Ballantyne Magazine covers news, events, real estate, restaurants, shopping, health, schools and business in the upscale Ballantyne Area of Charlotte, NC.
BALLANTYNE | publisher's letter
Up, Up & Away
Spring Serves Up Colorful Fun, Renewal
I'VE ALWAYS CONSIDERED SPRING THE REAL NEW YEAR. Energized by Mother Nature's renewal, we emerge from our winter cocoon, inspired by the seasonal metamorphosis. We feel all things are possible.
And what better way to appreciate the glories of the season than with man's best friend. The yearning expression of our cover dog lures us to get out and smell the roses at one of Ballantyne's best-kept secrets, the free dog park at William R. Davie Park.
With that as the starting point, our issue explores the joys of spring in every direction. We suggest a One Tank Trip to Greenville, S.C., where you can spend a long weekend in the heart of downtown and never run out of fun — from art extravaganzas and one-of-a-kind shops to noted farm-to-table cuisine.
some moms as they tap into their inner artist — being careful not to dip their paintbrush into the wine they enjoy to inspire their collective muse!
In "Painting By the Sip," we follow
When it comes to fashion, spring is always about the new "it" color, which this year is Tangerine Tango. Style Points features the latest high fashion looks splashed with this electrifying red- orange and other vibrant shades designed to recharge us. The same radiant glow is also enlivening interior décor this spring, so we turn to local experts who explain the newest trend of incorporating the outdoor environment into our indoor space through natural elements — with an accent on tangerine for a kick of color.
Another way to get your kicks with color in Ballantyne is spending a night out with the girls at a painting party. In "Painting By the Sip," we follow some moms as they tap into
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their inner artist — being careful not to dip their paintbrush into the wine they enjoy to inspire their collective muse! Kicking up your heels can take other unusual forms. In "Derby Time" we introduce you to Ballantyne resident Brandi Efird, dental hygienist by day and roller-derby Speed Demon by night. This determined athlete shares her love of the sport, and that she and her teammates hope to transform their rough-and-tumble game into an Olympic sport. Our Date Night couple gets into the spring mood by hitting the links and then savoring the sizzle in StoneCrest at Smashburger (the chain, by the way, just took top honors on Forbes' "Most Promising Companies" list). In Fab Fare, we get into cuisine much differently, visiting 18 Asian & Sushi Bar in Blakeney Crossing for highly popular "Sweet 18" dish and much more. One of the most momentous signs of renewal this season is the $300 million rebirth of CMC-Pineville. We take you inside this state-of-the-art health care facility that now ranks as a full-service hospital right in our own backyard, offering procedures previously available only uptown, including open heart surgery. This spring we have a special reason to rejoice here at Ballantyne Magazine.
For the second time in only two years, MarCom, the association of marketing and communication professionals, has bestowed its Gold Award on us, this time for overall design. Kudos to Larry Preslar, creative director for SPARK Publications, who spearheads the quarterly design that showcases our fresh editorial direction. With that, it's spring — and up, up and away!
JJ Bissell Publisher, Ballantyne Magazine SPRING 2012