Bright, beautiful Halloween pumpkins are now headed for the compost pile!

November is here and the furnace is running!  Quite a change from the warmer days of October.  Don’t forget to turn your clocks back one hour this Saturday evening before you go to bed.  We leave Daylight Savings Time behind this weekend and are already savoring the thought of an extra hour of sleep!

Today Around Davidson brings happy news from a new grandma Anna Christy as well as a recap of the 15^th Annual Book Club Tea and an interview with Nancy Lepore of Designing Brides.

Celebrating two very special bundles of joy are (l-r) Great grandma Gertha Richards, Grandma Anna Christy, Mom Melissa and Dad Jason Filliben

BABY, OH, BABY

What a delight for Anna Christy to become a grandmother for the first time on September 20…not once but twice.  Her daughter, Melissa, and husband, Jason Filliben, were the proud parents of twins on that day.  Baby boy Jace weighed 5 lbs. 15 oz. while baby girl Brooke tipped the scales at 5 lbs. 10 oz.

Grandma Anna has been on the road a lot between her Mooresville home and the twin’s home in Columbia, SC.  As anyone with twins can attest, the first weeks are pretty hair-raising but Anna commented last week that things are much improved now that the babies are almost seven weeks old!

Next time you are at the Davidson post office, be sure to congratulate Anna when you see her at the counter taking your packages or weighing your letters.  Also congratulations to Anna’s mother and the babies’ great grandmother, Gertha Richards, who has been a resident at The Pines since 1996.  Best wishes as well to paternal grandparents, Darlene and John Filliben of Charlotte.

Book Club Tea speaker and poet Dannye Romine Powell (r) had a chance to visit with Blanche Parker, The Pines' "Poet Laureate"

THANKS, DANNYE ROMINE POWELL

One week ago a large crowd gathered in the Davidson Room of The Pines Retirement Community to celebrate the 15^th Annual Tea for the Book Clubs of Davidson.  Following refreshments, Audrey McCulloh and Jeri Krentz, members of the Thelemite Book Club who sponsored the tea, spoke to welcome guests and to introduce the speaker, Dannye Romine Powell.  Jeri Krentz had worked with her at the Charlotte Observer and gave a brief introduction of her writing skills.

When Dannye came to the podium, she spoke about her love of reading and writing from an early age with some humorous anecdotes about being so completely left handed that she could not even stir the soup in the right direction – so instead was assigned to read aloud to her mother while her mother prepared the meals.  Memorization of poetry was a large part of her early education which developed into a love of poetry as an adult.  Her published books include three volumes of poetry as well as a book of interviews with Southern writers called Parting Curtain.

Thanks to the Thelemite Club for the chance to relax on a weekday afternoon and hear how reading impacted the life of this charming Charlottean.

Nancy stands by her display on the shop's front porch

“DESIGNING BRIDES” OPENS

As a recent MOB (Mother of the Bride), what better assignment than to visit with the owner of the new retail store on Main Street, “Designing Brides,” which specializes in wedding attire.  Yes, the Grand Opening for the business community was yesterday at 8 a.m. with ribbon cutting and breakfast by Toast restaurant.  DavidsonNews.net reported on this but your correspondent had a chance for a quiet visit last week to find out more about the shop and the owner, Nancy Lepore.

Nancy is no stranger to bridal wear.  She has worked in bridal shops since college days and with her business degree always envisioned opening a bridal store.  Many will remember that she had a shop earlier in Davidson which she sold in 2003.  At that time she returned to Philadelphia to join her husband, Patrick, who was employed as a Vice President of Operations and Chief Operating Officer of the University of the Sciences there.  When Patrick retired after 15 years with the University, he and Nancy wanted to return to North Carolina.  Missing Davidson, they bought a home here in June of 2010.  Thinking about owning a bridal shop once more, Nancy jumped at the chance to lease the space formerly occupied by the Davidson Community Players at 107 North Main Street in the house we old timers refer to as Ms. Newtie’s home.

Nancy knows the latest trend to have "something blue" shoes with your wedding gown!

Walking into “Designing Brides,” one finds a spacious room (adorned with Nancy’s mother’s chandelier) with a nice selection of ready-made gowns, casual dresses (think honeymoon!), shoes, purses, jewelry as well as an album of wedding gown ideas.  The back room is primarily mirrored open space for trying on gowns and fittings.  Sample wedding gowns are available in sizes 4-20 or Nancy will assist you in a special order of a custom gown design.  She wants the whole wedding experience to be a happy one from start to finish.  Nancy can recommend a floral designer, a photographer, caterer, venue for the reception and also make sure that the MOB is elegantly attired and the bridesmaids are pleased with their dresses.  A custom alteration service is available and many brides have had their mother’s wedding gowns “reworked” to fit them.  Handkerchiefs can be sewn specifically for the bride and a new trend is for “something blue” to be the bride’s shoes!

Weddings, however, are not Nancy’s only focus.  She has debutante and special occasion dresses. (Check her website at www.designingbrides.net)  Her customers come from a wide area including many of the surrounding counties.  Designing Brides is offering discounts of up to 50% off on select bridal gowns and mother’s dresses from now until December 30.  Be sure to stop in to see the selection and say hello to owner Nancy Lepore.

Send us your news

Have news for Around Davidson? Write to Brenda Barger at hbarger@bellsouth.net.