Ballantyne Magazine covers news, events, real estate, restaurants, shopping, health, schools and business in the upscale Ballantyne Area of Charlotte, NC.
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BALLANTYNE | date night Cupcakes, too! Riley (left) and Kaley like the picnic's finishing touch. Even Mom and Dad get a quiet moment together. couple recently moved from their Ballantyne home just south of the border to the new Indian Land, S.C. subdivision of Barber Rock. Cyndi keeps busy working at the new house and looking after daughters Kaley, 11, and Riley, 7. The girls will attend Indian Land middle school and elementary schools, respectively, this fall. The Girls: 'Perfect Age' "Before we had our girls, dating was primarily about dining out," says Michael who characterizes himself and his wife as "foodies." "Our very first date after reconnecting was at the Blue Marlin on East Boulevard (the restaurant is now Cantina 1511). We're always exploring different types of cuisine and new restaurants." These days, more often than not, an afternoon or evening out for the Crosbys includes their daughters. "The girls are just at the perfect age to go out and have fun with," says Cyndi, who indicated one mandatory element for a successful family date is planning an activity where everyone can be involved. The Crosbys hit the proverbial home run with their recent all- family outing at Ballantyne's Elon Park. Not even a 10-minute drive from their home, the park off of Ardrey Kell Road is a frequent destination for the Crosbys. The park offers plenty of walking trails, two challenging disc golf courses, plenty of shady spots for a picnic and is pet friendly — welcome news for the family's black lab, Zoey, who joined in the fun on the weekday picnic and sporting excursion. "It's a really fun and inexpensive way to spend time together as a family," notes Cyndi. "We can pack an easy 52 BALLANTYNE MAGAZINE Michael and Riley win the disc golf competition. Cyndi and Kaley plot their revenge. picnic, bring a Frisbee or two for the golf course and our bocce ball set, and we are ready for a great time." Cyndi estimates the cost for the entire outing at less than $20. Elon Park is a gem of an outdoor recreational facility. The park is open year-round dawn 'til dusk and is maintained by Mecklenburg County Parks and Recreation. Tall pin oaks are interspersed among the cedar and pine trees. A gazebo stands watch over the small pond that is home to wood ducks, egrets and the occasional heron. The park also offers plenty of shade. The Crosbys had their pick of spots to settle into on this lazy Friday afternoon, as they had the park almost exclusively to themselves Friendly Foes The first order of the day was a bit of friendly competition that saw Mom and Kaley take on Dad and Riley on the Mule FALL 2012