Airways Flight 1549 who heard Captain ‘Sully’ Sullenberger utter those awful words the afternoon of January 15, 2009.

Vicki huddled in prayer. “When you think you have about 30 seconds to live, it really puts things in perspective,” says Vicki, whose own father passed away when she was 15 years old of a heart attack — ironically, on an airplane.

Once the plane skidded to a stop in the icy waters of the Hudson River, Vicki again thought she was in her final moments as the plane rapidly filled with water. Though terrified and deeply saddened at the thought of never again seeing her husband, Mike and her children, Michael, 6, and Samantha, 10, Vicki knew that if she died, they would be fine. “It would be hard [for them if I was gone], but [I knew] they’d eventually be okay…because I went through it with my dad,” she says.

Fortunately, Vicki and everyone else aboard Flight 1549 survived, rescued one by one from the plane’s wings.

In the emotional and psychological aftermath, Vicki found comfort in new friendships with fellow passengers. But she was also compelled to somehow preserve the sense that she had been on the receiving end of a miracle. That’s why, when asked to tell her story in a book along with 21 other passengers and first responders, the otherwise introverted Vicki agreed.

Aptly titled Brace for Impact, the book focuses on the ongoing effects of the crash. Vicki’s chapter emphasizes that, despite the terror and sadness she faced that day, she was then and is now grounded in faith and courage.

“Courage doesn’t mean not feeling afraid,” she says, “It means staying focused on whatever you need to do... [despite the fear]. Faith means believing it’s going to be okay — whatever ‘it’ is [for you]. ‘Okay’ is…not necessarily how we would define it. Still, regardless of the outcome, it’s going to be okay.”

With the help of her new Flight 1549 family and Brace for Impact, Vicki approaches the challenges of everyday life the same way she teaches her kids to approach them — with courage and faith, believing in her ability to endure and the notion that all will be well in the end. LNC The Scoop For more information about Brace for Impact, visit http://braceforimpact.hcibooks.com/about/.

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