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HICKORY LIVING • DECEMBER 2014 1

Complimentary

Decem

ber 2014

Inspired Shopping!

Living the Good Life

2 HICKORY LIVING • DECEMBER 2014

Mailing Address - 1670 E. Broad Street, Suite #195 Statesville, NC 28625 828-464-4060E-mail - [email protected]

CONTRIBUTING WRITERSKristie Darling • Meredith Collins

Kathy Wheeler • Jessica Fox • Cheryl Grant

COVER PHOTOGRAPHYShane Greene Photography

COVER STORYHead Over Heels Women's Boutique

Editorial Stock photography, unless otherwise noted,

is from ThinkStock.

December 2014Living the Good Life


LIVNG

I from the publisherWelcome to the December issue.What an incredibly busy time of year this is! From Christmas plays, parades and concerts to various holiday parties and festive occasions, this season is chocked full of so many wonderful events to attend, not to mention all the food!

We don't have to look too far to find those who are less fortunate than ourselves. Many in our community don't have enough of the basics...this will be a very bleak Christmas for them. If you have the means and capacity to do so, please help by offering a donation of clothing, money or time...we can all do something. Assisting in preparing a hot meal for the homeless is a great way to serve during this time of year.

Also, if you're looking for an organization to partner with that does outstanding work in the local community, please consider the Salvation Army.

As we bid farewell to 2014, here's wishing you and your family a safe, happy and healthy holiday season! Merry Christmas from all of us at Hickory Living Magazine, and thank you for reading our December issue!

Find Hickory Living Magazine on Facebook.http://twitter.com/HickoryLiving

W W W . H I C K O R Y L I V I N G M A G A Z I N E . C O M

LIVINGLIVINGHickory

Myron T. GoughPublisher, Hickory Living

Hickory Living reserves the right to deny any advertisement or listing. Submissions are welcome, but unsolicited materials are not guaranteed to be returned. Hickory Living assumes no responsibility for information, products, services or statements made by advertisers or editorial contributors. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher is prohibited.

Myron T. GoughPublisher/[email protected](828) 464-4060

Kathy WheelerArt Director/[email protected](828) 238-3224

Bob [email protected](336) 686-7271

Linda B. [email protected](704) 657-0237

Heather [email protected](704) 962-8080

“Uncle” Jim [email protected](980) 722-2861

Find Hickory Living Magazine on Facebook.http://twitter.com/HickoryLiving


December 2014LIVNG

I content

8 • Preparing For Christmas

12 • Head Over Heels Women's Boutique Inspired Shopping!

18 • Lou Lou's Corner A Toy Box For The Whole Family

22 • Choosing The Perfect Hostess Gift

25 • What's Cooking?! Pork Tenderloin With Balsamic Roasted Vegetables

26 • New Year's Resolutions: You Can Do This!25

22 18 holiday | food | local business


at once, but you need a master plan! Make that initial list of

gifts to buy, decorations to complete, baked goods to make,

and entertaining events that you will host and attend. Once the

list is made, you can break it down into smaller steps to help

you manage one thing at a time. By narrowing your focus, you

can enjoy each to-do as you complete and mark it off the list.

For example, maybe you will decorate the Christmas tree one

day and the mantel the next or maybe the inside of your home

one day and the outside the next. Just finish one item at a time

before moving on to the next.

Christmas Shopping

If you don’t like the hustle and bustle of the shopping season,

you have options. Shopping online can be convenient if you

know what you want, but it doesn’t support our local economy

and normally adds to the cost of the gift with shipping charges.

Visiting a big box store’s website and printing out the item you

want can help sales associates locate it quicker in the store.

There are other ways to avoid the crowds, like shopping mid-

week instead of weekends. Take a day off from work or shop

late at night.

Do your research before shopping. Call stores to make sure the

item you want to purchase is in stock. Ask if you can pick it up

at the customer service desk. Also, boutique and spa owners are

more than happy to help. If you need suggestions, call ahead

and ask shop owners for ideas to check out on your lunch hour

or pre-order gift certificates to be ready for pick-up.

While you’re shopping don’t forget hostess gifts or items you

need for entertaining. Maybe it’s a new dress for a party or a

serving platter for the entrée. Any staple items that you need for

baking goodies that can be purchased ahead of time–put it on

the shopping list!

Make it a Family Affair

Don’t try to do it all yourself. Enlist the help of family members

and paid professionals to help. Putting lights on a tree is much

easier with two people and much more fun! Ask for assistance

or pay someone to help you clean. If a guest offers to bring a

dish to the party–let them. Consider baking with a group of

friends. Everyone bakes one goody–enough for their own gifts

plus extra to share. Host a get-together to exchange baked goods

and share recipes. Extra baked goods are great for gift baskets or

mixed in a tin for an easy, homemade gift. No matter the length

of your list, I hope at the top is to enjoy the festivities! Hickory

Living Magazine wishes you all a Merry Christmas!

ChristmasPREPARING FOR


By Jessica Fox

Christmas time is here! I am all about Christmas and love

every aspect of it, but adding the holiday to an already busy

schedule is a major challenge. So how do you complete what

you want to do AND still enjoy the season? After all, you

don’t want people saying to you what Linus van Pelt said to

Charlie Brown, “You are the only person I know who can

take a wonderful season like Christmas and turn it into a

problem.” Here are some tips to tackle holiday business and

still enjoy it:

Get into the Holiday Spirit

Before you start, sit down with a cup of hot chocolate, build

a fire in the fireplace, watch a Christmas movie or listen to

some Christmas tunes. Look through magazines for examples

of decorated rooms for the holiday, and imagine that your

to-do-list is done, and you are enjoying the festivities. Get-

ting into the spirit will go a long way toward achieving the

momentum you need to finish your holiday preparations.

Making Your List, Checking it Twice

It can be overwhelming to look at all you want to get done

©Comstock Images | Stockbyte | Thinkstock


LIVI cover storyGN

Photos: On the cover–Selina Shue, owner and buyer, of Head Over Heels Women's BoutiquePictured, left to right–Front row; Lynne Huffman, Selina Shue, and Kim Clark. Back row; Pam Lee and Barb Elmer.



By Kristie Darling | Photos by Shane Greene Photography

Photos: Top to bottom–Rockwell Tharp embroidered boots are the “got to have” high fashion item for celebrities. • Selina and Lynne assist Jenny Smith with formal evening wear. • Lynne helps Tabi Sigmon with a Susanna Monaco selection.

Good things come in small packages, and at Head Over Heels it’s like Pandora’s box! Open this delightfully small package to find it burst-ing with color, style, and class. A tiny present FULL of treasures! This sweet little house on Hickory’s 29th Avenue NE is full…let me say that again…FULL! of exactly what you’re looking for–dresses, pants and tops, jewelry, handbags, shoes and boots, scarves, sweaters, vests, out-erwear, lingerie, gloves, hats, leggings, gifts for any woman in your life and much more. Now is the time to visit, as the seasons change and cooler weather has us layering and lavishing in warm, comfy clothing. Did I tell you this shop is FULL?

I had the pleasure of meeting Selina Shue, owner, designer, fashionista, and all-around amazing woman, and I fell in love with this shopping destination! It didn’t take much to win me over. The shop shim-mers with a wealth of beautiful styles that will please any palette. Set amongst eclectic antique and contemporary displays, the store’s abun-dance spills over. You’ll want to try on everything!

“Don’t be fooled by the outside,” Selina said as she opened the door. “Everything is strategically placed; it takes awhile to see it all. I think the key to our success is the selection of labels, styles, and price ranges we carry. We have all the things women love.” Indeed, this posh bou-tique does carry everything you need to mix up your casual, business, or let’s party look. I’ll start with the jewelry…

BEAUTIFUL JEWELRY FOR EVERY MOMENT“Anyone can wear the jewelry we have…it’s unique and our variety of quality designs transcend age and style. Some of our designer lines are on display at the Smithsonian and in top magazines,” Selina shared.

Inspired Shopping!


She opened a glass cabinet to let me get a better look at her Mari-ana and Gypsy collections. These fine lines are sold all over the world. Mariana is some of the most sparkling, colorful Swarovski crystal and gemstone pieces I’ve seen, beautifully set in 8 carat rose gold, antique silver or antique gold. The selection ranges from vibrant, jewel-filled necklaces, bracelets, and earrings to the petite charm Selina wore on a simple chain. Handcrafted in Israel and fully guaranteed, this jewelry will take you anywhere! “I’m constantly looking for new jewelry, because so many women want something unique, and we sell A LOT of jewelry!” Selina contin-ued. “Coin jewelry is on fire now, initial jewelry is always popular, and earthy, funky beads wrapped with leather, in clusters–all are selling very well.” Also on display are ornate, handmade gemstone jewelry by Gypsy. The designer’s husband mines and hand picks the stones–each piece is truly unique.

CLOTHING FOR EVERYWHERE“We know our lines fully, and we’ll honestly let you know how well an item suits you,” Selina said. “Our customers come in all ages and sizes, and we know that a younger woman can put on a tunic and smartly wear it as a dress, but it can also work on another woman over leggings for a casual look. When you look good and feel good, we look good; we’ve done our job.” The clothing labels at Head Over Heels are a delicious mix of contem-porary, eclectic, comfortable, versatile, and extravagant. With sizes from XS to XL, every woman can find something she loves!

“Women my age still want to look hip and sexy–we’re all young at heart!” Selina said with a smile, “and when I’m making choices at market, I keep that in mind.” Some of her biggest sellers are My Tribe or Union of Angels edgy cashmere and leather apparel; Tempo Paris colored jeans and Lior’s well-fitting pants in various lengths; the famous Rockwell Tharp embroidered and calf hair boots that come in different heel styles from Turkey and South America; easy to wear, comfortable Sasha London and Charles-ton Shoes; beautifully simple dressy and casual flats and heels by Ria; handmade leather and fabric bags designed by a local artist with an eye for unique, earthy styles; PJ Harlow pajamas and loungewear–one of Oprah’s favorite things–and Barefoot Dream’s organic bamboo loungewear you can wear in the bedroom or in the world. Other top lines are Sympli, Susanna Monaco, Joy Joy and Jade, Hobo, Ivy & Blue, Johnny Was and JWLA, and Streets Ahead.

Photos: Top to bottom–Selina and Pam help Tabi Sigmon with an

outfit from the popular Angelrox line of casual to dressy

clothing. • Tabi models some of her favorite Angelrox apparel.

• Accessories complete the look


Selina carries amazing women’s clothing by Angelrox. She modeled the signature, one-size-fits-most line of softly knit daytime to evening wear pieces, and she was stunning in each outfit she wrapped herself in. Several basic pieces literally transform themselves into all man-ner of clothing you can take from the grocery store, to the office, to a night on the town. The ultimate travel basics…no wrinkles, colors and patterns all in complement, wash in your hotel room, shake out and go! Skirt, dress, vest, top, shrug, shawl, tunic, kimono, hoodie…what else is there? “I know one custom-er who took three pieces on a private caribbean cruise and that was about all she packed!” Selina said. If for no other reason than to wrap yourself in Angel-rox, visit Head Over Heels. Really!

LOVE OF FASHION AND DESIGNSelina Shue comes by her success at Head Over Heels honestly. She and her husband, Grady, and sons, Grady and Houston, traveled while Grady was in the military. They moved to Germany in 2002 and traveled as much as possible. After his tour of duty, they settled down with kids and antiques in tow, mov-

ing to Hickory in 2006. She collected antiques in Europe and dreamed of opening a shop. Lake Hickory Antique Trading Company opened Christmas of 2006, her passion for two years until she needed to care for her ailing father. With a little house on 29th Avenue that needed work, the couple started think-ing differently about that piece of real estate. “My husband said I should do something there,” Selina recalled, “and the rest is history! I thought about an in-terior design studio–I’d been dabbling in freelance interior design–but something was eating at me to do something differ-ent.” Thinking about all the designers in the furniture capital of Hickory, and that women are more likely to spend money on clothes than furniture, she decided to open a boutique. “I thought this new option was something women would love.” And, with all that, Selina always has moving to a bigger space in mind.

Selina spent most of 2012 and 2013 getting everything together, developing her business plan, shopping the Atlanta market, deciding on labels, styles, lines, decorating and filling the shop…a lot of choices…a lot of fun!

CUSTOMER SERVICE WITH A SMILEHead Over Heels is blessed with a savvy sales team whose purpose is to help you find exactly what you want and need, offering a personalized shopping experi-ence. They don’t throw you in the fitting room to fend for yourself–you’ll get the red carpet treatment! They’ll help with alterations, special orders, gift wrapping, gift certificates, pulling together a totally new look, or ordering your wedding party’s jewelry. They are experts at help-ing the men in our lives find perfect gifts. No matter your age, style, taste or shopping expectation, Selina and her staff will help you create just the right look.

Let me say again, visit Head Over Heels soon! You know the old saying....big things come in small packages!

Head Over Heels Women's Boutique

48 29th Ave. NE • Hickory(828) 308-1507

www.facebook.com/48headoverheelswww.headoverheelshickory.com

Photos: Left–Barb helps Peg

Hollifield choose an outfit

from Sympli and jewelry

from the Mariana jewelry

line for a wedding. • Kim

Clark and Barb Elmer

Right–The popular PJ

Harlow line of pajamas are

made of a combination of

buttery soft knits and satin,

and are loved by all. They

are proudly made in the

USA and one of Oprah's

favorite things! • Barb and

Kim trying on a new outfit


The holidays bring celebrations and joy, but they can also be stressful as you search for the perfect gifts for everyone on your Christmas list.

Lou Lou’s Corner, a specialty store in downtown Hickory, carries something for everyone in your life, including yourself! While they are known more for children’s items, the store is constantly evolving and expanding to meet custom-er needs. Check out some of these items for the holiday season!

Local Flavor–shop local with some of these fantastic gift items:• Chapel Hill Toffee is a handmade dark

chocolate and pecan toffee made in

Chapel Hill. It has exactly the right crunch, making it wonderful and completely addictive.

• Freakers is another local brand, made in Wilmington. Freakers makes drink insulators that fit all beverages. They are an all-knit koozie that keeps liq-uids insulated and in style.

• Most local, Lou Lou’s Corner car-ries stemless wine glasses that have Hickory’s longitude and latitude… cheers to the holidays!

Adventure–if you want to give a gift of family fun, check out:• Ziplines by Brand 44–extreme back-

yard adventure kits that you can set up on your own–it’s all the rage!

• KanJam is the ultimate Frisbee game! Similar to disc golf, this outdoor game provides lots of fun for all ages.

• RAZOR–electric scooters, ride on toys, ripstiks–come pick your favorite color!

• LEGO–all types for all ages, including mini-figures.

Struggling with gift ideas, running late and no time to wrap? Just call Lou Lou’s Corner for advice, free gift wrapping and shipping is available. Your present will look fabulous, and you’ll have one less errand to the post office–holiday shop-ping made simple.

By Meredith Collins | Photos by Shane Greene Photography

Photo: Pictured above–Lou Lou's Corner's 2014 Christmas window includes many of their new toys, Christmas gifts and holiday entertaining items–Razor’s, Ziplines, Vera Bradley and even a talking Santa, as well as a running train! You have to see it!

A Toy Box for the Whole Family


Moms, Grandmas, Sisters-need some help with the women on your list? Hmmm, these brands might provide some excellent gifts.

• Vera Bradley is an iconic, well-known brand any woman in your life is sure to love. Lou Lou’s Corner has a large selection of Vera Bradley, including every-thing from

wristlets, overnight bags, hair pins and more in the latest patterns. Don’t forget Vera Bradley holiday ornaments also!

• How about a candle? Rewind Candles are handcrafted soy wax candles made in Charleston, SC from recycled wine bottles. They feature subtle wine inspired scents.

• Need a holiday candle? Nest Fra-grances has holiday-scented candles in birchwood pine or holiday scents.

‘Tis the season! Shop local and enjoy the Christmas season with some cookies

and beverages while shopping on a De-cember Saturday at Lou Lou’s Corner.

Lou Lou’s Corner is here to make your holiday shopping local, fun, and con-venient. Stop by and check out their window display–this year the holiday display features a running toy train set. As you are coming in to shop or stroll-ing by, take a moment to pause and enjoy the Christmas season!

202 Union Square • Hickory 877-238-6487

M-F 9:30am-5:30pm • Sat 9:30am-5pm

Photos: Left to right–As soon as you walk in Lou Lou's Corner, you are greeted by Griff, the store's pet, and their festive holiday table com-plete with a fireplace and stockings stuffed to the brim. • Children adore stuffed Jellycats. Lou Lou's Corner has every animal you can think of. • Below, Vera Bradley handbags in all shapes and styles


By Kathy Wheeler

December is a popular month for entertaining and receiving invitations to holiday festivities. When invited to a dinner party at someone’s home, it is customary to bring a hostess gift as a thank you for the invitation and the hostess’ hard work in preparing for the event. Here are a few basics in choosing the perfect hostess gift.

The gift shouldn’t demand any attention. For example, don’t bring flowers that need to be put into water. The hostess is too busy greeting and attending to guests to stop and focus

on your gift. Instead, bring a potted plant. A rosemary plant, a poinsettia, or an Amaryllis is perfect for a Christmas holiday event.

Also, most people who love to entertain have attended to every detail, so unless you were asked to bring something specific for the party, don’t bring a dessert or wine and expect it to be used that evening. It is okay to bring a bottle of wine, and in fact wine is one of the most popular hostess gifts, just don’t bring it chilled. You can pair the bottle with accessories such as monogrammed cocktail napkins, wine glass charms or personalized bottle stoppers. The Hickory Wine Shoppe has a wonderful variety of wine and can help with the selection.

Items to entertain with make perfect hostess gifts. Chances are the person who invited you loves to entertain and is always looking for new and exciting serving pieces and accessories to use at their next party. Several to consider are bar items, a chalkboard cheese tray with a set of cheese spreaders or a set of holiday inspired guest towels with monogrammed guest soaps, or a set of linen napkins paired with classic or decora-tive napkin rings.

Only buy very personal gifts if you know the person well enough to know their preferences. Candles, body lotions and spa items can be purchased only if you are privy to what scents and brands they like, but avoid these if you don’t know. However, treating your hostess to a massage gift certificate would be a nice gesture. Food baskets can be a great choice as well. Gourmet coffees or teas with hardy mugs or fruit baskets, pasta baskets, and chocolate samplers can make wonderful hostess gifts.

Show your appreciation with the perfect gift, and chances are you will be included on the guest list next year.

Enjoy the festivities!

Choosing thePerfect

Hostess GiftBy Kathy Wheeler

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Transfer pork to pan of roasted vegetables. Return to oven for 20–25 minutes or until pork registers 155°F on meat thermometer. Slice pork and serve with roasted vegetables. Drizzle olive oil over finished dish.

Pork Tenderloin with Balsamic Roasted Vegetables

Serves 4

½ cup Pompeian Extra Virgin Olive Oil½ cup balsamic vinegar2 cloves garlic, finely chopped2 teaspoons mixed dried herbs, such as thyme, rosemary, oregano or marjoram Salt and black pepper2 pork tenderloins (10–12 ounces each)2 red, yellow or green bell peppers, cored and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces2 medium yellow onions, cut into 3/4-inch wedges1 small eggplant, cut into 1-inch pieces Extra Virgin Olive Oil, for drizzling

DirectionsTo prepare marinade, combine olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic and herbs in bowl. Whisk until blended; add salt and pepper to taste.

Place 2 pork tenderloins in large sealable plastic bag. Pour in half marinade and refrigerate for 1 hour or overnight, turning bag occasionally.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Pour remaining marinade over peppers, onions and eggplant and toss. Arrange vegetables in large oiled roasting pan. Roast in preheated oven 15 minutes.

In the meantime, heat large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Remove pork from marinade. Add to skillet and brown on all sides.

What's Cooking?!Pork Tenderloin with Balsamic Roasted Vegetables

Recipe and photo courtesy of Pompeian. Visit www.facebook.com/pompeian to customize a bottle of Pompeian Extra Virgin Olive Oil with your favorite family recipe. To view more holiday recipes, visit Pompeian.com.


Have a positive attitude! The child-

hood saying, “I think I can, I think I

can” should be, “I can do this!” Commit

full-heartedly to your resolution. Don’t

leave room in your mind for failure. If

you slip up, don’t beat yourself up or

give up. Remember failure is not an

option!

Stop making it too hard! It’s just a

decision. You made the decision to

smoke one, then two, then a pack of

cigarettes–now you are going to make

the decision to not smoke that cigarette

you just picked up…or eat that piece

of cake.

Replace a bad habit with a good habit.

Find a substitute for your bad habits

that brings you pleasure or makes you

feel good–killing the proverbial two

birds with one stone. Maybe instead of

eating sugar–opt for a piece of fruit, or

instead of smoking a cigarette–go for a

five-minute walk outdoors. Just replace

bad habits with something healthy or

productive.

Be dedicated enough to get help and

advice if you need it. Join a weight loss

program or make an appointment with

a nutritionist or find a program to help

you quit smoking. A lot of people don’t

like to use nicotine replacement, but

there are medications to help you quit.

Talk to your doctor.

Be prepared for when the stresses of

life hit–and they will! Most bad habits

are used to manage stress. Some people

smoke, some eat, and others shop.

Have a plan to handle those stressful

situations. Do deep breathing exercises

or go outside and feel the sun on your

face. The urge usually lasts for no more

than five minutes.

Keep visuals of the end result. Maybe

you will use the money you save not

buying cigarettes to go on a vacation.

Place a picture of where you want to go

to remind you of your reward for kick-

ing the habit. Or if weight loss is your

resolution, then have a photo of the

new swimsuit you want to buy.

It’s important for us all to continue

to improve and set goals. At Hickory

Living Magazine, we wish you much

success in reaching your goals and

resolutions for 2015. You’ve got this!

We know you can do it!

New Year's Resolutions:You Can Do This!

By Cheryl Grant

2014 is coming to a close, and a new

year is right around the corner. Now is

the perfect time to think of resolutions

that you can make to improve your life.

Improving ourselves and our situation

is important not only to us, but those

around us and our community. The

rippling effect of making just small

changes has the potential to affect more

than we ever imagined.

We are all creatures of habit, and most

New Year’s resolutions are about quit-

ting a bad habit or creating a good one.

Most pertain to improving health, fi-

nances, and life in general. We all know

what we need to do and our resolution

list is the easy part. However, resolu-

tions are no different than any other

goal. Without

action those

goals are

only wish-

ful thinking.

Change takes

time, effort,

commitment, and determination to

implement, but once you make up your

mind to make the improvement, it is

very doable.

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