What’s date night without a goodnight kiss – this couple isn’t telling! Here in Ballantyne Magazine.
Family Night Out
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The great outdoor living space
These couples have some pretty slick outdoor living space - they may never come inside. Here in Ballantyne Magazine.
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A date to remember
Ah to be a teen and out on a double date..A really fun piece here at Ballantyne Magazine.
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Culinary Date Night Proves a Big Hit
This Ballantyne couple finds out two cooks in the kitchen are better than one. Here in Ballantyne Magazine.
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Who Knew? Ballantyne book club connects literary pals.
Who knew reading was so much fun? These Ballantyne book club members, that’s who.
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More taste – Less waist. Skinny drinks take over.
Here in my piece at Ballantyne Magazine.
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Seniors laugh all the way through date
Don’t tell these seniors dating is for kids. Here in Date Night at Ballantyne Magazine they laugh all the way home.
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Kellie Pickler headlines Girls & Guitars for this date night
Local Country rocker Kellie Pickler was the star of this couple’s evening out at Ballantyne Magazine.
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All fired up
You don’t need a Boy Scout merit badge to build a cozy winter fire – just a few tips and you are on you’re way. Here in Ballantyne Magazine.
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Beer Geek
Ballantyne Commons Harris Teeter has their very own Cicerone® to help patrons discover the perfect beer for every occasion.
Kit Burkholder’s passion for golden amber brewed beverages led him to one of the most enviable and refreshing jobs in all of Ballantyne.
Burkholder, 36, is the official “Beer Guy” for the Harris Teeter Ballantyne Commons store. Here he helps patrons navigate and select the perfect brew from the staggering variety of beer choices on hand, several hundred, according to Burkholder.
“I want people to enjoy the beer experience and have high expectations of what that can be, especially when enjoying beer, cider, or mead with family and friends,” said Burkholder. “I’m a beer geek and love to share what I know with others.”
The former B2B salesman decided to pursue his lifelong interest and passion for beer after losing his corporate job. Burkholder discovered the serious side to beer when he happened onto a comprehensive self study program leading to his designation as a Certified Cicerone®.
Similar to a sommelier, an expert with extensive knowledge of making, a Cicerone® is becoming the industry standard for individuals with significant expertise in all matters of beer including brewing, sales, and service.
“Cicerone® is the Italian word for guide,” said Burkholder. “Gaining my certification is something I’ve wanted to do for quite a while. I had to identify distributors and brewers to work with and learn from in addition to quite a bit of study and of course sampling. After about two years I sat for the test which takes four hours. I’m one of only 2000 Certified Cicerones® in the world and the only one I know of in Charlotte that has a customer facing position.”
Craft Brew Scene Taking Off
Burkholder started at Harris Teeter helping with the wine and beer stocking and serving at their in-store bar. He quickly graduated to helping select inventory, working with distributors, and forging relationships with local craft brewers, an increasingly popular choice amongst his customers.
“The craft beer scene in Charlotte is taking off,” said Burkholder, “Though it hasn’t begun to see its full maturity. We carry several local brewery labels including beers from Olde Mecklenburg, Birdsong, and Sugar Creek. NoDa Brewing Company’s Hop, Drop and Roll™ is the number one selling beer in our store.”
Burkholder’s gregarious nature and natural disposition towards educating his customers led people to seek him out, especially for pairing recommendations on food.
“Food pairings are one of the most fun aspects of my job,” said Burkholder. “I enjoy helping people find unique combinations from our very eclectic selection. It’s fun to share nuances of a special beer with a desert, something many people don’t think of. I love an Allagash Triple for example with a lemon tart. The beer is magic on the palate with a hint of passion fruit and blends with a fruit tart beautifully.”
For those seeking out a true beer expert, he’s as close as the Ballantyne Commons Harris Teeter. Who knew?
The post Beer Geek appeared first on Michael J. Solender.
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Paradise Found
Getaway to the Punta Cana delivers heaven for golfers and island enthusiasts.
Charlotte’s hosting of the PGA Championship at the Quail Hollow Club in August is generating a new level of golf fever here leaving many seeking the ultimate golf holiday.
A look south to the Dominican Republic’s Puntacana Resort & Club, reveals a shimmering resort community where salt-air, azure seas and balmy trade winds envelope 45 holes of the best ocean-side in the Caribbean. Just a three-hour nonstop flight from Charlotte, Punta Cana is an all-season destination where the weather is mild, the beaches stretch for miles and culinary discoveries are revealed with wonder like long-buried treasure.
The lush 26-square-mile eco-minded reserve includes several accommodation options including the Tortuga Bay Hotel, a baker’s dozen collection of beachfront villas with interiors designed by Oscar de la Renta and the Westin Punta Cana, a family-friendly upscale property situated directly on Playa Blanca Beach.
Be as active as you like with kite-surfing, paddle boarding, beachside yoga, or tennis on the resort’s clay, grass or hard surface courts. Or do nothing at all, a good beach novel and a tropical smoothie while lounging on a poolside chaise are formidable foils for shaking off the hustle of the Queen City.
Oceanside Golf
Golf takes center stage at Puntacana Resort & Club with no star shining brighter than the Tom Fazio-deigned Corales Course. With six oceanfront holes, Corales is a visual stunner and plays host to the PGA’s Web.com tour’s Puntacana Corales Classic, the only PGA stop in the Caribbean.
PGA tour player and Charlotte resident Seamus Power played in the Corales Classic last year notching a top-ten finish that helped propel him to receiving his tour card.
“Corales is a spectacularly beautiful golf course,” said Power. “It’s going to be breezy but it gives golfers of all skill levels a chance to score well. The fairways are generous, the greens are in fantastic condition and the finishing ocean holes are among the most beautiful I’ve ever seen.”
Nearby La Cana Golf Course showcases legendary course architect P.B. Dye’s mastery with 27 holes Golf Magazine rated as the number one course in the Caribbean. “The combination we have in La Cana with 27 holes offer the best of ocean and inland course designs testing scratch and weekend golfers alike,” La Cana head pro George Riley, says. “The ball sits up nicely on the paspalum turf always delivering a good lie. People have high expectations when they come to Punta Cana and we make sure we deliver.”
Both courses make use of paspalum, the environmentally-friendly special turf receptive to salt-water irrigation able to thrive in tropical conditions.
Island Exploration
Golfers aren’t the only ones finding paradise at Punta Cana. Waxhaw resident Jessica Weill grew up in the Dominican Republic and returns home often.
“Punta Cana is a wonderful resort destination and an area of the island that has been carefully developed over the years,” said Weill, founder of Weill Fitness, an area nonprofit providing fitness programing for special needs children. “An absolute must visit while in Punta Cana is an excursion out to Saona, a small offshore island only accessible by boat or catamaran. The water surrounding Saona is crystal clear and there are natural pools with starfish off extended sandbars, extra-long stretches of white sand beach and a very relaxing vibe.”
Half and full day excursions to Saona including lunch, drinks and snorkel gear are available through several tour operators in Punta Cana.
Scuba enthusiasts find an extra-special cultural experience with their dives when visiting the Igneri Underwater Museum. This unique underwater exhibition features 22 sustainable sculptures created by Dominican artist, Thimo Pimentel. Early settlers of what was once known as “La Espanola” are depicted in these historically accurate underwater artworks.
Six Senses Spa places top priority on pampering and indulgence for their guests. Signature treatments include Asian therapies such as Thai and Foot Acupressure, couple’s massage, and special treatments for golfers.
Sound and sustainable tourism are values-in-practice demonstrated by Grupo PUNTACANA, the resort’s developer. In 1988, they created the not-for-profit PUNTACANA Ecological Foundation, donating more than 1500 acres to create an ecological park, reserve and research facility.
Visitors discover many of the environmental initiatives underway including programs protecting the population of the indigenous Ridgway Hawk, coral reef preservation and expansion, sustainable aquaculture farming of tilapia, and a fascinating island beekeeping project where protected hives yield not only forest honey but the rare royal jelly as well.
Dining
Dominican cuisine is carefully curated with the freshest tropical produce, just caught seafood and locally-raised proteins prepared with colorful island flair.
Shrimp sautéed in coconut sauce with pigeon peas rice is a fine example of a traditional Dominica dish elevated at La Yola, a marina-side open-air restaurant under a giant thatched palapa. Perfectly cooked sweet pink shrimp bathe in a slightly spicy, slightly briny thickened coconut broth on a bed of sticky rice.
Service here is attentive, yet measured with knowledgeable staff to guide you through the Dominican offerings. Enjoy a cold Presidente, the fine Dominican lager pairs well with the hearty fare here.
Save a visit to Bamboo for your last night in Punta Cana. Their Mediterranean-Dominican-fusion creations are inspired and the harbor-side setting is cozy and intimate. Diners are delighted with a playful amuse buche then tempted with the likes of Mango Gazpacho with Salmon Tataki & Pineapple Froth, Mushroom Risotto with Parmesan Foam or Caribbean Lobster.
Be forewarned, visiting Punta Cana is not without one significant downside. The return flight home always comes faster than you wish.
The post Paradise Found appeared first on Michael J. Solender.
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BALLANTYNE MAGAZINE – Roanoke Rules
I love the way my feature on an autumn escape to Virginia’s Blue Ridge turned out. Check it out at Ballantyne Magazine. ViewPDF
The post BALLANTYNE MAGAZINE – Roanoke Rules appeared first on Michael J. Solender.
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BALLANTYNE MAGAZINE – Walls That Talk
Vivid contemporary art collection engages guests at The Ballantyne’s Gallery Restaurant. Guests visiting The Ballantyne’s Gallery Restaurant will find more than classic American bistro fare and smart service contribute to an artful dining experience. The restaurant’s stylish interiors and posh urban vibe sport a surprising and colorful fresh look thanks to a specially curated collection […]
The post BALLANTYNE MAGAZINE – Walls That Talk appeared first on Michael J. Solender.
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BALLANTYNE MAGAZINE – Member of the Family – Wrigley
Wrigley launches the new pet-centric feature at Ballantyne Magazine. ViewLink
The post BALLANTYNE MAGAZINE – Member of the Family – Wrigley appeared first on Michael J. Solender.
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BALLANTYNE MAGAZINE – Member of the Family – Watson
Doggone fun series featuring Balantyne’s coolest pets. ViewLink
The post BALLANTYNE MAGAZINE – Member of the Family – Watson appeared first on Michael J. Solender.
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BALLANTYNE MAGAZINE – Member of the Family: Winston
Here is another one of Ballantyne’s favorite pets – Winston. ViewLink
The post BALLANTYNE MAGAZINE – Member of the Family: Winston appeared first on Michael J. Solender.
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Family Night Out
What’s date night without a goodnight kiss – this couple isn’t telling! Here in Ballantyne Magazine.
↧
↧
The great outdoor living space
These couples have some pretty slick outdoor living space – they may never come inside. Here in Ballantyne Magazine.
↧
A date to remember
Ah to be a teen and out on a double date..A really fun piece here at Ballantyne Magazine.
↧
Culinary Date Night Proves a Big Hit
This Ballantyne couple finds out two cooks in the kitchen are better than one. Here in Ballantyne Magazine.
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More Pages to Explore .....
